The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

pluto261

@Deleted_User Unfortunately while the estate offer says they offer sales progression as part of their service, they don't have a dedicated sales progressor. It's left to the agent who negotiated the sale, and he doesn't do anything off his own initiative. But I can at least use him as a proxy for communicating with the seller.

Last time I asked Snorlax about setting an exchange date she flat-out ignored the question. So I think you might be right in that the best thing to do would be to would be to negotiate an exchange date without her and then tell her the date that everyone else has decided on. Maybe that will be the Poké Flute I need to finally wake her up and get her moving.

It's very frustrating, though. I went with a small local firm that was slightly more expensive because I hoped it would make things go smoothly. Instead it feels like I'm doing all the work and my solicitor is just this boulder that I'm dragging along behind me because the mortgage lender insists on transferring the mortgage via boulder.

TBG01

pluto261 said:

I'm now 8 weeks into a chain-free purchase of an empty freehold property and my solicitor still won't even discuss the idea of setting an exchange/completion date. 

• Mortgage offer came weeks ago
• All searches are back (also weeks ago)
• Survey was done weeks ago
• The only thing left was "enquiries," but the seller's solicitor says she responded to those days ago.

I mainly left my solicitor alone in June because I knew she must be busy with the stamp duty deadline, but that was over a week ago and still getting her to do anything is like getting blood out of a stone. When I sent her a reminder of some paperwork that she'd forgotten to send out, she instead had her assistant email me a copy of the form so that I could send it out myself. Which I did, because at least when I do stuff myself I know it's getting done, but I feel like I should be billing the firm for my conveyancing work.

I'm keen to exchange, the sellers are keen to exchange, and the seller's solicitor has been great. It's just my solicitor slowing things down. I've privately taken to calling her Snorlax, because she's just this big lump in the road blocking any progress.

Grrrrr...

Chain free doesn't necessarily mean it's going to go any quicker, and 8 weeks would be on the quick side.

Reviewing enquiries takes time. It's not instant and just because they've replied, doesn't mean they're satisfactory for either yourself going forward with the property or your lender which your solicitor is also acting for. 

[Deleted User]

pluto261 said:

@Deleted_User Unfortunately while the estate offer says they offer sales progression as part of their service, they don't have a dedicated sales progressor. It's left to the agent who negotiated the sale, and he doesn't do anything off his own initiative. But I can at least use him as a proxy for communicating with the seller.

Last time I asked Snorlax about setting an exchange date she flat-out ignored the question. So I think you might be right in that the best thing to do would be to would be to negotiate an exchange date without her and then tell her the date that everyone else has decided on. Maybe that will be the Poké Flute I need to finally wake her up and get her moving.

It's very frustrating, though. I went with a small local firm that was slightly more expensive because I hoped it would make things go smoothly. Instead it feels like I'm doing all the work and my solicitor is just this boulder that I'm dragging along behind me because the mortgage lender insists on transferring the mortgage via boulder.

I think that's where ours did really well was also having a dedicated sales progressor as it really seems to help.

If I were in your shoes I would definitely see if you can agree a date between you. If you and your seller and seller's solicitors all want it done and being cooperative, and you're so far through the process then I would spoon feed it to your solicitor and force their hand a bit.

It's a lot harder for them to kick the can down the road if you're setting that date in motion. It also means you've taken away part of their job of the back and forth for a completion date.

At least if there is something remaining to be done that could hold up exchange then you will know quickly.

We've just gone from not having searches back a week ago to having a whole chain sign paperwork and get sorted and exchanged within a week. It can be done quickly if they want it to!

I don't think you need to kick up a fuss. Just set the expectation by sorting that date if all is done and there's less wiggle room!

kkcoco

Oscarboi76 said:

Aww that's a shame... how long did it take for the searches to come back ?

Applied for on 17th of June, came back today, really does depend on local authority though, some are taking an age. You can look at the search flow website for a vague idea of how long each authority is taking, although your solicitor should be able to advise on an expected timeline too.

pluto261

TBG01 said:

Chain free doesn't necessarily mean it's going to go any quicker, and 8 weeks would be on the quick side.

Exchanging in 8 weeks would be on the quick side, but I'm not asking to exchange in 8 weeks - I'm just asking to discuss the idea of exchanging, which I don't think is particularly unreasonable. We really need to set an exchange date now in order to complete within 10 weeks, and the longer she refuses to discuss it, the further back the completion date gets pushed. 

And chain-free does pretty much always mean that a sale should go quicker than if it was in a chain. I fail to see how this process would be sped up by having even more people and even more solicitors involved who all need to get on the same page. Between being chain-free and the house being freehold and already empty, this sale is about as straightforward as it could possibly be, short of me being a cash buyer. 

To be fair, I have no idea if there's any issue with the enquiries because my solicitor doesn't tell me anything unless I prod her for an update. But that in itself is part of the problem.

Boredfatman

We were so hopeful to exchange today and then out of the blue we get told the property at the top of the chain had two additional queries raised on the 6th of July which will now delay us. 
House buying is such a depressing process. You spend hours thinking about DIY etc and yet feel no further forward at the end of each day!!!
There has to be a better way to do all of this. I really hope this is our "forever" home as I don't ever want to do this again.

mat1964

My GF is stuck in a never ending saga - having reappeared, her buyers have disappeared again and won't even answer a question on preferred completion dates.  She is so stressed about it.  She should have pulled the sale 2 months ago, but now there is at least a possibility of exchange, she is waiting to see what happens.  In the meantime, we are moving to our new house in 6 weeks whether she sells or not (I have a mortgage as a back up), so if she does have to re-list, there are now boxes everywhere.

Reddington85

So a 4 hour wait but we completed!!

House and garage left in a bit of a mess and no bulbs!! But hey ho! Seller also disposed of the cooker in error. It was going the long haul but we are cooker less. 

Thrilled to be in!!! Will worry about boxes another day 

CLJ2986

We completed at 12pm. Its been a manic day but so happy. Thanks to everyone here that kept me sane! Good luck to all of you still waiting. 

sheppy_1977

We are currently waiting for exchange on both purchase of a new build and chain free sale of our current property. 

Offers on both were accepted mid May and things seem to have been moving along reasonably well. We responded to what should hopefully be the final enquiries from our buyers conveyancer earlier this week.

Our new build is almost complete and our home demo is booked for 19th July, so pushing for exchange/completion before the end of the month.

I was expecting to hear something back next week but found out last night that the certificate of title has been sent to our lender. Does this mean usually mean that our conveyancer has provisionally agreed dates with all parties or perhaps they are taking a gamble to ensure funds will be available this month?