FTB Timeline diary

Bufger

teenyhev wrote: »

Hi all
Been watching this thread for a while and thought I'd share my experience as a FTB...which is still ongoing.

7th September - viewed dream house. Up for sale £110,000.
11th September - 2nd viewing of dream house. Had long chat with sellers who advise they will be no part of chain as moving into her mothers when house sells, then emigrating next year! Turns out leaving everything in the house too!
15th September - Go to estate agents to put offer in. First offer of £106000 rejected and want us to up more. In words of estate agent, we were "very close" to what they weanted. Well obviously, we offered just £4k less than asking price. However our offer was to include everyting in the house, plasma tv's, furniture, everything. Discussed with OH and made offer of £107k - rejected. They adviser that if we offer £108k they will take off market, stop promotion on it etc etc. Agreed. Hurrah! Appoint sol's on same day.
Also arrange natwest FTB mortgage.
23rd September - Was all very quiet on house front for about a week ( and a week of worrying that the seller would change their mind, I would be gazumped etc etc, the usual nightmare stuff!) Receive standard letter from sol's which initially infuriates me. It takes week for them to write to me, they had the incorrect sale price on paperwork, and to boot I had to physically go down to the office to pay them £40.00 for a mining search of the land, cannot take payment over phone.
28th September - Finally get time off work and pay for mining search and ask if there is any news / progress. To be met with a resounding no.
2nd October - Have voicemail from EA who says that the sellers are looking to buy a reposession house and only have 21 days to to this. I presume they therefore really need our money for that and gather that in fact I am becoming embroiled in a chain which they advised they were not part of (grr). I have terribloe feeling that if things cant be completed for them buying that repo house, they'll pull out of selling. Therfore we need to "move fast". She also advises in voicemail that she has already contacted my sol's and informed them. Well at least there is noting left for me to do apart from hope the sol takes notice and hurries up!
5th October - EA left another voicemail for me to ring. Started to panic thinking it had gone wrong. In fact just wanted to tell me the above info again and decided to see if they had anymore news than me. She advises we are working towards completion on 29th (thursday) and exchange 22nd (thursday. Adv this is fine.
9th October - Call sol's to inform have sorted my house and contents insurance, to be told they sent letter last night saying to go down and sign the documents. Arrange whilst on phone to call that morn. Called in at sol's to look thru documents and turns out all going okay, apart from the seller has specified moving weekend only, therefore sol says that they'll have to move out the weekend after exchange, not completion as natwest would not be happy with them still being in house after completion and class them as squatters. I agree its not best scenario and urge him to speak with other party sol - who turns out to be in same office - and have a word with seller adv they cant stay in house after completion. He then breaks the news that we need to pay his fees and deposit to them. Personal cheque cheapest but takes longer to clear so agree will call in with this later, but that he needs to sort the moving arrangements first as well as a few bits of furniture missing from the list they said they would leave.

Does this so far sound like its all going okay/ normal? Any views or pointers would be appreciated. I know its long!!

If they're now moving into a repo will they want all of their stuff they were originally including and you upped your offer for? if they want all of their stuff and its not in writing then make sure nearer the time of exchange you reduce your offer accordingly, especially if they only have a limited time to complete.

Sounds like they're taking you for a mug. Have a strong stance on this one and dont get too emotionally attached and they wont walk all over you.

Good luck!

Bufger

loads happened today. Updated!

Valuation came in at the price i offered with no problems. Homebuyers report is due back wednesday but spoke to the surveyor and he has unoficially said that its an excellent house with little needing to be done. He's happy, im happy!

homehunter

homehunter wrote: »

Aw, thanks sallycanwait! I'm hoping it will blow over too...

Bararah - we have to pay 10% on exchange and the rest of our deposit (we've got to pay 20% altogether) on completion. As far as I know, the 10% goes into our client account with the solicitor at first. Need to make sure that is safe while we sort out the flapping older ladies involved in this transaction!! :rolleyes:

The buzz of getting the offer accepted lasted all of about a day, before it turned to fear, then impatience, and now it is pure stress until we get the keys - if that ever happens!! :eek:

News from me! All parties in chain exchanged this afternoon! I'm off to the pub to celebrate :beer:

sallycanwait

Fantastic news!

We are almost there now - sent signed contract back yesterday (next day delivery) and had 10% deposit CHAPS transferred today. Solicitor says she will check other parties' positions, but we're the only ones with a mortgage so should be good to go asap.

Have asked for a completion date of 28 October as she claimed she needed a week once she got our contract and money to exchange and then another week for completion. Here's hoping we're not far behind you!

Only problem now is that I discovered today following an inspection that the car we bought last Saturday for the move is not roadworthy and has to go back tomorrow. Now more worried about that and getting money back than house stuff. :mad:

Bufger

Congrats homehunter and good luck sally!

I'm not too far behind you sally, perhaps about a week or so. Had all the paperwork through but need to get an ammendment to the contract due to them spelling my OH's name incorrectly and forgetting some details!

homehunter

We're all so close...

Thanks gang!

sallycanwait

We exchanged yesterday!! At last.:j:T:beer:

Complete next Friday so just manage to get in before November - was determined to do it!!

And just been to check out another car which seems ok - getting that inspected tomorrow and if good can pick up early next week!

Things might actually be coming together at last!!!:j

Now need to start packing - the horrid bit!

bararah

We asked vendor to drop offer price by cost of rewire but they wouldn't budge, I like the house too much to play at calling her bluff even though OH was keen to hold off. Our accepted price was 3500 below asking price so I don't feel hard done by. We have told EA and solicitor that we will go ahead and are now waiting fro searches etc to be done. Will phone tomorrow for update as nearly 1 week without any word. We are also waiting for confirmation of life insurance policies. Feel like we are getting somewhere!

homehunter

Well, yesterday I did a CHAPS transfer to our solicitor's account for the rest of the deposit plus their fees. That should have arrived by close of play yesterday! I am sitting in a half-packed house - it'll be a busy weekend .... BT have been called to transfer the phoneline and broadband to new property. Tip: get your seller to call first to transfer or stop their service, as it really speeds things up! Council tax sorted out, just a quick phonecall. Water bills being sorted. Changed a few addresses here and there.

We complete and move in on the 3rd, so -1 week to go! i can't believe it :T

Bufger

Updated.

I'm glad to see its all going well homehunter! you're exactly 1 week ahead of us by the looks of it. Congrats