Buyers/Sellers Exchange waiting room new thread

[thoughtsofmoog3]

I noticed the last one was full, so here we go!

Hello to the newcomers and welcome back to those who are still working their way through the joys of house buying/selling.

If it's less than a year old, then they should be able to find the paperwork. It's likely there is a warantee attached. Either way, that's one area where I wouldn't take chances, so worth getting an actual inspection done (eswpcially if they don't have service records.we are buying a place with a 21 year old boiler which has never been swrviced. Repirt says knackered, so we are negotiating atm).

For the roof, I'd try to get an independent roofer that you trust to come and look at it.

Once you get the report, see whether you can clarify things with the surveyor (we found this was easier when it was one we engaged directly, rather than via the mortgage co!). These things are rarely as catastrophic as they seem!

We've had 3 blown windows while selling. It's been very very quick and reasonably cheap to replace (about £150-300 depending on the size of window- from small to very wide bedroom window).

Anyway, I joined under another username back in October 22 and we're finally at the stage of talking about exchange and completion dates 😱 it's felt neverending with broken chains and useless buyers I had to duck out for a while for my own sanity/superstition.

We've completed !!!

@BungalowBuyer congratulations!

Congratulations @BungalowBuyer

Hope all goes well and that you are very happy in your new home.

It's pushing 40 degrees here today. Ideal for sorting out the greenhouse.....not......

Just heard again that the chain wants to complete in 2 weeks (I don't think part of the chain will be ready by then)
When I called our selected removals they said how most of the chain would be surprised at firms being booked up and that they actually can't book us in for 3 weeks at least.
How do people manage with the ever changing dates and trying to get a firm to move them?!

Congratulations @BungalowBuyer fabulous news!

We completed today too! We don’t move in until Monday but it’s only down the road so we’ve been round. I’m devastated to find a massive damp patch on the chimney breast that definitely wasn’t there when we viewed and the full structural survey didn’t pick up - and I specifically asked for comprehensive damp checks. The estate agent has photos and is contacting the sellers. I’m hoping it’s a very recent repair job but I fear it’s something worse.

I'm getting fed up with my solicitor. Chain behind us ready but my solicitor still querying window guarantees on windows about 15 years old! Told them on Wednesday we are not concerned about guarantees as we intend to replace the windows and could she now send us the contracts to sign and heard nothing since. My seller have come back from the USA now to sort the house out as the house been essentially empty for 5 years but they have maintained it and carried out work to it. It's still got some of their furniture in it so they have come to clear the house and hopefully sign their contracts as well. We are cash buyers so no mortgage and just want to get on with it! We are now at week 11

First the endless packing and now the unpacking and finding a home for things 🥹.

Our movers were amazing, I couldn't have contemplated doing it all ourselves. I'd consider paying for packing if I ever move again.

I was disappointed on completion day, I got a call from my conveyancer to say we'd completed, not a peep from my estate agent or their sub contracted sale progressor, and still nothing from them. Won't be recommending them. A quick call to ask how things were going would have been nice. I called them to say we'd let the house so they could release the key and they couldn't have been less interested.

I discovered when I received my completion statement my conveyancer had purchased a indemnity policy for some building regs issues, I knew nothing about it, it was only £40 so I'm not complaining about that, but presumably that was probably a few days to a week when I thought nothing was happening and the two conveyancers were negotiating around that.

Can I join? We’re selling, hoping to exchange on our house very soon, hopefully to complete end of August. Our Buyers are desperate to move fast. We’re buying but want to complete a survey and searches all properly in our onward purchase. We’re hoping it can all align as we’re buying a no chain project but who knows? I was feeling optimistic about it all completing same day but our solicitor during contract signing for exchange of our current house didn’t seem so positive.

Feeling immense guilt that my desire to just get ours sold could potentially leave us with everything in storage and ‘homeless’.

Congrats @Karmatime I remember your username from when I joined the last thread aaaaaages ago under a different username. Hopefully the damp isn't what it seems.

We're on the last long slog and it's slowing down. Our mortgage offer expires on 14th August. Our buyers confirmed to our agents that they were happy with enquiries and had told their solicitor the week before last. A few days later our solicitor sent us a letter from theirs saying "I still need my clients to confirm they are satisfied with enquiries". Last week they told our agents they had requested their ISA money for this week, our solicitor hadn't heard so chased theirs for exchange and completion dates. We're still waiting for a response to that one. I wish the solicitors would be more like the estate agents and just pick up the phone. They waste so much time dictating letters and emails to each other.

