Ideas to get purchase moving

[Gamergirl86]

Tl:DR-
-our offer was accepted first week of June.
-10 weeks later after chasing we discover vendor has chosen online only EA and is computer illiterate.

-apologies made by vendor, EA and solicitor and promises to get back on track
-two weeks later still no movement as vendor is grieving beloved pet.

What do I do?
This is a no chain either end purchase. We've paid for searches, mortgage in place but only for another 8 weeks.

Vendor is flying solo, elderly and we really don't want to spook them or make demands which might pressure them/come across as bullying. We are trying to be as reasonable as we can with their situation and they seem to be very genuine on the two times we've met them viewing the property.

But....DS starts school in September in the new area, baby #3 is due late September and we are getting very very panicked.

Is there anything we can do?

Has the vendor been made aware that your mortgage offer expires? The fact that they are not computer literate, but chose an on-line agent suggests there maybe another family involved who maybe able to get things moving.

@Gamergirl86 I think I've mentioned this on another thread you are on, but our buyer is apparently unable to understand the process of buying a house so didn't understand that they needed to have a solicitor, mortgage etc., they seemed to think it was a similar process to renting. Having discovered this, our estate agent thinks we shouldnt "chase" this person. We accepted their offer late April on the basis they could proceed quickly and now we are no further ahead. It's very hard to call and I wish someone could say to me definitely wait or definitely give up and find someone else. Could you ask your solicitor to have a talk to their solicitor and see if its really going to be proceedable?

If they are not on line, you need to write to them in way they can understand. Write a letter on nice paper, in reasonable size type, put it in a proper envelope. This should make them think you are both serious and pleasant.

In the letter, set out what you have said here. Be clear, be factual, say what you have said here. You have met them, so you will have an idea how to appeal to them.

Some years ago, we had a similar issue , couldn’t get any joy from the solicitor or the managing agent ( she owned the whole block and was selling off individual flats), so I wrote. . I got a phone call the next day, we exchanged two weeks later.

Good luck

Let them know clearly where you stand and what your expectations are. I would set hard deadlines.

Then it is up to them to either meet those expectations or choose not to, in which case it is probably a good idea to look somewhere else.

Let's face it, given the glacial pace this is going at so far your chances of getting anything done by end September are remote.

Plus you do not have a vendors EA to motivate the vendor to do anything to get their commission, as they might have already been paid as they are online.

I would look for another house.