waiting game before exchange

[Thatcrazycatlady]

anyone else in same boat? searches ordered, mortgage in place and solicitor checks done etc, no chain. We have been told 8-12 weeks from 19th July, We have been told we would get an update every Monday, our borough said 8 day turnaround for searches but not holding out much hope for this timescale haha, I literally have been eyeing up the packing boxes wanting to get stuff put into them my partner has strictly said no, he said nothing is set in stone until exchange etc so for me not to get to exited, I am so inpatient and feel like this is going to be the longest wait ever!

Survey done?
Need searches and enquiries back. I wouldn't be packing yet. A crazy number of house sales fall through, and you are very near the start.

What you could do, if you want to feel proactive, is go through every cupboard, shelf etc and sell/donate/bin the stuff you don't want to move. It will make packing much easier when you get closer.
Besides that, earliest you will move is mid September. It's likely to be October. Do you want to be living sourunded by boxes til then?

Hello @LionessesRules yes done and they have sent off for searches 26th July, Oh dont say that haha I am trying to remain as positive as I can with my very negative partner being the opposite. Local council said 8 days to come back but that would be a miracle. Nope definitely not, I thought about decluttering and then any boxed stuff can wait in spare room out of sight!

Our searches came back 4 weeks ago. Prior to this, the council said 5 working days and it took them 3.5 weeks.

Our solicitor only sent us the report today (holidays etc), and there are so many issues with the report and will be dozens of enquiries from this - mostly due to the other side ticking 'not known' to very basic information.

We are looking at completing mid September. This is a no chain house, and if we do complete then, would have been 16.5 weeks from offer accepted.

We also got told 8-12 weeks.

Our searches were ordered in March, took about 3.5 weeks to come back. We are hoping to complete on 17th august, exchanging next week. Our house sold 22nd February, so for our buyers it will have been 6 months (they are bottom of chain of 4).

Obviously won't be as bad if you don't have a chain ahead of you.

We have been living surrounded by boxes for ages, but they are out of the way so it's not been too much of a big deal.

The house is being put on removal trucks as I type. We offered end of March. Our sale has fallen through twice, and we have committed to completing without selling, just to make it work (and fortunately we can do this). I'm probably a bit too cynical to be giving encouraging support right now!! I hope it all goes well for you.

@ConsistentlyClumsy ah thats annoying, ours ticked a lot of no boxes, so shall sit and wait what they come back with. its a 1930s build only extended bathroom slightly and upgraded kitchen and got rid of asbestos boards but says they have proof to show checks have been approved. The estate agent kept telling us we will be in my September and that searches don't take long but since been told to take what EA tell you with a pinch of salt haha, hope all goes well with your move!

I'm at the top of a chain of three.

Accepted an offer on our house on the 18th February. Exchanged last Friday, completing on the 25th August.

Everything has been smooth so far, but yes, it does seem to take time, which I don't mind as I'm awaiting a new build so going into rented for three months.

I would definitely not pack until you've exchanged, absolutely nothing is a done deal until you at least exchange.

Best of luck.

We’re in a very similar boat! Offer accepted late-May, mortgage offer, survey and searches all complete by mid-July and now we’re in the midst of what feels like an eternity of waiting for the final enquiries to be addressed.

We’d been so keen to make the move in August as we have lots going on in September and it’s comparatively quiet, but the chances of that happening seem to fade with every passing day. And in the meantime I get more and more emotionally attached to the new house, despite my best efforts not to!

The balance I’m struggling with is how much to chase. I know solicitors have heavy workloads and that the EA can only do so much too - but if I just leave it I then worry that things won’t progress! God it’s a stressful time, isn’t it.

Offer accepted mid June, then had to renegotiate price after mortgage co downvalued it by a considerable amount. Queries ongoing over ownership of outbuildings but should eventually get resolved. Had fixtures and fittings form; nothing untoward. Searches were being ordered depending on outcome of outbuilding saga but allegedly taking 10 days at present. Mortgage offer sorted, survey done and awaiting results. I’m chain free and buying a probate place. Hoping I might be in by end of Oct, which would suit me because I can’t take any time off before then due to crazy workload!

