House move

[Greencarrott]

Five months later still waiting to exchange our buyers and they're buyers, all cash apparently, our vendors property empty. Bottom of the chain faffing about, seriously thinking of withdrawing and staying put

I don't think 5 months is unusual at all.
Sounds like you have 4 parties in the chain ?
I happen to know quite a few first time buyers at the moment, or those who have bought in last couple of years, and 5 months is pretty normal, even where FTB buying empty property, or property where vendors aren't buying a new on.
It is frustrating, but what happens if you pull out - apart from breaking everyone else's hearts and costing everyone money for nothing? You are presumably pretty close now to achieving what you set out to do in the first place, which is move house. Whatever reasons prompted you to start the process will still be there is you pull out now.

Totally agree OP, the process for buying and selling in this country is unnecessarily tedious. But don’t pull out, it won’t get you anywhere. Just hang in there

So frustrating though, especially as everyone itching to go, first exchange date was November.... Until the first buyer realised they need money to actually move 🙄

Our buyers wanted a quick sale, which is what we also wanted due to the property we buying being empty, so frustrating 😤