Page 9 | Thread 2: "Anyone not being picky - and STILL can't find anything?"

Coffeesnob11 · 26/01/2022 10:21

The ftb actually offered before Christmas so they were all done with their searches mortgage etc. The survey on my house was done the same day as my epc! My buyer is a mortgage broker so that probably helps. I would expect if to be quick if there we no mortgages involved but there are.

EmmaH2022 · 26/01/2022 10:38

@Coffeesnob11

The ftb actually offered before Christmas so they were all done with their searches mortgage etc. The survey on my house was done the same day as my epc! My buyer is a mortgage broker so that probably helps. I would expect if to be quick if there we no mortgages involved but there are.

Oh that explains it They'll probably have known all the right people and in that time frame, probably did the searches themselves?

I considered that but decided against it.

How exciting for you!

Eastie77Returns · 26/01/2022 11:15

Coffeesnob11 - wow that is amazingly quick, congrats!

Emma - there are parts of Essex I really like. Totally understand why you'd want to move back for more space. I'm in East London so very close by and I could def. move there because it wouldn't really feel as if I'm leaving London.

@Starseeking - the EA who managed my property sale recommended the solicitor and then I retained her for this purchase. In hindsight I should have shopped around. There is another highly regarded firm close to where I live that I considered and I regret at least not getting a quote from them.

I hope things move along quickly for you now, I had to wait about the same length of time to get the paperwork started when my offer was accepted. I also have my heart set on a 1930s semi which is what I'm currently buying. It has some original features I love and a great garden although needs a lot of work. I've seen so few properties that meet my criteria so I feel a bit trapped in this never ending circus, trying to buy this house and dealing with a vendor who cannot use e-mail so has slowed everything down and a solicitor who genuinely does not seem to care whether I complete or not. Plus an EA who only communicates via WhatsApp - is that a thing now?!

Just got an Out of Office from Solicitor. She is on holiday again just 2 weeks after returning from her last one. Gotta laugh or I'll cry

EmmaH2022 · 26/01/2022 11:54

Eastie - ermagerd! Does no one do cover for her?

Re the EA and WhatsApp, I had a couple who said that when I registered. I don't use it so they just had to accept that or lose potential business.

Also, the mortgage broker said "is a Teams call okay?" I said no, a regular call please and they were fine.

EmmaH2022 · 26/01/2022 13:26

I imagine the surge of activity has begun...judging by the board and the phone call I just had from an EA asking if I was still looking.

I got the impression I was holding him up...and looking at the phone, the call lasted...31 seconds.😂

I did email all the agents to tell them I was no longer looking but two of them so far haven't clocked it.

Meanwhile, two flats that seemed like missed opportunities as they were SSTC when I began looking, have come back on. You can't help but wonder what went wrong...especially as one is in the same building I've offered in!

Eastie77Returns · 26/01/2022 15:10

Teams call...no, just no.

Could you call the EA posing as a new buyer and mention you saw the flat was SSTC and ask why (the one in the building you've offered on)? They won't tell you the truth if it's something negative but it might just be a chain collapse..

EmmaH2022 · 26/01/2022 15:55

@Eastie77Returns

Teams call...no, just no.

Could you call the EA posing as a new buyer and mention you saw the flat was SSTC and ask why (the one in the building you've offered on)? They won't tell you the truth if it's something negative but it might just be a chain collapse..

No, I wouldn't do that. It's possibly a confidential reason and it seems wrong to poke my nose into someone else's business.

I think chain collapse or local development are most likely. If the buyer didn't know about planned local development, it might have put them off.

