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?

We exchanged today!

So, so relieved, there were a few occasions where we didn't think it'd happen. Complete next Friday all being well.

We won't be moving in straight as have to give notice on our rental and want to decorate DC bedrooms.

We went trick or treating with my (7yr old) DD yesterday and we went to the road we are buying on. Both sides neighbours were so lovely and the whole street made an effort. I’m not into Halloween myself but it’s nice to know the street is so child friendly. I cannot wait until we get the keys now.

I feel quite uncomfortable about chasing my solicitor because although we aren’t friends, we do know her and we may be friends at some point (we all know the same people, kids at the same school etc).

The seller has said they want two weeks in between exchange and completion so to be in at the end of November, we need to exchange next week. That also coincides with when we would need to give notice on our rental.

I just don’t have any idea of whether that’s even a realistic timeline and would really like to know. I’m conscious that there was quite a lot going on towards the end of last week and I HATE the idea of her getting an email from me and wishing I would leave her alone but mentally, this is all starting to require some clarification for us. Is it unreasonable to chase at this stage?

Am I right your seller has responded to your enquiries and you’re awaiting a response from your lender? I definitely think you can chase to see if there’s any kind of timescale on the response. I think as long as you’re polite about it(which I don’t doubt you are!) you can chase every couple of days. Certainly given you need to start making plans for an exchange next week I think you can ask her if that’s realistic without being in any way unreasonable or annoying.

my solicitor is not on annual leave and I still have no idea what’s happening with the land registry ☹️☹️☹️ Christmas is looming and I just have no idea

I’m definitely being polite. My understanding is that all enquiries have been responded to. The house has had a subsidence claim and so that fact was being referred to the lender along with proof of us being able to obtain insurance on standard terms. As far as I’m aware that may be the only thing outstanding.

If we miss the window for handing in our notice next week then I think we will have to put the whole thing back until January as we cannot afford a months rent and the mortgage.

Is there nobody you can call whilst your solicitor is off?

I'd definitely ask your solicitor @kirinm , I think they sort of expect to be hassled a bit! And it will be a lot better for you to know where you stand for Christmas.
My solicitor has asked me about an exchange/completion date, saying the end of next week could be good! Trying not to get excited as I've heard this before. We're in a different situation to most because we're buying a doer upper and are staying in the current house until DC finishes the school year. It means that we will be absolutely ridiculously broke, running both houses and paying a massive mortgage. That will be solved when we sell the first house, but until then, it's baked beans and charity shops for us...

im back. 3rd time lucky? have had 1 collapsed chain on exchange. 1 offer fell apart after only a week. now another new chain. not feeling desperately positive right now but on we go.

Hello, joining if that's ok. Offers accepted both sides in sept, searches currently being done and been told we are looking at 2 weeks for those. The people at the end of the chain have had their house fall through so have agreed to go in to rented. I'm just hoping they keep to their end of the bargain. My solicitor thinks a move before Xmas is doable but I'm unsure if that's optimistic and darent get hopes up! Good luck everyone x

Good luck to those joining / rejoining. It’s a torturous process.

I’m wondering if I’ll hear anything today about exchange. I hate the not knowing.

Joining today. Bid on our ultimate dream home this morning. First time buyers so ready to proceed but having been outbid so many times before I'm afraid to hope.

We have the draft contract and TR1 form to sign but our solicitor has said it is unlikely we will exchange next week. My broker is chasing the lender (as they are who we are waiting to hear from) but I’m not sure how things will work if we can’t exchange next week. The seller wants two weeks between exchange and completion - seems a bit ridiculous as they could pack up sooner if they wanted to. And we are meant to give notice on our flat next Thursday. We cannot afford a months rent and a mortgage payment at the same time. It also means we are looking at mid-December which would frankly be rubbish.

The house we were buying was a massive doer upper. It has just got probate so we’d have been in a similar situation as you.

(Our surveyor actually told me last week he thought we’d had a lucky escape and although he couldn’t say don’t buy it, he definitely didn’t think we should buy it).

Have they given a reason for needing 2 weeks between exchange and completion? That does seem like a long time. Our last sale included our seller asking for a while too and we were in the same position as you - renting and not willing to pay both rent and a mortgage. Their reasons for needing longer kept changing - from they wanted to get a cleaner in to have it all lovely for us (they did not), to they had to wait until someone's brother's uncle could get a van to help them move ...all very strange

They no longer live there so they say they need the time to pack but frankly, given how many hoops we’re jumping through, there’s no real reason why they can’t start packing soon whether we exchange next week or the week after. We’d potentially be willing to hand in our notice next week if we think exchange would take place the following week but if we are willing to take the risk, then they should be willing to be flexible too.

I’ll probably suggest that tbh.

I think I definitely would. It does sound as though it's more of a preference for them, than a need!

Newbie on this thread so hello everyone!

I am feeling SO frustrated with my house purchase. I am a first-time buyer, buying after divorce and unfortunately currently still living in the marital home, and had an offer accepted on a house at the start of April. Seller was going to buy another house, so there was a wait for a few weeks whilst she looked at houses. Then she decided she wasn’t going to buy and said she would move in with family, so it seemed to be all systems go over the summer. However seller then decided she was going to move into a rental, so there’s been a wait whilst she’s looked at rentals. Last week she offered a completion date of 18th December, not ideal being so close to Christmas (I have two children and wanted to be settled before then), but I agreed to it just to get things moving. Now she’s said today that she has had an offer accepted on a house (chain free and empty apparently) so needs to wait until her house is ready before she can move out, so 18th December seems to now be off the table.

I feel like I have been waiting forever, and she keeps delaying at every opportunity - I’ve always got the impression she doesn’t really want to sell the house.

I honestly feel like pulling out of the sale at this point and just renting for a few months so that I can just get settled somewhere with my children. I can safely say at this point that if this sale miraculously does go through, I never want to buy another house again 😂

You poor thing, your seller sounds like a nightmare! I'm really hoping my sellers seller doesn't go the same way as they seem a bit dithery!

2 weeks between exchange and completion is completely normal, I really wouldn't want any less if I were moving.

I'd be pulling out at this stage. She needs to shit or get off the pot, as it were.

I'd make it her problem and say unless you exchange by X for completion by Y, you'll pull out. (Maybe check out some rentals first, mind, to make sure you have a viable Plan B!)

I must just have been very lucky in the past as it's always just been a couple of days. I couldn't be bothered with the faff and would just be impatient to get moved in but each to their own I suppose. She does sound very dithery about a couple of things in your case however OP so I still think you are right to push for completion

Shit or get off the pot my thoughts exactly!

But they’ve already moved. There’s really nothing to stop them starting packing before exchange. Everyone knows that’s what we are trying to make happen.

having had my chain collapse on exchange and only 7 days before the proposed completion, i am very grateful that i hadn't started packing! we had no idea the FTB at the bottom of the chain would pull out. i did however loose my removals deposit which was a swift £2k.

2 weeks is a lovely time between exchange and completion but i think a week is more usual.

if they've already left the property then i would press a bit harder.

Have they moved without their stuff then? Hope they agree on less time. My mortgage offer means we exchange and complete on the same day, which I don't mind as we're not using movers...

I think this is unusual but if your solicitor is not worried then go with that for now ..

Currently selling in Scotland and buying England