Buyer visiting 5 weeks after offer - I'm worried!

ElsieMonkey

Our buyer offered on our house back in April, but we rejected it in favour of someone else's higher offer. This person then pulled out, and our current buyer then returned for a second viewing, when we put the property back on the market. After drawn out negotiations on price we finally accepted an offer from her end of July.

To date her solicitor has been instructed and mortgage offer received. Her solicitor is awaiting searches to come back, and promised to raise enquiries on Thursday, which then changed to Friday, then Friday afternoon the solicitor wasn't answering the phone to our solicitor...so not sure if enquiries were actually raised in the end.

I sent an email to the buyer via our EA last week, with photos of furniture that they are welcome to have for free if they would like. Buyer has responded asking if they can come and see the furniture first...they're coming this afternoon!

We've had the worst experience over the last year trying to sell. First buyer decided he could no longer afford it due to divorce, second buyer just went AWOL, third couldn't get mortgage, this is the 4th buyer. Every day I am anxious and the fear of it happening again and us loosing yet another house we plan to move into is making me ill. A year of stress is taking it's toll. So I'm so nervous of their visit later, because let's be honest, they're surely coming to check out the property again and can't be that bothered about freebie furniture?! They were also on the phone to our EA with questions last week (just general stuff as far as I gather) and now their solicitor is being a bit slow, also saying she haven't received docs which our sol has already sent 3 times (!) I'm worried the buyer has got their solicitor stalling for some reason.

Please tell me past experience is clouding my judgement and I am reading too much into this, and making connections where there aren't any?! They're FTB and I'm hoping they just want to use the furniture as an excuse to visit again because they're excited, rather than doubtful. What would you think in your experience?

agrinnall

I think that there's little value in worrying about something that is not in your control, just make sure that the house looks nice and hope for the best. They are obviously keen on the house, and while it's not at all unreasonable of them to want to look at it again it's quite possible that they do want to check out the furniture - if it doesn't suit their needs they might well want you to take it or get rid of it rather than leave it for them to dispose of.

G_M

Very common for buyers to want to re-visit. They're forking out £00s of £000s of cash for goodness sake.

Property deals always take longer than expected or wanted, and always cause stress.

Chill.

LittleMax

ElsieMonkey wrote: »

They're FTB and I'm hoping they just want to use the furniture as an excuse to visit again because they're excited, rather than doubtful. What would you think in your experience?

More than likely

Davesnave

Sorry, but as above, it's not in your control and trying to 'read the runes' isn't usually helpful , if my experience is anything to go by.

People who wax lyrical when viewing or discussing your home are no more likely to buy than those who stay quiet and act dispassionately.

It's entirely sensible to want to view again at this stage in the process, and more so if furniture is being offered which may, or may not, be seen as useful, depending on how they feel and what the money situation really is.

If it's any help, we viewed our place 3 times and it was more of a tip on each occasion, but that was of no concern, as we weren't seeing it as it was, but as it is now......err almost!

swishy87

Visiting lots is normal. We have visited the show home of the house we are buying about 6 times. I just like to look at it!

phoebe1989seb

I too wouldn't read anything sinister into it. Chances are they just want to check out in the flesh those pieces of furniture you've offered

When selling our last-but-one house, our buyers visited five times. First viewing was swiftly followed by an offer which we accepted. Then they wanted to bring their older kids (early teens and at school when first viewing took place) so they could choose bedrooms. Next her parents were over from their home in Europe so they had to come and see what their daughter was buying, so a third viewing was requested

A couple of weeks further on and she was viewing schools in the area - they lived an hour away - so asked if she could stop by to do some measuring up. I got worried at this point as no survey had yet been arranged and I had a feeling the local secondary school might not be good enough, causing them to withdraw their offer. No worries though. Finally they came post survey to discuss a few points that had (erroneously as it happened) been raised.

Throughout the process I was convinced we were going to lose them as buyers, mainly because we desperately needed to relocate closer to sick elderly parents and our house was very unusual for the area/demographic that typically bought there. We needn't have worried and the sale went through relatively quickly - nine weeks - in the end.

I'm sure you're just letting your previous sales that have fallen through get to you, OP and everything will turn out fine

haf1

You are reading too much into this.

When we bought our house recently (FTB) we viewed the house 3 times, including once just before exchange, and we got a full building survey done. While there were valid reasons for us to do so, buying your first house is exiting, and of course she would wish to have a look at the furniture before deciding if she wants to keep it. You will be just fine

Elfbert

They may also want to measure up - particularly if they might want some of your furniture, but have some of their own too. Or if the floor plan didn't have great measurements/any room is an odd shape.

I wouldn't worry, OP. Solicitors are busy people. But I'd also mention to the buyer that they could chase their solicitor a little more - sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease, in these situations! If they're being a bit timid and just letting their solicitor 'get on with it' without any chasing, things may take longer.

ElsieMonkey

Thank you all so much! It really has helped put my mind at rest a bit...it's been a tough year a rollercoaster on the housing front and now some health issues, I really hope you're all right and it's our time for a bit of luck! Have been frantically cleaning and making the place spotless again ready for their visit. All I can do now! Will be a good opportunity to pick their brains a bit about their solicitors progress too I suppose, so that's a positive. MSE fingers crossed everyone! X

ElsieMonkey

Just an update for anyone else going through similar and panicking: buyers visited yesterday as planned and the visit couldn't have gone any better! They said how excited they are to move in and that they have already been planning what furniture to buy etc. We exchanged contact details to keep each other in the loop too It was actually a relief for me in the end to have them visit and for them reaffirming I think