The all new buyers/sellers waiting room (continued x3) thread!

[fromtheshires]

As @movingtoplan has finally flown the nest, I have taken the torch and started a new thread as there are less than 80 replies remaining on the current thread before its 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: Previous Thread

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

My update is our onward purchase was completed months ago but due to buyers pulling out we had to start again with a buyer and they are just in the final stages of conveyancing and we are talking dates! I really hope I am not on the next thread.

Thank you all for your feedback at least ha!

At this point I can only assume that they did actually come and look at the house as estate agent gone by time I came home again! They don’t open at weekend so I won’t know anything now until at least Monday I guess. Would just be good to know if it’s a straight no I guess.

The worst thing would be if it’s just someone being nosey. Is there any statistics to show what percentage of people go to viewings with zero interest in actually buying at all, just for a nosey?

Good luck @Loveandstuff!

We got our mortgage approved today, hooray! Some questions up and down chain outstanding but looks like all mortgages approved now which is great. Let’s see what next week brings!

Reluctantly placemarking on the new thread. I had hoped to be sorted before we finished the old one, but at the rate we're going I'll probably still be around by the time this thread finishes!

Had a big cry this morning as I'm so frustrated. Vendors (chain free) are refusing to complete before mid September but have now decided we have to exchange RIGHT NOW or they'll push completion back to October. I've had three stressed out phone calls from the estate agents over the last two days saying the seller is kicking off about the delays - which I think is pretty unfair as I'd be happy to complete tomorrow!

Horrible timing as my solicitor is on leave this week so I haven't even been able to speak to him about everything. Asked the firm if they could sort everything out to exchange today but they couldn't do it at such short notice. I'm exhausted and so unhappy, trying to remind myself it will be worth it in the long run but struggling at the moment.

@Kaltenzahn I'm sure you already know the risks to you of doing that.
What if your mortgage offer expires or you lose your job and you can't get the money? You'd lose your deposit.
What if there is a leak or they get squatters?
It's legally yours so it's your problem
I really wouldn't accept it if you can help it. WHY do they want this? If they won't move till September why can't you exchange the week before? If you threaten to pull out would they shut up?
They sound like an absolute nightmare. I'm sorry.

I do know the risks, I've expressed my concerns several times and asked for a compromise of 28 days between exchange and completion, but the estate agents acted like I was being completely unreasonable.

Vendors have said they need a minimum of 10 weeks between exchange and completion and for every day I delay exchange they'll delay completion to keep the 10 week gap. This wasn't mentioned until yesterday which was 10 weeks before our previously agreed completion date. Apparently they're not prepared to pack anything/arrange removals or anything until after contracts are exchanged.

I've got no idea why they're doing this. I did think about threatening to pull out, but with how much they're stalling I don't think they're in a huge rush to move so I don't think I have much bargaining power! I can't decide if they're just stalling for a delayed completion date or if they're trying to scare me into exchanging on their terms. Possibly both.

I'll probably end up exchanging next week if they will stick to the previously agreed completion date. They've pushed it back three times now and every time I've had to rearrange work commitments, book leave and reschedule furniture deliveries. I just don't think I can keep doing this over and over again.

That sounds highly unusual @Kaltenzahn, are they moving abroad or something? 10 weeks is a really long time to have between exchange and completion.

If you want to carry on @Kaltenzahn make sure you don't exchange without a completion date. With my previous house the vendors wanted to exchange with an open ended completion date. Er no! They were buying a new build house that wasn't finished yet..

We exchanged yesterday. Not without it's complications and my small chain couldn't agree completion dates, so we're breaking it but only did so if we could exchange simultaneously. And we had to exchange this week to keep our purchase intact, but top of chain wasn't quite ready until yesterday. We booked removals and packing prior to exchange as they were running out of availability.

Question - do you think a team of 4 can pack a 3-bed house between 8am and midday? That's what they've booked us for and they are a very long-standing company but struggling to trust their judgement.

Hello checking in! So we’re at the enquiries stage, I sent a mail two weeks ago asking for advice as we don’t have our building regs for our windows (asked if we need an indemnity) chased it up on Thursday and lo and behold our solicitor is on holiday for a week again!! I’m beyond frustrated. Does anyone else’s solicitor come across as having a bad attitude? I’m always very polite and friendly on the phone but she practically answers the phone with ‘what do you want I’m very busy’ also I was told never to ring on a Friday as it’s their busiest day 🙄

Yes. They're like bloody locusts when they get in!

Think you win the award for most amusing post on this thread. But also thank you as that's incredibly reassuring.