We're in the middle of a chain of three and the agents on both sides have been great at chasing and updating. Our house went on the market last October and the one we're buying went on the market last July so they're desperate to finally get us over the line.

We just had to ask for some money off after finding out the boiler was 25 years old and knackered. Hand hold needed!

Im in. Similar situation with enquiries and told our solicitor I'm happy now with the enquiries but solicitor still gone back to ask about window guarantees on windows that are blooming ancient and we intend to replace anyway! Our sellers are in the USA so that complicates it as well. Everyone behind us ready. Chased today to ask when will we get the contracts which apparently are in the midst of being posted to us so God knows how long that's going to take now given the postal system plus confirmed she's awaiting response from seller re her further enquiries about the bloomin windows....

I'm so anxious. Due to exchange any day now but my solicitor still hasn't had confirmation from my lender that funds will be in place by completion (4 august). They sent certificate of title last Friday. Anyone have any experience on how long this bit takes? My agent and my vendors agent are both chasing me continuously. My own agent is being very snarky. I'm doing all I can to chase my solicitor and I've asked them to push my lender. Can I push the lender directly? Stupidly we did not use broker, didn't think we needed to as we were porting and sticking with same lender. Can't bear the anxiety!

Phone your Lender directly- you’re their client and will be paying the mortgage

We had our offer accepted on a house 6 weeks ago. Had searches done, survey done, had mortgage offer. What happens now? Apart from the initial forms from the solicitors, we've heard nothing. Is there something we should be doing? FTB buying an empty house.

We had a cash buyer who has just pulled out. Our house is realistically priced and 25 years old and I was honest about the condition when the buyer looked at it.

I just need to rant a bit. 😂

We've done lots to maintain it (new bathrooms, new downstairs loo, installed a loft ladder, new boiler and radiators, new front and back door, 5-10 new window panes, redecorated utility and put a cupboard and counter in utility fitted a new floor in the conservatory, new window handles (about 5 were loose and we'd never been given the keys so couldn't open them), had part of the roof repointed and had new fascias put in. But just not EVERYTHING.

The buyer got a type 3 surveyor's report. I spoke to a surveyor who said you don't need a type 3 unless the house is over 125 years old... No structural defects were spotted that would mean you couldn't get insurance or a mortgage (even though she is a cash buyer). Some roofing felt needs replacing (although no water ingress noted), which will cost £1000+ and we're going to get it done. The estate agent's view is that the roof definitely should be done, but everything else is what it is. I agree, I'd want the roof doing if I were buying the house. Fixing the level 1 issues will cost £3000-£4000.

The buyer wanted us to do everything and replace the broken burglar alarm (I pointed out to her that it is broken when she looked round) and pay for her electrical survey for the house (this is usually paid for by the buyer) or reduce the price by £8,000.

I said no. She's paid for a survey she doesn't need, the house is realistically priced but we will get the roof sorted and won't lower the price.

She pulled out saying she didn't have the budget to do the work.

I counter offered with we'll lower the price by £3k and get the roof done but nothing else to meet her half way. I'm waiting to hear back, but to be honest if she says yes I'm minded to just say no. I'm worried she'll nickel and dime every little thing and threaten to pull out at every step.

Just to add we've had the house since 2016 so it's not like we've sat on it for 40 years and done nothing.

You’ve offered £3k plus roof? Seems like a great deal. Some people are such chancers. Hopefully they take it, if not they sound unreasonable anyway and you’d be best cutting your losses.

That's how I feel.

I'd rather the buyer walked away now than takes another unrealistic position when we're further down the line with the sale.

My parents are in a similar positionto the buyer. They are in their 70s, downsizing, don't want the hassle or expense of getting work done to a property..... so they've paid a premium for a property that has just been done up!

It sounds like everything is happening that should be happening. I expect the solicitors are just getting the legal details sorted or maybe there are more complex issues further up the chain, if there is a longer chain.

Maybe ask your solicitor if you are close to being able to suggest a date for Exchange of Contracts. Think about what date would suit you for Exchange & also for Completion so you can potentially suggest dates.

Thanks twiglets, So I rang solicitors for an update and they haven't t received anything from the buyers solicitors yet which is why we haven't heard anything. Surely 6 weeks is long enough or is this normal? There isn't a chain, we are first time buyers buying an empty house.

I would ask the EA to talk to the Vendor and see if they can hurry their solicitor up a bit. Have you received the property information form yet? (fixtures and fittings)

I don't think there's anything more you should be doing at this stage but they should be sending you the property information form if they haven't already.