Are our Vendors messing us about?

pinkteapot

Your vendors should be updating your periodically, but it sounds like they've been open and honest about their position.

Our buyers had to wait three months before we found and the transactions started up. We told them right from the start that we would need to find something and we wanted a particular and very popular estate where not much comes up. They knew it would take a while when they offered. EA kept them informed and on side.

You could try pushing the vendor to break the chain by selling to you and renting, but they probably won't be keen. It will come down to how important you are to them. If they sold quickly and easily got what they wanted for the house, they can just find a new buyer if you pull out.

This was the case for us - it was back when there was a stamp duty jump at £250k and our house got stuck at that price. Had someone made the jump and offered £260-270k, we'd have sold up and rented. However, we had several offers at £250k so we made the buyer wait, as we could just sell to someone else if need be, so it wasn't worth us paying the extra costs of going into rented.

I told the buyer not to spend any money (instruct solicitor or apply for mortgage) until we found and the chain was complete. They were also absolutely free to keep looking for something else, we just asked them to let us know ASAP if they found something and did decide to pull out.

What you need to try and suss out - but it's hard to do - is whether they know what they want and are realistic. If, like us, they're taking some time because they want something specific and have to wait for one to come on the market, that's one thing. If they're taking time because they haven't quite decided what they want, or they're one of those who think everything's too expensive and always offer too low or want to wait for a bargain, you might be in more trouble.

Ultimately though, you don't have much power so all you can do is keep looking. If something else comes up for sale that you like and with a vendor who has already found, switch to that. If not, no harm in waiting for this one as there's nothing else for you anyway.

In the future, when you're in the middle of a chain and both buying and selling for the first time, you'll have slightly more sympathy for them as it is a complete PITA trying to tie the two up.

Thanetia

Botton line - they want to move but on their terms. You might wait for 5 months for them to find a house, or they might find one next week.

You have to decide if you are willing to go with them and potentially land the house you want, or start looking elsewhere for someone who has a less complicated sale scenario. Tricky - we lost a very nice house because we though that the buyers weren't committed and we pulled out - and it sold 4 months later. But we ended up in another equally nice house instead.

AnotherJoe

If you are "in love with the house", then the answers fairly simple, look around at others (as you say you are doing) and if you find something better, go for that instead, if you dont, well there's nothing you can do unless you are prepared to settle for something not as good.

As you arent in a chain, then the only real issue might be rental periods and giving notice perhaps or the length of time your mortgage offer is valid, but nothing too bad?

Also bear in mind there's a distinct possibility your sellers may pull out anyway if they cant find somewhere to move to (they dont really sound that 'bovered' do they, so you shouldn't invest too much emotional energy in this house and should be looking elsewhere.

brodawel

As time goes on you might "weary" of it and decide it's not "the one". I have been in the same situ and completely gone off the house because I just got so sick of thinking about it, getting excited then disappointment as nothing progresses, then going through it again the next day and the next...I came to resent the house in the end. We found somewhere else and I'm glad we did.

wishuponastar

Are you waiting to find out if your offer was accepted or not?


Or have you received confirmation that your offer has been accepted? But it is from that point things seem to have halted/on a go slow.

mattk_180

My and my partner are in your situation, although our vendors seem much more keen to get a move ASAP as they desperately need more space for their growing family.


The worry is that we will end up in your exact situation and we can't imagine not getting this house as it's so perfect.


We are only 1 week in and already feel your pain. Obviously we're not complaining as that's no time at all, I'm just saying I know how frustrating the wait is when you're ready to go immediately.


Unfortunately these things to take time. They might be comfortable in the thought you won't pull out and so are taking their leisurely time, unfortunately it's not something you will know or can control, there might be other circumstances surrounding it.


There's not much you can do but I think wanting to be kept better informed on how things are moving is not unreasonable.


Only thing to do is tell them you need to complete before your offer expires and will have to look at other properties in the meantime.


It might kick them in to gear if it is just a case of them being too casual about it, but if not then at least you've been looking into alternatives already should it fall through (which hopefully it doesn't).

Jessy1990

I don't feel like I'm being unreasonable at all. The vendor promised me regular updates and I'm not getting that.

I've not got an issue with them going on holiday but at least a quick message to let me know they would be unreachable is only polite.

Again they have registered with 5 agents and only been to 1 house. Her excuse is she's a mummy and has been on holiday.

She mentioned she wanted to move quickly but seems to have done a 180 turn. Considering that's a reason I offered on this particular house, is there any wonder why I'm upset

marksoton

Well you now know what to do.

brodawel

No you've every right to be upset. It's a horrible process and I often think the whole system is nuts, not that I have any better ideas, it creates anxiety even when you try not to let it. I couldn't wait like you have been doing and there's no way my OH would wait no matter how much he/we loved the place.

wateva

You seemed to have reiterated our current situation except we have been waiting for our vendor for three months now and our mortgage expires next month. We have been told vendor is actively searching but no further updates have been given in terms of if she has viewed any properties. The anxiety crept in as I was due to give birth next week but baby arrived early. Prior to baby arriving we offered to exchange and complete with the view to rent to vendor also an early completion bonus, all of which was turned now. Now we have one month left till our mortgage offer expires and the prospects of staying put is dawning on us. No words of value to add except you have my sympathy. I hope both of our situations are overturned very soon and our vendors find a property that are chain free