We’ve had searches back, some possible issues about old building work without regs/planning, but I imagine will be sorted through an indemnity and aren’t a practical concern. Mentally I’ve already moved in so just hoping things continue to proceed ok 🤞🏻

Enjoying listening to Glastonbury and packing what I can still though. But my eldest who is not wanting to move (divorcing his dad), keeps unpacking bits (eg tablecloth) as a subtle protest. We likely don’t complete for another month but I’ve been packing boxes for weeks as I can’t manage it in one week’s notice alone working full time with kids and dog!
I’ve got provisional removal booking as they’re busy but worried nobody else is as proactive and won’t be able to move as it’ll be busy end of July!
Removals are team of 4 8am til 12 ish they’ve said. Half of downstairs furniture is going to ex so will be less to take.

@Kaltenzahn i would not be exchanging with such a long gap and I think a solicitor would also tell you it's a really bad idea as so much can happen in 10 weeks.

Instruct your solicitor to ask for a legitimate reason for this demand as estate agents don't care and just want the deal done. It could be a legitimate reason however Its probably them doing a dick waving move. If it's a legitimate reason then you can decide how to proceed.

Off to view the house again this afternoon - not seen it since 30 April 🤩
Excited!

Had the viewing. They were here nearly an hour. The agent said that's unusual unless they are very keen. They want to come back in the evening for another look. I'm trying to stay calm but being hopeful. If we do get an offer we can accept then I have to find a house. I've not pinned down the area yet so feeling very stressed!

Good luck @BG2015 !

@tazgirl i don't think there are statistics but locally there is a couple that come and view every house that goes up on the estate. They are also members of the closed fb group so must live on the estate due to how they approve join requests.

Ive spoken to a few of the estate who are selling/have sold that I am friendly with and they have all had their houses viewed by this couple.

My brother lives on the same estate as me and when he put his house on the market the estate agent called within 24h and said this couple wanted to view. He declined and they didn't even object so I recon even they know they are not real buyers.

Afternoon all - thanks to @fromtheshires for starting a new thread. Can I be greedy and have opinions on two questions please?

Is it a bad idea to complete just before a bank holiday weekend - should we ask for very end of August rather than, say, 22nd or 23rd? Also if I wait till 27th I get paid that day and thinking that's a good thing if I have that money to hand. I'm moving into a rental, ex-H is completing on a purchase same day.

Second question - if I take my equity and sit on it (thinking one of those NS&I account?) whilst I wait to buy something else, how long do I have - is there a time limit for capital gains tax - do you have to spend it on a new house within 6 months? Ignore this question I just did the little "eligibility" quiz on HM Gov website I was barking up the wrong tree

Bloody hell @fromtheshires 😬 Did they come to see yours?

Sounds really positive @BirthdayRainbow ! Fingers crossed for you

Sadly yes they did as they booked within 24h. If only we had known at the time, I would have refused.

It was only when i mentioned we had a viewing booked in less than a day to someone and they said was it x and it all started to click into place and I did some digging with others.

Why waste everyone's time. It's beyond me. My neighbour is thinking of selling up and if they get a board go up ill be knocking on their door right away to see if they booked a viewing

Thank you. I'm trying to stay calm. I've realised I'm never doing this again!!

Unless my dc have babies and need me nearby of course.

Question for everyone... when do you start packing... I sort of don't want to do anything until exchange (worried about jinxing ourselves plus dont want to live with loads of boxes!) but equally what if we end up with short gap between exchange and completion? I have started decluttering here and there but that's about it. Just in early stages of conveyancing for our sale and purchase at the moment...

@Cheeseandcrackers40 i started decluttering just weeks after stbeh left! That was a year ago. I’ve slowly but surely the last six months been filling the charity shops and pavement with all sorts!
I started packing properly a good month ago as I’m on my own with kids so didn’t want to do it all in a week. I’ve enjoyed it tbh, labelling and sorting. I’m lucky I have a conservatory to stack the boxes in.
we’ve not exchanged yet 😩 though my contract for sale and mortgage came through today snd I signed contract for purchase last week. 5-6 in chain and all but 1-2 are pretty much ready so could complete in 3 weeks but I’m guessing more likely 4-5 😔

I started packing and selling stuff months ago. My loft and garage has lots of boxes packed. Partly as I wanted the house to be as tidy as possible for when I did put it on the market and the fact I have three kids who don't live at home full time so all their stuff needed sorting. I don't want to take all their stuff to my house then find out they didn't want it anyway!

Having said that, I started packing a bit soon as I needed some stuff and it was already packed!