When to start searches

Calleja

This may be a silly question and although I've read up loads on the process of buying a house, I'm getting a little confused about the order to do everything!

I've had the offer accepted, mortgage valuation was OK and now I am just waiting for my full building survey report (which is taking an age!). My mortgage application has just started today (I had a MIP but assumed I had to wait for the building survery report before applying in case of any problems, but it seems I was misinformed...)

Anyway, now I'm not sure when to get the solicitor to start the searches. He has been appointed but I haven't paid the initial fee because I don't want them to start any searches in case the survey highlights issues that I can't take on and have to walk away. Is this the right thing to do? I'm keen to get moving but don't want to pay for something that is not guaranteed (and having had a chat with the surveyor, I may need a damp specialist out - surprise, surprise, its a 100yr old terrace thats been empty for a year.... - should I wait for that to be done before I tell the solicitor to start?)

Thanks for the help - this website has been a godsend for a lone FTB such as myself!

missy12345

Hello

I suffered a loss due to this so am in a good position to advise. Instruct a solicitor but do not tell him to do the searches, till you have the structural survey back, this will give you time to negotiate if you need to.


Only when you are happy with the result of the survey do you go on tell the solicitor to do the searches not before, as you will risk losing the fees.

Hope this helps good luck!

G_M

Depending on the local authority searches can cause delays.

Either you do everything one after another, and it all takes for ages, or you do things in parallel and get them done sooner.

Are you or your vendor in a hurry?

Old_Git

what searches are YOU paying for .

Calleja

I'm only in a hurry because I'm impatient! So technically, no, I'm not in a hurry (other than fed up of renting). Its taken a while for the vendors to sell the house so they a probably in a bit of a hurry to get rid of it, but they aren't living there anymore and haven't for a while.

Searches I'm paying for - just the standard I think...local, chancel drainage, title etc. Sorry, I'm a bit vague regarding all the searches.

To be honest, financially, I can't afford to throw money out of the window for the sake of a bit more patience. Hopefully once the building survey report is back I'll be able to make more of an informed decision, even if I do require a damp specialist (which will no doubt take another couple of weeks to sort). But I don't think the damp is too bad, and probably just because its empty (but thats another thread I think, and theres plenty of them!)

Thanks for the advice!

Thrugelmir

Wait until you have a mortgage offer.

As otherwise it won't just be search fees that you'll be incurring. That may be money down the drain.

kingstreet

Do things consecutively to avoid the risk of wasted cash, by only doing searches when mortgage offer in your hand.

Do things concurrently to avoid wasted time, by having searches and mortgage underway at the same time.

Your choice.