to those buying in these difficult times! AKA buyers support network

tiggerjj

bella1985 wrote: »

Oh, what documents need signing in the run up to exchange?

Do I need to sign the mortgage offer?

That could pose a problem!!

Hi Bella,

If you are not available to sign paperwork for whatever reason (I was out of the country for my entire buying process!) Then you have a couple options, but you need to get the mortgage company to agree to them,
1. get a scanned copy of the deed, sign it, get a witness to countersign, scan and email it back, and when you can, sign the original
2. Get the solicitor to sign it on your behalf, you may need a power of attorney to do this, im not sure as i had one in place anyway. The power of attorney is restricted to the house purchase and has been so useful in my situation.

Basically its up to what the mortgage company will allow, make sure your sol is aware now, and ask them to get the mortgage company to agree to whatever is most suitable to your personal circumstance.

Feel free to PM me if you have anymore qus, especially about buying a house when you arent in the country, i have been there and have the T-shirt, it actually went pretty well considering!

Best of luck

lostinrates

Can I join?

Our offer was accepted this week on a ''fixer upper''. we've been looking for a long time, and not really for this, but we saw it, fell in love and offered. After a weekend of being kept waiting and somewhat messed around our offer was accepted, but the property is remaining on the market till we can exchange.

we've managed to buy a survey done for a purchase that fell through...which the surveyor raves about what a bargain the house is and how it will be great....but reading it is daunting. we knew a lot of the problems and potentials, some of which are major, but funnily enough its the relatively minor advice to treat for wood worm that got me laughing nervously.

we recognize that we'll be roughing it slightly for a good long time, but its not horrific, its been inhabited, so it can't be quite so fearful . There is a kitchen...if not a very nice one, and a room with a woodburner, so we can eat and we won't freeze. Urgently the drainage needs to be attended to, as without it we are rather, well....in trouble!

The big essential sends seem...so huge! And the smaller spend requirements seem so many.

we're hoping to exchange very quickly and complete in July. we're very lucky as we hope its a ''forever'' house, and so, for most of the jobs there is not much rush, its just the big urgent ones.....:o

9wizard9

Sorry - another one wanting to join in for no reason other than a rant.

To those debating whether to wait for a house you love or settle - it's really impossible to tell. We have spent the last six months debating the exact same thing because there was so little available. We've recently had a below asking price offer accepted on a house that one of the estate agents phoned us about, and it's fab - so there can be suitable houses around even when it seems like there are none.

That said, we're paying a bit more than we had originally intended (though still think we're getting quite a good deal for the house).

Reason for rant - just the painful not knowing what's going on! We're at the horrible 'paying lots of money to various people, but not knowing whether anything is progressing' stage. I know that it will pass, but this time around I'm much more worried about gazumping and suchlike. Don't want to wait.

I know there's no real advice anyone can give (other than shut up and wait), but I needed to get it off my chest, and at least it may help other buyers realise that everyone gets streesed out by this nonsense :-)

lostinrates

9wizard9 wrote: »

I know there's no real advice anyone can give (other than shut up and wait), but I needed to get it off my chest, and at least it may help other buyers realise that everyone gets streesed out by this nonsense :-)

The waiting is horrid. That ''our'' house is still nt he market is really stressing my dh. we've got good lines of communication with the guy doing our conveyancing, and the surveyor we bought the full structural survey from is nice, and keen to be involved in the works that will, eventually, need doing. Now, for us, it rests with the bank, who want their own valuation.....

QTPie

Believe me, it isn't your budget that is throwing up "blah" houses: just about everything on the Market (at any budget) is either "blah" or "downright weird" (ie bedrooms in the basement under the garage...). I think that it is because most people selling at the moment are divorces or probates and are generally either neglected and/or ooze "unloved"....

People also tend to sell potential these days... If a house is worth about 400k if to spend 50k doing it up, then the owner will probably want 395k for it.

In this area, if you want a good property, you need the estate agents to think of you BEFORE the details go on rightmove AND you need to be prepared to pay beyond peak prices for it (housing Market crash, what crash?!). I live in a very desirable city.

QT

lostinrates

G'ah, we are meant to exchange imminently (the hold up is the mortgage valuation, otherwise bank, us, ready to go...planned for Friday or next week.) and the seller has demanded more money. I feel a bit queasy.

RacyRed

lostinrates wrote: »

G'ah, we are meant to exchange imminently (the hold up is the mortgage valuation, otherwise bank, us, ready to go...planned for Friday or next week.) and the seller has demanded more money. I feel a bit queasy.

Hiya Losti, welcome to the nightmare that is house buying - the bit we all thought would be the easy bit after the horrors of selling :rotfl:

Sounds like the seller is trying it on, and if you've not had the mortgage valuation yet you'd do best to wait for that before talking to them, let them sweat a bit. Have you checked the valuation on Mouseprice to see how the mortgeable value relates to your offer?

9wizard9, I know exactly what you mean, not knowing is awful

I've managed to get my problems resolved, exchange is imminent with completion the week after next. Phew! Now on to the next stage...

QTPie

lostinrates wrote: »

G'ah, we are meant to exchange imminently (the hold up is the mortgage valuation, otherwise bank, us, ready to go...planned for Friday or next week.) and the seller has demanded more money. I feel a bit queasy.

Asked for more money on what grounds???

QT

pawpurrs

Hi QT,

Long time no see, hows it all going? Hows the wee one?
Still not found any where to buy? Are you still renting your old pad out?

babyharry5

9wizard9 wrote: »

Sorry - another one wanting to join in for no reason other than a rant.

To those debating whether to wait for a house you love or settle - it's really impossible to tell. We have spent the last six months debating the exact same thing because there was so little available. We've recently had a below asking price offer accepted on a house that one of the estate agents phoned us about, and it's fab - so there can be suitable houses around even when it seems like there are none.

That said, we're paying a bit more than we had originally intended (though still think we're getting quite a good deal for the house).

Reason for rant - just the painful not knowing what's going on! We're at the horrible 'paying lots of money to various people, but not knowing whether anything is progressing' stage. I know that it will pass, but this time around I'm much more worried about gazumping and suchlike. Don't want to wait.

I know there's no real advice anyone can give (other than shut up and wait), but I needed to get it off my chest, and at least it may help other buyers realise that everyone gets streesed out by this nonsense :-)

Hi there
seems like we are at the same stage as you!

accepted offer on our house and our offer accepted on the new one - we are in a small chain of 3 with us being the last
We have our mortgage offer and so do our buyers. the FTB have their valuation on friday - so do we need naything else to exchange??

We have paid out £1000 for house deposit ( newbuild), £500 booking fee & valuation £250 solicitors fees for initial searches etc and still not sure what the chuff is going on!
my EA says dont worry, its all ok! ASKED HER IF SHE WAS GOING TO REFUND ALL MY COSTS IF NOT?? lol

the waiting is killing me - not sure about dates or anything as solicitors busy??