It's the most stressful thing ever. Our estate agent kept telling us that exchange was 'imminent'. What does that even mean?

Accepted offer in March. We are top of chain of 3. Surveys, searches and mortgage offers back weeks ago.
We have now been told there is a flying freehold in the mix that needs to be sorted. I smell an indemnity coming on.
(Has anyone ever claimed on one of these by the way?)
No mention of dates yet .......

It’s so frustrating! Everything has been done apart from our solicitor needing to check replies to enquires are ok, despite me chasing this for over a week I can’t seem to get a sensible answer as to how long this will take. Considering complaining as I’ve sent multiple emails that have gone unanswered, rang to check emails had been received and solicitor admitted he had received them but no explanation or apology to why he’s not replied! Part of me doesn’t want to rock the boat and piss him off by moaning so close to the end!

Started decluttering etc found out Thursday our buyer can no longer afford mortgage because of interest rates going up so no sale. Second sale to fall through now. Probably now goi going to lose onward purchase

Your husbands right

Survey back; nothing concerning thank goodness. Need to query the woodburner is properly installed but I know the company that did it is legit so that should be ok.

Now just waiting for searches to come back and crossing fingers I don't need an in depth mining report.

That would be very early to start packing.

plus you’d be living amongst boxes and end up going through them to find bits

why don’t you use the time to do a big sort out and spring clean

So the buyer hasn’t even secured their mortgage in principle?!

Estate agent said they had with Nationwide had the valuation survey done etc and they said mortgage at higher interest rate. So now I'm a month down the line, searches done and waiting to come back on my new property so I will be out of pocket as well unless I get another buyer pronto

That's what agent said re buyer don't know maybe they are being economical with the truth

I agree with your DP but meanwhile De-clutter, eBay, Vinted, charity shop, tip everything you really don’t need.

So the buyer had done searches etc?

I would start decluttering and generally sorting stuff out. Think of it as a pre winter clean…. Maybe start collect boxes if you are diy packing. They can be left flat under a bed. Perhaps sort out and pack stuff in the loft/shed/garage.
Be aware that exchange and completion can be the same day. So leaving all until the very last minute could be risky. Also time scales move - we were told 12-16 weeks for our purchase, it was just 12 weeks on the nose, and exchange and completion same day. I was very glad I had started to prep earlier and ignored my Dh.

Endlessly I have no idea. But my conveyancer has on my purchase and draft contracts were mentioned

Buyers buyer was also at same stage apparently

Odd to spend money on legal fees without your mortgage secured

The waiting is utterly doing my head in.

We put our house on the market in Feb, had accepted an offer mid March. We offered on a house (and was accepted mid April) and they were top of chain.

we are 3 in a chain of 4 - but there are 2 different buyers who are first in the chain (as our buyers are a couple who are both selling to buy ours)

my god, the dicking about that is going on lower down the chain is unbelievable. Our seller is getting very tetchy and wanting to what the hold up is. We are chasing our buyers re their buyers. Both our buyer and their buyers seem to have no sense of urgency.

our seller and us are both chasing for exchange dates - but the bottom of the chain haven’t even signed anything yet. They swore blind they were going in to the solicitors to sign everything yesterday and everyone was hoping to exchange on Monday to complete on 17th August. But they didn’t go in. FFS

so no idea if we will be exchanging on Monday or not. I’ve hardly packed anything and we have 2 young children, I don’t want to start packing stuff in case the whole thing falls through. But I’m worried we are leaving it so late for packing - especially because we have two young children!

plus my husband’s Dad died very suddenly just over a week ago and my husband faces trying to arrange a funeral and all his Dad’s affairs / will etc and bloody try and pack to move house

everything is done. Everything back. So why are people dicking about?

People seem to enjoy dicking about. We were meant to exchange last week for completion on 17th but our solicitor hasn't signed our file off yet, weird as we have been ready for weeks?!?