Nightmare woman in chain

[Methodstothemadness]

Currently buying a house. And one of the women in the chain has been a right pain in the arse- chasing, giving instructions to buyers and sellers, hounding estate agents.

But from the first offer going in on the first property we have exchanged in 8 weeks. That’s a whole chain constructed and through legals. I can’t help but now be impressed…

At the time I thought she was a right pain, but it obviously works. But why is it if you are nice in this life you don’t get that- if you are kind and easy going to the estate agent and solicitors it isn’t rewarded with diligence and swiftness. But be a total pain in the arse and you get whatever you want.

We sold a house at the end of last year, which took 6 weeks from offer to completion! A lot of that was down to the fact that there was a ‘chaser’ (I don’t know what her actual job title is, so have called her that). She was brilliant - not actually invested in the chain personally, but in regular contact with all parties and on top of the whole process. Every house sale should have a Jill the chaser!

First house I bought 25 years ago six weeks. Last house I bought four years ago - 5 weeks from offer to moving in.

When we were buying our house, the whole process seemed to speed up when both sets of lawyers etc found out that us and thr vendor were talking to each other so they had to stop blaming the other for inefficiency.

Major oart of the problem was the companies taking on more work than they could handle.

No chain is very different tbh

In my experience if you don't actively chase, nothing happens with an urgency and things drag on and on.... Feel grateful you had her.

Ok my agent is acting in this chaser role and giving me weekly updates… I’ve not heard much this week so will follow up on Tuesday after the bank holiday as I doubt I’ll get anything meaningful back today!

I sold my parents house in two months. The EA was the most efficient mutha I have come across. This was a ‘difficult house to sell’ according to another EA. Efficient EA organised an open house weekend. He got an acquaintance to clear the house and make it presentable (had over 40 years of hoarded crap in it). Over 30 interested buyers came to view in a single day which he whittled down and set up a Zoom call to go over with me with advice on which one to proceed with (not the highest offer but the one he judged would move quickest). He was on top of everything, hounded my piss poor solicitor and the buyers solicitors. Wrapped in all up in 8 weeks.

I did the same last year and it was done in 8 weeks to the day the chain was completed. I wouldn't have been as bothered but we were trying to meet the stamp duty deadline to save us 2k. Tbf it was only really the last week or 2 I was kicking them up the ass!

We went from accepting the offer to the buyer moving in in four weeks. First time buyer whose Mum worked for a conveyancing firm. They wanted to be in for Christmas. It shows that it can be done if the right people are motivated to move things along. It also shows how inefficient ( or downright lazy ) people can prolong the agony far longer than necessary.

I am currently in the middle of a chain of 7. I have the best Solicitor I have ever used. They are slightly more expensive than some but bloody hell SHS (Shit Hot Solicitor) is worth every penny. Problem is the other Solicitors holding it up like my buyers who has had the searches back for 3 weeks and only raised enquiries today as they had been off sick. I am onto chasing them often now.

How many in the chain OP?