What do you think?

[djt87]

Hello

We have sold our house and are moving to a house that's currently being built. Our buyers searches are due back 2nd week of jan.

We have just been told the house we are moving too will not be ready until March. They have had a delay in laying bricks due to weeks of rain and now it's too cold to lay. We have a one year old and a dog, I cannot find any rentals in my area accepting dogs. We can't move in with family as no room. Our only option is to ask the buyer to wait until March.

Do you think they will pull out? We really could do without the sale falling through so I'll be devastated if they do as I don't think it will sell fast again due to the current market but I need some kind of reality if you think they are more than likely going to pull out to prepare myself. They are first time buyers and had their mortgage offer accepted, paid for all their searches etc.

You could find a dog boarder for a month. One close by so you could visit your dog. It's not ideal but you could have that as a plan.

Is March actually guaranteed?

You need to rent somehow

When does their mortgage offer expire

Your buyer might lose their mortgage if they have to wait.

Airbnb arrangement with dogs welcome.

In the grand scheme of house moving everything takes a LOT longer than you think. So just because the searches will be back 2nd week of January, doesn't mean that everything will be ready to move by 3rd week of January, there could be problems with the searches and all sorts of other nonsense that goes on which could well take you until March, I wouldn't panic just yet.

Once we had to move into a local (very) budget hotel for a few weeks, you could do that and find a dog border if necessary.

Asking your buyer to wait until March is far from your only option.

Are your searches early in the process or the final thing before exchange? I can't remember when it happens.

If you put a message on your local FB page someone may have accommodation to rent for the interim period. Or an Airbnb. There are also sometimes short let's for situations just like yours or for when people have building work.

Depending on your buyers mortgage deadline you could see if they would be willing to exchange based on a completion date of say 31st March with a clause to complete sooner by giving 4 weeks notice. That's basically what large house builders do when they get you to exchange within 4 weeks of reserving a house or plot.

It's also worth asking the developer you are buying from.
Our local housebuilder sometimes does part exchange and owns a couple of other properties. I've known people rent those in these situations.
It's advantageous to them too as it takes the pressure off slightly for deadlines.

On the one hand I definitely agree that moving house can take ages and just because their searches are due back in January, doesn't mean everything will be ready at that point. On the other hand, if they haven't been able to lay bricks yet, the idea that the new house will be ready in March seems optimistic, honestly.

Just incase anyone is interested! They extended until April we moved in with parents for 6 weeks and moved into our house in June. All worked out. Thanks all 😊