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Does anyone want to join me waiting to find a house to buy?

It seems there are a lot of threads from people waiting to sell, get mortgage, an exchange date, new builds etc, but none from people looking to find their dream house, which is no less stressful!

We've been provisionally looking since March/April time and haven't really seen anything but thought we'd get our house on the market anyway and that would push us in the right direction. Got an offer on the house 2 days after it going on the market which we accepted, on the proviso that we'd be given some time to find somewhere. End of Sept was suggested as a reasonable timescale. But we are still no further to finding anywhere at all!

Starting to get pretty stressed and tetchy now! Don't really want to go into rented and it feels like the clock is ticking. Starting to get letters from the solicitor which is worrying me (he knows about us not having anywhere yet) and I'm feeling pressured even though no pressure is being applied!

My experience of estate agents isn't great either. They must be the only customer service industry in the country that won't work outside of office hours and I get most phone calls and effort put in from them trying to get me to speak to their financial advisors! I just want to get a house!! Argh

I know I'm probably in a very good position but it doesn't feel that way right now. Market is so slow, just want a flurry of new houses to come up in September!
[STRIKE]
Total debt 1.11.10 £23,446
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Save £6k in 2015 #129 £6121.66/£6000
Save £6k in 2016 #39 £6000/£6000
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Comments

  • I have a house you could buy!
  • 9ja4life
    9ja4life Posts: 226 Forumite
    Great idea! We are looking for a home to buy as well. We're not selling but remortgaging our house to finance the purchase. We currently live in rented so no pressure. Husband and myself seem to have differing views on what we want!
    We need to agree on some points first before tackling our long wish list!

    Good luck!
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,468
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Forumite
    Been looking in Leigh-on-Sea for years (actually, even before I bought the one I'm in now in E4!) but will hopefully be moving first half of next year. Market's very slow at the mo. Got my eye on one in the hope it won't shift and will still be up at the end of the year!


    Good luck all!


    Jx
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • marksoton
    marksoton Posts: 17,516 Forumite
    copperjar wrote: »

    My experience of estate agents isn't great either. They must be the only customer service industry in the country that won't work outside of office hours and I get most phone calls and effort put in from them trying to get me to speak to their financial advisors! I just want to get a house!! Argh

    You're clearly dealing with the wrong ones then. Most i know work w/e's and evenings.

    And refuse to deal with one's that apply pressure to use their in house services.

    It's also worth bearing in the vendor not you is their customer in the true sense. They're footing the bill!
  • copperjar
    copperjar Posts: 884 Forumite
    marksoton wrote: »
    You're clearly dealing with the wrong ones then. Most i know work w/e's and evenings.

    And refuse to deal with one's that apply pressure to use their in house services.

    It's also worth bearing in the vendor not you is their customer in the true sense. They're footing the bill!

    That's true but I don't think some of the ones I've been dealing with are doing great things for their vendors either. Twice now I have asked two EAs for early evening (literally just after 5pm) viewings and they've said no! I don't mind taking time off work but it does surprise me that they don't have some evenings as standard.

    Anyhow, got a viewing next Sat for a house we like the look of but location not the best for my work. However, compromise is everything as I'm learning! The market is so slow it's excruciating - having to think outside the box now
    [STRIKE]
    Total debt 1.11.10 £23,446
    [/STRIKE]
    Save £6k in 2015 #129 £6121.66/£6000
    Save £6k in 2016 #39 £6000/£6000
  • Kitten868
    Kitten868 Posts: 1,785
    First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    Hello! Me me me!
    I've been wanting to buy a house for a year now but waited as hubby had a 6 month deployment and I was on maternity leave. We put our flat on the market and sold straight away but have had no luck finding anywhere. It's really gutting as while he's been away there's been so many houses. We've been totally messed about by estate agents. Took them 4 weeks to deal with 3 offers on one property. The house in question is now being used as a skip by the neighbours so good luck with that.
    I just keep telling myself that houses have to come on in September. X
    Loan 1 £5200/£8000
    Loan 2 £300/£5800
    Total £5500/£13800
  • copperjar
    copperjar Posts: 884 Forumite
    Yes I'm focussing on September as well. Although one EA told me Oct and Nov are the new Sept!!

    Are your buyers happy to wait for you to find somewhere? Have you started the legal processes?
    [STRIKE]
    Total debt 1.11.10 £23,446
    [/STRIKE]
    Save £6k in 2015 #129 £6121.66/£6000
    Save £6k in 2016 #39 £6000/£6000
  • Phirefly
    Phirefly Posts: 1,605 Forumite
    9ja4life wrote: »
    We're not selling but remortgaging our house to finance the purchase. We currently live in rented so no pressure.

    So you own a property which is not your primary residence, are currently renting your home and are looking to purchase a new primary residence? Have you looked into whether you are liable for the new second home additional 3% stamp duty?

    We were in your circumstances and were liable for the 3%, taking the total stamp duty on our purchase from 12.5K to 26K. Ouch. You'll be ok though if you sold your primary residence prior to 26/11/15.
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 9,910
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    edited 16 August 2016 at 9:56AM
    We've been looking since January at an area we intend to retire to in a few years. If we find the right house, we'll buy and rent it out until we're ready to move. Offered on one days after Brexit, 96% of asking price, which was rejected. That house is still up for sale, I've gone off it now!

    Saw two at the weekend, second viewing on one of them on Saturday. We really like it, but are thinking ahead and trying to work out where we could put a lift in if we could no longer manage the stairs (very high ceilings mean the staircase is quite steep. It's also quite narrow so a stairlift is a poor option). At 2500sq ft you'd think it would be easy to find somewhere to put a lift that's less than 1meter/yard square, but it's not. There's huge windows everywhere which limit many of the wall options. We think we may be able to nick a small piece off the end of the kitchen and the 3rd bedroom above it, but need to take another look. We also want to get a shower in the bathroom, possibly by nicking space from the adjoining ensuite (which is bigger than the bathroom and was probably a bedroom once), which would also mean moving the loft access.

    Lots to think about, not least what to offer especially as we're likely to be hit with the extra 3% stamp duty we may not be able to reclaim.
    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific to 29/2/24 £184.97, Chase Interest £11.88, Chase roundup interest £0.18, Chase CB £16.96, Roadkill £1.10, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £6.30 to 31/1/24, Topcashback £4.64, Shopmium £3
    Total £279.03/£2024  13.8%

    Make £2023 in 2023
    Water sewerage refund: £170.62,Topcashback: £243.47, Prolific: to 31/12/23 £975, Haggling: £45, Wombling(Roadkill): £6.04,  Chase CB £149.34, Chase roundup interest £1.35, WeBuyBooks:£8.37, Misc sales: £406.59, Delay repay £22, Amazon refund £3.41, EDF Smart Meter incentive £100, Santander Edge Cashback-Fees: £25.14, Octopus Reward £50, Bank transfer incentives £400
    Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%

  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,468
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Forumite
    We're only looking in around 9 roads, and only up three quarters of most of those as there's a busy road at the far end.


    This is gonna be fun LOL! I reckon I'll be back on this thread in 5 years' time...!


    Jx
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
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