Oh my Goodness, where to start!
Accepted offer April 24. Recommended local Solicitors to my buyers as the seller had used them when I bought 12 yes ago , they knew the house and strange leasehold arrangements and had worked with my Solicitor when I bought.
He then used them to sell. In that time he's had two buyers drop out( he had a cash offer and this was supposed to be 4 WEEKS!) It was too low, and he pulled out( but didn't bother telling me)
His second first time buyer pulled out day before exchange , His Solicitors lost them through lack of communication on survey issues, and actually didn't bother telling anyone they had pulled out till the middle of June! I found out myself when his house went back up for Sale.
Second buyers then offered in Aug 24.
It's now 21st Oct, the date we were supposed to be exchanging,yet again .
After some time of nothing, I found his buyers, we are all now on a email thread! Lovely people all.
The Solicitors are FUMING because we are all talking to each other and they can't use the usual excuses ( blaming their clients, other solicitors, the Land registry, agents)
To date they have lost a buyer, passed the buck, chased my buyers paralegal twice, only opened the file for the new buyers middle September, and up till last Friday were highlighting problems with title( which we all figured out back in April) and blaming a Land Registry " Back up"!
They have now told us to " manage our expectations ' and this is" categorically not going to complete in October '
The first thing a Solicitor should do is check title deeds. My buyer was told of problems on his title by ME! I advised him to expedite any applications through the Land Registry , I found and contacted his buyers, I got his estate agent on side.
I sell my houses myself, I prepare the listing, styling, photographs, conduct viewings, EPC, online marketing, open days. Take offers. Check out my buyers.
On buying, I order title plans and deeds, ( Land registry £3) check out local council building portal. Conduct my own searches. Do my own survey and due diligence with the help of builders quotes if needed. Find and talk to the owners if the agent is useless ( they usually are)
Despite all of this, the Solicitors always manage to F it up! My daughter is a admin assistant for a top London firm if Solicitors, she gets paid a pittance and does all the work while the top paid Solicitors and Paralegals are down the pub!
Here's a revelation YOU Don't NEED THEM! Solicitors, agents or surveyors!
Everything they do can be done yourself. Title deeds, transfers, identity documents. Searches, surveys. Marketing, viewings.
Here's the perfect house selling/ buying scenario.
Clean your house, dress it, take pictures. Prepare a listing, post on Rightmove through a one off fee online agent that allows you direct control ( agreed, 99 home are just two examples)
Conduct viewings or a one off open day with offers in by close of day stating funding and position.
Try not to get in a chain.
Have a pack ready with copy of Title,(£3) make sure any title issues are sorted out before your sale with direct contact to the land registry. Receipts, guarantees ect.
Accept offer on proof of funds.
Do ID checks on your buyers.
If your buyers have a Solicitor, up to them. Provide your details to their Solicitor. Their Solicitors will then kick off, because they HATE us knowing that this is actually very easy! Ignore them.
Answer any questions promptly.
If you are lucky enough to find a common sense buyer, accept their offer, provide written acceptance on proof of their funds ( bank statement). Agree moving date.
Download TR1 transfer of title document, AP1 Application to Change registry and ID1 ID documents. From Land registry.
Fill them in.
Arrange an appointment at a local Land Registry for yourself and your buyers.
Attend the appointment, while there, get the funds transferred from your buyers bank( or Solicitors )to yours.
Get buyers to pay any stamp duty owed to land registry while there.
Move out.
It's that easy , it can be done.
But they don't want us to know that!
I'm chasing the useless bunch I recommend again this week. To tell them to " manage their expectations" don't bother flitting off on your " annual leave" on the back of your clients stressful house moves, because I'm moving out at the end of the month!