The all new buyers/sellers waiting room (9) the one where we start to wonder if we'll move by Christmas..

[NeverGoingToMove]

Huge apologies if I have missed this thread, I have searched high and low but don't think another was started after number 8 ended in May.

After a seriously stressful encounter with building control, I think we are almost ready to exchange. After going on the market last July, I'm hoping we'll move before our year anniversary!

How is everyone else doing?

Fingers crossed for you @Trying81

We've had confirmation from Solicitors that the land registry amendment has been done @YetiRosetti so all systems go here. Solicitors on Monday to sign contracts etc etc, hopefully complete the following week. Have you heard anything yet?

I’m in Scotland. We’re 5 weeks in and our solicitor hasn’t heard from the other solicitor yet? Is that normal? The estate agent called them on Monday and I was told that they’d received their mortgage offer but were just waiting on paperwork. I spoke to our solicitor who seems to think that it’s normal that he hasn’t heard from the buyer’s solicitor yet and that he’ll give them a nudge. But I don’t know if it is normal?

That’s brilliant news - I hope everything goes well for you next week (I am sure it will!)

no, I haven’t heard anything and I think yours only went in last week? Mine was the week before so I’m hoping there isn’t a problem. Maybe it isn’t a queue as such and their systems mean some are done sooner than others? Think I’ll contact my solicitor…

I’ve accepted an offer today on my late parents house, I’m executor of the estate. The last sale fell through after six attempts to exchange, we later found out it was because of shady circumstances surrounding our buyers. I should feel excited, but I don’t, I’m just waiting for it all to go wrong. Cash buyer, no chain…think I’ve got seller’s fatigue. And I just paid out 1600 in fees for the previous’sale’ that didn’t happen. This is bloody hard isn’t it? Hugs to all who are struggling like me.

@Middlemarch123 that's great news! I hope this time it'll go through ok!! That's so gutting you've had to pay out that much in fees for failed transactions

Did you manage to complete last week?

Survey on what we are buying is due today. Most of the enquiries and contract drafting stuff is done....

Chain below us is ready to go

Just need our sellers to get themselves sorted out and we can get moving!

Ive really learned this time what a difference good solicitors make. I paid more for a proper law firm this time and there's been no waiting around at all - paperwork gets turned round in 24 hours. We are targetting 7 weeks from offers to completion and it feels actually possible with decent lawyers.

Small spanner in the works, Renters Right Act means we have to give two months notice instead of one. Renting and paying a mortgage as well as paying gas, electric and water for two properties for two months isn't something we budgeted for.

Doesn't stop us and I'm glad the bill became law....but couldn't they have waited a few weeks!!

Survey in and it isn’t entirely negative which is a first for us during this hideous house search.

As far as I’m aware we are waiting for a response to enquiries and then I assume we are good to go.

Are you sure?

Shelter suggests that although it has Royal Assent, nothing has actually changed yet: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/renters_rights_act_changes_for_private_renters#ending-your-tenancy

Turns out I was 100% totally wrong....because I live in Wales and the bill was for England.

I can still buy the new heat pump tumble dryer when we move in 😁

We accepted an offer on our house again today, 20 days after our last buyer pulled out. The agents have been great and managed to line up 5 chain free viewings in that time. However just wanted to run something by you guys to get your thoughts..

We received our offer on Friday, it was 5k under what our previous buyer who pulled out on offered. There had been another viewing the night before and the agent was sure we'd receive a second offer later that day so advised us to hold off and wait to see if that comes through. No offer came through but some queries from the person who viewed. One being about who owned the fence and whose responsibility it was (joint responsibility) and another about if there were any leasehold charges associated with the property (no, freehold). We sent the queries back within the hour and thought he might take the weekend to consider an offer. We advised first couple we would take weekend to decide on offer as it was less than what we needed (but we did need an offer to save our onward purchase).