Starseeking · 26/01/2022 15:59

@Coffeesnob11

The market is crazy and dead here. I signed with an EA to sell my house on the night of the 6th. Originally I hadn't wanted to move until summer but I put it on, it sold, before pictures were taken over the asking price on 10th Jan. They told me tye legals would take a while to sort, my buyer has ftb buying hers and I am going to live with family as I can't find anything rented or to buy in the new area. They tell me yesterday we should exchange this week 😳👀🏃‍♀️. Hopefully it will put me in a strong position when things do come up but it's a bit of a pain to be in storage even though I am lucky my faily can help house us. Everyone was telling me how slow the process wil be. I wasn't expecting 3 weeks from signing with EA to exchange.

Amazing, lucky you to have such a quick turnaround!

Starseeking · 26/01/2022 16:02

Sorry to hear your woes @Eastie77Returns. I'm hoping it'll all be fine in the end for both of us; although currently it seems like we are vying for the title of longest conveyancing process ever!

dubyalass · 26/01/2022 19:14

@pocketfullofstorms it’s madness isn’t it. I sold in 2019, went into rented thinking I’d buy somewhere at some point but the market went quiet. Been renting ever since and haven’t seen anywhere I like.

I do have a viewing on Friday and I’m half thinking I should just buy it as an interim measure just to get back in the game, as it were, because it’s not really what I’m after long term but it’s a good option for a few years. But what if prices drop later in the year when everyone decides they can’t stand another Cornish winter??

dubyalass · 26/01/2022 19:17

That said, the agent who’s doing the viewing said they were running around photographing new things coming on, so maybe there’s about to be a rush of houses coming on… wishful thinking??

Eastie77Returns · 27/01/2022 14:09

starseeking yes fingers crossed we both get to the end of this tortuous process!

EA messaged me and had tentative good news in that the vendor has proposed a date for Exchange next month. However it then transpired there are issues (of course). Her requested date is on a weekend and as far as we are aware it’s only possible to exchange Mon-Fri. Vendor said it is the only date she can do in the entire month as a relative is moving her and it’s their only availability. She also wants to Exchange & Complete on the same day. I don’t know if my lender permits that and I would really rather not as ideally want a week between.

Boobicoosg · 27/01/2022 14:11

When do people think fresh houses will come on the market this year? March?

EmmaH2022 · 27/01/2022 14:22

@Eastie77Returns

starseeking yes fingers crossed we both get to the end of this tortuous process!

EA messaged me and had tentative good news in that the vendor has proposed a date for Exchange next month. However it then transpired there are issues (of course). Her requested date is on a weekend and as far as we are aware it’s only possible to exchange Mon-Fri. Vendor said it is the only date she can do in the entire month as a relative is moving her and it’s their only availability. She also wants to Exchange & Complete on the same day. I don’t know if my lender permits that and I would really rather not as ideally want a week between.

That is good news, yay!

can see the pros on E&C on the same day, but especially with this vendor.

I am going to ask for the same though it's not a dealbreaker. Why might the lender object? It's quite common now.

Ooh, you might move in February, how exciting!

Doubleraspberry · 27/01/2022 14:28

Is your vendor buying an onwards purchase? (Sorry, you'll have said but my brain is small.)

If not, nothing to stop her moving out on the Saturday and completing on the Monday?

Doubleraspberry · 27/01/2022 14:31

@Boobicoosg

When do people think fresh houses will come on the market this year? March?

We are putting ours on at Easter, as our tenants will leave in July. In an ideal world, we'd get offer and go through conveyancing in time for a buyer to move in just after they leave.

I realise we do not live in an ideal world... But that could be the timeframe that anyone working towards a summer move probably has in mind.

Eastie77Returns · 27/01/2022 14:40

Emma from what I’ve read online (as I’m a bit of a novice) many lenders do not permit it and require minimum 5 days between Exchange and Completion. From the buyers perspective I think there are a few risks, not least if it doesn’t happen funds have to go back to the lender and then there are interest fees etc. I’ve emailed my lender to ask.

And yes, with this vendor anything is possible! The relative is moving her in a car and so has to make multiple trips - she is moving over 40 miles away. I have a sinking feeling she will not move everything out on whichever date we complete even though she has allegedly been decluttering and throwing stuff out into a skip for weeks.

