Sold house in one week OMG

hcb42

be careful about online solicitors - local might be easier to deal with - seek family recommendations?

Justcoll

Don't assume that online conveyancers are always faster.

Our vendors are using one and it has been a nightmare. At the beginning, despite several letters and emails from my local conveyancer the vendor's one failed to respond. Even now they take an age to respond and this is now threatening the entire chain because of time restraints.

catzooo

Coming down from the shock a little now. Am using a local solicitor with an office in town. Used him before when I bought out my partners share of the house.
I could wait out for a higher offer yes. But it was for sale 3 years ago and there was no interest at all. Not in a rush to sell, plan is to move to Spain and rent for a while, I was thinking by next winter, looks like this could happen a lot sooner now.
When I went in the office last week to put it on the market the agent said the price we have sold for was a good price to put it for sale as, then to expect a little less. But I insisted go a cheeky bit higher.
dgtazzman 1 day wow.
Maybe it's the right time of year? Spring, easter,
Exciting time :-)

martin1959

Ours went on the market on Rightmove last Friday AM, and by 5pm had 3 viewings Sat and on Sat had another 3 booked for Sunday. Out of the six viewings we had two FAP offers and accepted the one who has sold to a FTB whose previous seller pulled out just before exchange, so looking for a speedy exchange as they are frightened they may lose their FTB.


Interestingly, the viewings in the main, came from people on the EA books, not from the Rightmove ad.


So had we used an online EA, we may not have found this buyer. Yes we will pay 1% plus VAT, as opposed to £600 fixed fee, but already I think it is worth it with weekly updates and chases to all solicitors in the chain.


And yes, you made the right decision to use a local solicitor who the EA will probably know, and who will speak to them, as opposed to some clerk in a very large office....

deanos

we sold ours in a few hours, EA came round 11am, 2 viewings in afternoon, offer accepted at 4pm ! (1k less than asking)

dgtazzman

Well, I'm not celebrating quite yet. Seems my EA has suggested to my potential buyers that they could be moved in within 12 weeks, while the best I could do is 16/17 weeks, due to work commitments. I did tell the agent this, but it seems to have 'slipped his mind'. Never thought it would be an issue as I was expecting it to take a month at least to find a buyer.

Waiting to hear back if the buyers are happy to wait...

martin1959

If it was a make or beak deal, could you suggest that you exchange in 10/12 weeks so everyone is certain it will be going through, and then have two months between exchange and completion?

dgtazzman

We'll see, looks to me as if it's more the estate agent getting his underwear in a twist than the buyers.

I'd by happy to exchange whenever and I don't want to hold things up, it's just hard to empty a house when you're abroad for work ^^

catzooo

My estate agent told me 10-12 weeks to complete. She is 1st time buyer and I am going to rent.
We should compare timescales over the next few weeks dgtazzman and djedga

dgtazzman

Well, my situation is not straightforward. I'm abroad, so have to do things over mail and there's also an ex-wife involved, though she wants the house sold as much as I do and will happily assist, but it does mean mailing things that need signing around.

That's also why I asked to exchange/complete at the start of August, in case I have to chase things up when I get home. I have indicated I could possibly complete in the last week of July if it saves the buyers a month's worth of rent, but that does mean 2 weeks of running around like a maniac for me when I get home, fun and games insured.