EA pushing for searches

d0nkeyk0ng

Just had an email from vendors EA [STRIKE]asking[/STRIKE] telling me to get in touch with my solicitors to get the searches done. They've been in touch with the solicitors.

Currently have had valuation done and awaiting offer from mortgage lender. I suspect it's all down to EA pushing for things to be done before the end of the year.

So far:
20 Nov - offer accepted
24 nov - solicitor instructed
4 Dec - went through paperwork with MA
9 Dec - nationwide gave me a text stating valuation

Should I be concerned? Haven't filled out any forms or signed anything for solicitors at this stage.

sinizterguy

It's their job to try and get things done faster.

If you're happy with everything, why don't you want it done as soon as possible ?

DRP

what's the hold up?

I'd probably be getting survey done before any solicitory work happens though.

d0nkeyk0ng

I want to await the survey and get the mortgage offer before proceeding. Shouldn't be any issues but I've seen others here have mortgage offers declined.

sinizterguy

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

I want to await the survey and get the mortgage offer before proceeding. Shouldn't be any issues but I've seen others here have mortgage offers declined.

Makes sense.

I thought you got the survey done with the valuation. Mine was just the one arrange via Halifax for a Homebuyer's Report and valuation.

I would definitely wait until survey done before committing to spending more money.

derbyshirenick

To be fair we are nearly hitting a month since the offer was accepted. While its not been dragged out by a silly amount I would certainly say your timeline is a little behind the curve. What we don't know though is if this is you just taking your time with things or if, for your area load on the buying system just means you have had to wait on certain things.

Put it this way, if I were you I would expect to be where you are now within 7-14 days. Having said that I have always been able to get mortgage appointments etc within days not weeks which is not always the case. I certainly know Nationwide are fantastic and do not mess about. If you go in for your interview session and instruct the survey etc they generally have them done within days and the final approval within a day or two after the survey.

The problem is you have the long drawn out part that you have much less control over ahead of you. I don't want to make assumptions because as I say, I have no idea of the wait times etc for all of your elements but in my experience I really think you could have been where you are today in a week or so after having the offer accepted. Feel free to tell me I am an assuming ****

d0nkeyk0ng

There was a bit of delay in meeting up with MA. And being FTB I was running around like a headless chicken wrt solicitors. Lender also wanted additional paperwork which took time in getting (have to go to the bank and get statements) which isn't always easy when you're working 8am till 630pm most days.

I know locally houses have been getting sold quickly and well above asking price despite it being winter.

Have since been in touch with MA and he reckons offer should be within 24 hours.

Richard_Webster

Do you know if the seller's solicitors have sent draft contract papers to your solicitors?

Generally it is best to make sure that any search is done in respect of the right property with a plan showing its extent. Sometimes people buy extra bits of garden that could have different things shown on a search from the main property - so usually a solicitor would wait until these papers were received before sending off searches.

derbyshirenick

Cool, if you are at that point I would assume your will have the results of your survey now / soonish. If you are happy instruct those searches! They will take 2-3 weeks and then any requests between solicitors will drag things out after that point. In my experience each time your solicitor needs clarification on something which may happen 2-3 times you will loose at least a week. Factor in Christmas where everything will grind to a halt for two weeks and you can see exchange slipping out to at least the end of January at this pace. Fingers crossed its a smooth process. The problem is the amount of certificates sellers have to provide now (many of them don't have them) means the solicitor ping pong you are about to go into really drags on.

BlaEm

I'm sure this is all down to the EA, rather than the vendor. Like you I wanted to get my mortgage offer first before spending money on building survey etc.

Do you / your solicitor have: Memorandum of sale, Property Information Form (and Leasehold Information Form, if applicable), from the seller('s solicitor)?

If so, you could always instruct for some of the searches - land registry (as mentioned, this one is key for making sure you're buying what you think you're buying!), bankruptcy, environmental searches don't cost much or take too long. It's the Local Authority search which costs a lot, and which can also take the most time - I'd say nil chance of getting it back before January even if you request it now.

If you're missing any of the above, tell the EA that you'll be instructing for searches as soon as you've received all the vendor's information.

Expecting Offer --> Exchange within 6 weeks is unreasonable at the best of times, let alone with the Christmas shutdown!

eddddy

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

Just had an email from vendors EA [STRIKE]asking[/STRIKE] telling me to get in touch with my solicitors to get the searches done. They've been in touch with the solicitors.
...

Just so you know for future discussions on related topics... the EA hasn't been in touch with your solicitor. That would be impossible.


When an EA says something like "Your solicitors have said they haven't done the searches", what they actually mean is something like:

Your solicitor has told the vendor's solicitor...
The vendor's solicitor has told the vendor...
The vendor has told the EA...

(And the vendor and EA might be modifying the message along the way.)