The all new buyers/sellers waiting room (continued) (continued) thread!

[MovingToPlan]

The previous thread is almost full! We've had lots of completions, exchanges, offers accepted, maddening conveyancing teams, strange requests, and worries to last a lifetime. Welcome welcome.

Catch up here: The all new buyers/sellers waiting room (continued) thread

My update is that everything seems to be lining up and we're looking at exchange next week. 🤞 Hoping to complete a few weeks after that.

Good luck to you, whatever stage you're at in the process.

Ooh laminated floorplan sounds like a great idea!

It's been really helpful, the dc have drawn their furniture arrangements on it too; it's helped them understand the new house layout better.

That sounds very organised. I usually would be but with a baby in tow I've not been able to do much this past week or so!

This really is the end of the line for you @MovingToPlan isnt it.

Im going to be sad to see you not posting on here from Tuesday. I feel like we have been through the ups and downs together on the last two threads and I'm losing my doom and gloom update buddy 😭😂

No news on my progress. Searches should hopefully be back end of next week and I'm hoping it will be all done and dusted for the end of July

Some hopefully good news from our estate agent today. Our buyers have reassured him they are still keen and say they have put money over for the searches today (5 weeks after offering on our house).

They are apparently just a bit naive. You'd think folks in their late 50's would be a bit more clued up 🙄.

Hopefully we're back on track now and 🤞 the searches don't throw up anything weird.

I'll keep cheering you on til July!

We finally finally finally exchanged today. Another solicitor has to step in after I phoned their HQ as had radio silence from my solicitor. Had been taken to A&E apparently.
We complete a week on Wednesday and are so excited to be blending our families at long last and living with each other.

We decided late last summer. Put the house on the market in November so a long 7 months to get to this point.

🥳🥳🥳 congratulations!

@LoveRules congratulations

Congratulations @LoveRules !

Can I get some ideas on how to sort this out please - so Ex-H and I have sold the house we live in to a FTB, we are about 6 weeks down the line, we're looking at completion in August because that seems like enough of an ask for the FTB. Ex has also had a MoS on his new place, so there's a chance it'll go through in time (his vendor doesn't have an onward purchase) but I can't find anything. Have I already reached the end of the line and I should just resign myself to rental now or is there still a chance I could find something in the next couple of weeks and still be reasonably able complete by the end of August? Or does that way madness lie?!

I'm worried as a 2 bed rental for myself and disabled DD is unaffordable from my salary so I'd have to draw a lot of my savings to cover the excess for 6 months (e.g., mortgage I am planning is £1k a month, 2 bed rental is £1.5k a month). Oh and we have a dog! Just so as not to drip feed - DD is going to uni in September, but can't access her accommodation early enough to make this workable; also her health means she will frequently need to come "home" and stay in a bedroom hence the need for 2 beds. All her maintenance loan is going on her new accommodation so she can't contribute.

I'm also worried if I rent for 6 months to a year prices will go up. But obvs if I start desperately trying to buy anything in the next 2 weeks I might end up with a house I'll regret later. Oh and I'm 60+ so this house will have to be the last place I live (unless I go into sheltered accommodation or something ofc).

(Just @Twiglets1 as they've always made sensible suggestions on this board through my very long journey to get this place sold!)

I think your daughter going to uni in September isn’t that relevant to your dilemma because as you say, you will still need a 2 bed unless you could rent a decent sized 1 bed and one of you sleep in the living room for 6 months to save costs? Not very appealing I’m sure but maybe a short term option to reduce rental costs? Especially as she will be in uni accommodation a lot of the time.

From what I read on Mumsnet it’s very hard to find rentals prepared to take tenants with a dog (a bit easier in rural areas apparently) so that does complicate your situation further. Wouid your Ex be prepared to take the dog for 6 months if you do end up having to rent somewhere but he buys in time? Or is there a family member who would be able to help out for a while?

Also, you may have agreed to complete in August but that could possibly be delayed by a few weeks nearer to the time if necessary. House buying & selling often take longer than you think anyway.

In your shoes I would still be looking as hard as possible for somewhere to buy but not at the expense of buying somewhere unsuitable. If it comes to it, better to rent somewhere with lots of compromises than buy somewhere you don’t really like. I really can’t see house prices suddenly rising in any significant sense in the next few months so I wouldn’t feel pressured that you need to buy now from that point of view. Better to wait until you see somewhere suitable for you & your daughter. As far as I’m aware there’s just more house price stagnation predicted for the rest of 2024 in most areas.

