how long to get a survey booked?

smileykate_2

Hi all,
I am new to the forum so I hope I am posting in the right place. I'm a first time buyer and have had an offer accepted on a property (a one bedroom flat with a lease). I have a 20% deposit and a decision in principle from a lender.
However, the buyers have accepted two offers on the property - one from someone who has messed them about with arranging a mortgage and one with me. The agent has said that the vendors would prefer to sell to me as I have finances in place and have been very prompt in all communication (unlike the other prospective buyers) - they are stalling the other buyers until I get my survey booked and once this is done they will tell the others that they have accepted my offer.

Is there anything I can do to try and speed things up and also to try and ensure that the property doesn't go to anyone else? I am completely new to all of this so any help would be much appreciated! I know I will feel a lot better once the other buyers are out of the picture.
Thanks
katie

RacyRed

Surveyors usually go out very quckly, once instructed.

I'd be reluctant to pay for a survey in these sort of circumstances, the sellers have not made any committment to you and, to be blunt about it, take anything the EA says with a very large pinch of salt.

Do you know if the other buyers offered the same price? Have they had a survey done yet? It sounds as if they have if it is their mortgage application which is slowing things down.

Tread carefully, the sellers may be using your offer as a stick to beat the original potential buyers with. As you need a mortgage too you will be playing catch up all the way in this situation so, if the money is the same, the original buyers are going to have the advantadge and you should ask for guarantees that the sellers are not going to waste your survey money for you by deciding to sell to the other buyers because they could reach exchange before you.

Maybe explain your concerns to the EA, ask that the sellers pay your survey costs upfront and you refund them if the purchase goes through? It would be interesting to see what response you get to that question.

smileykate_2

Hi there,
Thanks for your help - I definitely have concerns about the estate agents, particularly as I am a FTB.
I have been told that as soon as I have a survey booked the other buyers will be told the property is going to me instead (the other buyers haven't had their survey done yet). As soon as I have this booked I will be contacting the agents to make sure that this is the case as I don't want to lose any money on it. Is there any way I can try and speed this up?
Katie

RacyRed

If you instruct a surveyor today they will probably be able to do the survey early next week for you. They will certainly contact the EA immediately to arrange access so your part of the bargain will have been proven to have been kept. I recently did this and the surveyor called the EA immediately after I'd appointed hm.

Book it, and spend the rest of today/tomorrow applying maximum pressure on the EA to tell the other buyers that they have missed the boat. If it doesn't happen you can call the surveyors asap on Monday and cancel if you think it necessary.

Do you have surveyors lined up? If not, there is a good thread on here I'll try to find for you.

smileykate_2

the survey is being arranged through the bank (my financial advisor is dealing with it for me) so that is why I'm not sure how I can speed things up. I had the offer accepted on Tuesday morning so I am kind of hoping that I can get the other buyers out of the picture by this weekend. Although that is wishful thinking because I've no clue how long things can take - whenever I ask I just get the answer 'its difficult to tell'! Thanks again for your help.

RacyRed

smileykate wrote: »

the survey is being arranged through the bank (my financial advisor is dealing with it for me) so that is why I'm not sure how I can speed things up. I had the offer accepted on Tuesday morning so I am kind of hoping that I can get the other buyers out of the picture by this weekend. Although that is wishful thinking because I've no clue how long things can take - whenever I ask I just get the answer 'its difficult to tell'! Thanks again for your help.

It isn't difficult to tell at all!

You are paying these people! Tell them to get their ar$ses in gear and instruct a surveyor right NOW or they won't get paid.

smileykate_2

hee hee - I am glad you sais that as I am starting to feel that way too! I don't really understand why it has to be so difficult when things could be so straightforward! I'll post once I have some news

RacyRed

smileykate wrote: »

hee hee - I am glad you sais that as I am starting to feel that way too! I don't really understand why it has to be so difficult when things could be so straightforward! I'll post once I have some news

Still got my fingers crossed for you Any news?

smileykate_2

Hi Racy Red - sorry for the slow reply! I'm finally booked for a valuation so almost three weeks since I put my request in. My solicitor said that it has been a common problem with the Alliance and Leicester since the recent merger - everything seems to take twice as long as normal. Good news is that the sellers have found somewhere to buy and their solicitors have already sent a load of paper to my solicitor so hopefully once the valuation is all done I should be almost ready to exchange contracts :-)

JA1000

Get ready for the flat to be undervalued by Esurv, this will put you in a better position to negotiate the price down.

smileykate_2

Really? does that happen a lot then? That's very interesting to know!