Come Monday, agents call and advise that guy wants a second viewing following day (today). Getting a bit annoyed at this point and also have first couple still waiting for offer response. DH thinks we should allow viewing but I'd rather accept first offer. We decide to allow viewing.
10 minutes before viewing today, the agent calls and asks if they can have access to the loft as viewer wants to see it. Thought this was a bit weird but allowed it. Following this visit, we received more queries about title and ownership of the property. Starting to seem a bit pedantic at this point and we advise agents we want a response today as he's aware we already have another offer on the table.

Long story short, we give him a couple of hours and hear nothing so we accept first couples offer. Viewer guy was giving weird vibes and a bit pendantic about stuff and we felt he could potentially make the process difficult. He's a first time buyer so maybe just nervous about the purchase but does anyone think it's weird to look in a loft during a viewing and ask this many queries prior to an offer being made?

I don't think it's weird to look in a loft or to wait until a second viewing to make an offer. We were asked if we wanted to see the loft when we viewed properties. It feels like you were a bit impatient but it is totally up to you who you accept an offer from.

@canyon2000 That's fair. I think we were worried about losing our first offer waiting for the second guy. It more all the dripfed questions about boundaries and titles etc which we felt seemed a bit excessive before offer stage

I don’t think it’s that weird either. Obviously I don’t know what your house is worth but in my personal experience we are paying a huge amount of money for a house and the expectation (from agents) that you should offer after a first viewing is annoying. I’ve probably been in the house I’m buying for about 10 mins in total!

I don’t think the questions were wrong either BUT first time buyers are difficult - we had some very weird conditions with some offers we received from FTB so you may have saved yourself some pain further down the line.

Getting very fed up with deathly silence all the time. We had our survey back and we’ve asked the agent to put a couple of queries to the seller. I’d rather avoid the rigmarole of doing it via the solicitor.

The last I heard from our solicitor was that they were putting enquiries to the seller Sols but it’s been silence since. The seller wants two weeks between exchange and completion so to stand a chance of not completely ruining what is a very busy December, we need to exchange in about two weeks time. It seems highly unlikely.

I feel you @kirinm . I’m still on radio silence from anyone about the land registry and it’s been 3 weeks now. No one is telling me anything. Hopefully your replies to enquiries come back soon; had your solicitor shown you what they’ve sent? Are there many?

No I’ve literally got no idea what’s been asked and whether the responses have been received. I’ve asked.

It is so frustrating. If there is any chance of exchanging in two weeks time we have to tell our landlord. We will also need to transfer money across and our bank only allows £20k a day (and unfortunately our deposit is considerably more than that).

Just had an update for my sol. She’s still waiting for replies from enquiries 🙄

Actually feel like there’s been some progress today. My solicitor has raised enquiries which have been responded to. She’s referred one thing to the lender which I’m hoping won’t take ages to hear back from. So maybe we really are getting close to talking dates???

Sounds like things are warming up @kirinm ! You never know, things might happen very quickly now. The sluggish market might mean that the lender will get on with replying to the query.

Things have slowed down with us again. The solicitor said a few weeks ago that we may be looking for a late October/early November exchange and completion, and that's obviously not happening. I don't really know why!
It's quite frustrating now as we have arrangements to make for Christmas, work etc. It's been a no-chain purchase with no-one living at the property, so the fact that we agreed a sale in June and are still waiting feels a bit ridiculous.

Why is yours taking so long?

@kirinm yay that's great news! 🎉

Our new buyers have pulled out 2 days later, they changed their minds 😫 bit concerned that the few days we took to accept their offer whilst waiting for the other guy to make a decision made them rethink it. However, I'm also grateful they at least told us sooner rather than later unlike our previous buyer. We're now potentially looking at part exchange with our developer cos I just don't have the stomach for it all anymore 😭 we had the developers surveyor round this evening and they'll give us a valuation tomorrow. Hoping it's a reasonable one that we can still move with.

There's an issue over a right of way. We basically want to give up a right of way over a neighbour's property (no longer necessary). Solicitor says it's just a matter of the sellers signing a piece of paper but that sounds a bit hopeful to me...

I have been waiting so long to be able to join this thread but finally we have had an offer accepted on a house that we absolutely love, and now I just want to move in already