While the first fall in interest rates will bring some excitement from the media, in reality it will only be by 0.25% or possibly 0.5% by the end of the year, so buyers aren’t suddenly going to find affordability much easier. So I don’t think these small falls in the interest rate will have a dramatic impact on house prices any time soon.

Renting doesn't sound like a realistic option in your situation. In your shoes I would keep looking for your forever home and don't be rushed into buying somewhere that isn't right for you. Your sale to the FTB could fall through for all kinds of reasons, but if they are keen on the house and it takes longer to complete, then perhaps they can go into a rental instead of you. I think you are putting too much pressure on yourself.

Thank you both @Twiglets1 and @ClematisBlue49 for being very kind (I got a bit carried away and should have started my own thread). Our FTB is already in rented so I know it's not the end of the world if they have to stay a bit longer but Ex-H's vendor needs to get a child into a new school for September so bit tricky. I'm heartened by hearing two people say I should keep looking and not compromise.

🥳🥳🥳 great news!

@GoingDownLikeBHS

We broke our chain in order for our buyers to move in. We've been living with my parents since 28th May and my adult DS whose 21 is temporarily living with his dad.

We are in limbo and although it's fine and we're coping ok it's not ideal. We're 6 weeks in to our onward purchase and our searches are due back on Tuesday. We are SO hoping that things will start progressing from then. We need to exchange and complete as soon as we can as we are going on holiday for 2 weeks on the 19th July so we really want to move before then.

I would hold out on finding a house, renting will be expensive and very disruptive.

@GoingDownLikeBHS could daughter and dog stay with ExH whilst you sort a purchase out?

In an ideal world it would be great to wait and get a place for you as well but if it risks losing this buyer I'm just trying to think of other ways to get around things if need be.

Without knowing the ins and outs of the breakup or your daughters disability I'm just throwing darts in the dark tbf but you may not have considered this

I think I joined this thread when we first went on the market in Sept... well... we had 3 or maybe 4 offers in Feb and went under offer... we've had all sorts of issues and were due to exchange last Friday, but our solicitor wasn't ready (and still isn't), our buyer completed and moved into an airbnb, he said if we couldn't exchange he would pull out and that is exactly what he did.

So, we are back on the market, i'll lose the new build i was buying and my husband will most likely lose the flat he was buying... so here am I... back on the thread! 'Hello'...

Just want to add, we were all aiming for a 21st completion and that date was never up for debate.

@startingoveragainagain sorry to hear that. Cant believe your buyer got that far only to pull out last minute. Sounds like you’re separating from your partner?? I am too so I understand that this house move is even more important and emotional in that situation. It’s also harder navigating everything solo too than having nobody to listen to when it’s falling apart or even when there’s a mini win. 😔
Good luck. Hoping you can sell again within weeks if your vendors will give you a few weeks grace.
Despite nobody talking exchange etc despite EA reassuring me everyone is aiming for July 🤞, and with no reassurances I’ve carried on packing today much to teenage child’s annoyance. But I did say to them that if we only get a few weeks notice, it’ll just be me packing a whole house up on my own. They didn’t contradict me 😜🙄

@startingoveragainagain and @runningmom - so at least 3 of us here in similar position (we're actually divorced already) and it does add a lot of extra stress.

Opposite situation here. I’m cashing in my house and buying with my partner of twelve years (it’ll be his first house). Being financially committed to each other is giving me palpitations, let alone the fact the house we’re buying will be difficult to sell again for seven years as it’s missing crucial paperwork. I think we’re both feeling apprehensive at losing some independence but we’re in our forties and wouldn’t be able to afford what we want without this step. Also I’m sick of falling over his crap in the house, the man needs a garage.

as you can probably guess, we’re both children of very acrimonious divorces!

We've lodged our divorce but my solicitor says it won't be finalised till the autumn.

I've spent the day hiding boxes and spreading out the furniture I didn't sell so that it looks more or less like a home.

I also went to the garden centre and got a few bedding plants, there's still some gardening to do, and i'll do that next w/e.

H spent the day on the sofa watching the tv.

I'm absolutely knackered.

Plasterers are coming to plaster the dining room walls (we had a leak that's now been fixed) tomorrow - so more chaos.

I have no idea how close we are to being done. All ID checks submitted Tuesday, no response from solicitors after I confirmed and asked for rough timeline update.

Chased Friday and he replied saying he is waiting on the mortgage offer and is working with our broker to get it from the lender.

I assume that means we are close?

@Unexpectedbaby di you mean close to exchange? I don’t think you are until your solicitor is proactive and tells you! Have you had searches back and enquiries all settled? Or do you mean is your mortgage offer close?
Sadly, it is a long and frustrating process as you’ll have gathered from the thread!