How much longer until we're in?

amandaxx1

Just wondered if anyone had a rough idea of how much longer things will take until we're In our house (we're ftb).

I cannot remember the exact timeline of everything but we had our offer accepted on the house on 1st March. We have nothing to sell and the house we have bought is already empty -bought from elderly lady who has already bought a bungalow and moved out.

Things were held up as after the homebuyer report we had to get contractors in for quotes and do some research, then renegotiated the price.

So 2 days ago we got the new mortgage offer from nationwide in the post with the new mortgage amount. Our broker said once we have received this we can assume the solicitor will have this at the same time and we just wait for him to do the next part. Searches have been paid for and done. All our documents needed by solicitor (proof of deposit etc) were sent to him in March.

So how much longer do u think? I asked broker and he said we're "on the home stretch now".... However long that is!

marksoton

You need to be speaking to your solicitor not the broker.

You didn't go with the one suggested by the estate agent did you?

lemontart

you need to speak to your solicitor to agree an exchange date to start with

amandaxx1

OK thanks. No I have my own broker not estate agent. I checked with him first rather than solicitors but will do that Monday

marksoton

It will all depend on how efficient your solicitor is and any issues they flag in the contract.

Emmylou_2

We were a cash purchase of an empty house. It took 5 months.

Hoploz

When your solicitor has all the info he will send it out to you with the contract for you to sign. Or sometimes you go to their office to go through things. The seller will have provided information, your solicitor will have checked things as well as he can (bearing in mind he hasn't actually visited the house) and he will have asked for any further information or paperwork from the seller, council or whoever.

All this info will be sent to you for you to read through and digest. You must check it all seems right, eg house plan, access to driveway, any work eg extensions having correct paperwork etc. You can ask any questions you're not sure of.

Once you've signed you send the contract back and when everything is in place possible dates will be discussed for exchange and completion. The likelihood is the solicitor will be waiting for a piece of paper at this stage and as soon as he has all his answers he will contact you to confirm you wish to go ahead and exchange contracts to make it binding

amandaxx1

Thank you hoploz that's really helpful. We aren't in a rush as such, just usual rush due to being excited!

I just never know if I should be badgering the solicitors... I've only spoken to him once so far and felt like an inconvenience then.

fudge7000

Remember you're paying the soliciters bill! Definitely ask them whats going on

fed_up_and_stressed

Emmylou wrote: »

We were a cash purchase of an empty house. It took 5 months.

I sold an empty property to a cash puchaser in about 6 weeks ! Good grief what was the delay ?!?!

Emmylou_2

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

I sold an empty property to a cash puchaser in about 6 weeks ! Good grief what was the delay ?!?!

House wasn't registered - had only previously ever been in one family, and changed owner twice before (1955 and 1970) in wills - so solicitor had an inch thick pile of deeds to go through (which are now waiting for me to have time to read them properly).

PLUS

Probate sale so all the fun and games that comes with that

PLUS

the vendor's solicitors are a (local) firm I wouldn't use if they were the only legal firm left in the world (I was a legal secretary for 15 years and although I didn't work for this firm, I had dealings with them at times)

all meaning it took 5 months in total. However, the building works that were supposed to take a 6 months (to renovate and build an extension) actually took 11, so despite having first viewed the house in October 2014, owned it in March 2015, we've only been living here 10 weeks.