Boobicoosg I think Spring is a possibility for things to pick up. When I was looking last year there was a lot available from March onwards. Everything dried up from about October.

Eastie77Returns · 27/01/2022 14:48

@Doubleraspberry

Is your vendor buying an onwards purchase? (Sorry, you'll have said but my brain is small.)

If not, nothing to stop her moving out on the Saturday and completing on the Monday?

She has an onward purchase and is buying cash. I think that might be why she wants to E&C on the same day as she is using proceeds from her sale to pay for the onward house. The EA had originally told me she had the funds to buy the house without requiring the sale proceeds but seems as if things have changed.

Anyone else following the horror thread where the OP’s shady vendor will not let her do a pre-exchange viewing 6 months after she last viewed? Why are people so difficult!

EmmaH2022 · 27/01/2022 18:34

Eastie when I bought the first time, it was quite unusual to E&C on the same day and my mortgage lender was fine with it so hopefully yours will be. It was a good thing I did that because something went wrong in the bathroom in my rented place...I had to kip on the sofa in the new place (left by mutual agreement) and shower there, but it was lucky.

Yes, that thread..it has never occurred to me that someone might say no to that. I feel like there was another thread where the vendors were living there? Maybe I have my threads in a muddle.

Titfortatfortit · 28/01/2022 03:34

I am in rented in north west and still waiting, been six months. Hope spring brings new houses!

FanGirlX · 28/01/2022 06:49

@Boobicoosg

When do people think fresh houses will come on the market this year? March?

I've been told after Feb half term.

dubyalass · 28/01/2022 18:00

Just had a viewing and I really liked it. Some compromises but the location is great, it's detached and I'm not put off by the work that needs doing (rewire, new heating system) - it's liveable as it is. It is overpriced and they don't have any offers at present so I'm going to go in at 5% under asking and see what they say. Does that seem sensible? I think any lower and they wouldn't consider it.

Eastie77Returns · 28/01/2022 19:41

Best of luck dubyalass. With no other offers on the table and work required I think 5% under is fine.

My vendor’s EA has been in touch to say she can now accommodate exchange and completion a week apart rather than same day so is proposing two dates in February. I still won’t believe it until it happens.

Emma I think there is another thread which coincidentally started at the same time where the OP is a vendor and didn’t want to let her buyer do a last pre exchange viewing. I guess it’s interesting to see perspectives from both sides. I have told the EA that I will need another viewing prior to exchange as I haven’t seen the house in 5 months. He said fine but the house is a mess, boxes everywhere etc which doesn’t both me - I’m not going to assess the vendor’s packing skills!

dubyalass · 28/01/2022 20:50

Thank you Eastie. Having looked at what things in the same street sold for, I’m wondering if I should go lower. It’s on at £270k: the house next door (same type, size etc but in better condition) sold for £195k in 2018. Prices down here have gone up by around 20% in that time, but this is more like a 30% increase. I’m wondering about starting at 7,5% below and if they don’t go for it, I can go up a bit and leave the offer on the table. It’s probably going to cost £20k to do it up and I don’t want to spend more than it’s likely to be worth.

Starseeking · 28/01/2022 20:58

@Eastie77Returns

starseeking yes fingers crossed we both get to the end of this tortuous process!

EA messaged me and had tentative good news in that the vendor has proposed a date for Exchange next month. However it then transpired there are issues (of course). Her requested date is on a weekend and as far as we are aware it’s only possible to exchange Mon-Fri. Vendor said it is the only date she can do in the entire month as a relative is moving her and it’s their only availability. She also wants to Exchange & Complete on the same day. I don’t know if my lender permits that and I would really rather not as ideally want a week between.

That's brilliant to hear, I'm so pleased for you! Surely as a compromise she could exchange on the Friday, move over the weekend, then complete during the following week to give you a few days in between? Unless your vendor is making an onward purchase tied to their sale?