FTB - unsure what is left to do.

KingMob

Been trying to find somewhere to buy since feb/mar time. Had a nightmare getting an offer accepted but finally happened a week or two before the end of may. Full application may at the start of June, valuation a few weeks back and now received offer. No issue with advisor but get impression they are busy with other cases and used to doing everything for clients.

Currently have no understanding of what is left to be done and what next steps are. Trying to organise a meeting with advisor, waiting on them getting back with an appointment. Appreciate any thoughts people may have, been reading threads here since first started looking but finding things don't seem to be progressing in a logical order for me.

Background.

1. Vendor was originally planning to vacate early July. Had no contact with their EA since advisor took over. No chain.
2. Solicitors sent enquiries to vendors solicitor on the 20th. Not aware of any responses yet. To be honest, not even clear what the enquiries are.
3. Solicitor completed initial searches and I received a bunch of papers to sign and list of information to provide early last week. This has stalled until meeting with advisor as don't have the requested information.

Questions.

1. At what point are exchange/completion dates typically agreed? Was hoping to move before end of July but that is fast approaching. Work can be flexible regarding leave but still lots to plan.
2. Naively didn't discuss fixtures and fittings before placing offer and not sure what if anything has been discussed since. Not depending on anything specific being left but from a planning perspective would be good to know what to expect.
3. Meeting with advisor seems to be the main blocker at the minute. Once that happens and I reply to mortgage offer/solicitor is waiting for vendors solicitor's responses to enquiries the main step before exchanging contracts?

Pixie5740

Who is this advisor you are having a meeting with? The vendor's estate agent? If so why do you need to have a meeting with him?

KingMob

Should have been clearer. Advisor is my mortgage advisor, unrelated to vendor and their estate agent.

Reason for meeting up with the advisor is to progress things now I have the mortgage offer and initial searches have been done. Perhaps I have unrealistic expectations but been surprised at just how uninvolved I've been since providing documentation and full application was submitted. Advisor is independent, was recommended by a friend and will be collecting payment and commission once completed.

Have no tangible complaints, just feel out of the loop which I wasn't expecting.

Smodlet

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/buying-a-home-timeline/

Loads of other info on here too.

RubyHouse

I dont know what you expect the advisor to do at this stage, they already have the mortgage offer for you.
It is now up to the solicitors to arrange the contracts and completion, they will request mortgage funds from the lender when ready. You should chase them a couple of times a week to see what stage they are up to and ask for copies of the enquiries so you better understand what is being asked. You can also chase the vendors solicitor via your estate agent if you are still waiting on queries to be answered.

Surrey_EA

KingMob wrote: »

Reason for meeting up with the advisor is to progress things now I have the mortgage offer

If you've already received your mortgage offer there's not really anything more for the mortgage advisor to do.

mangog

I'm also a FTB at the point of waiting to exchange so I'm by no means an expert, but I would have thought that if you have your mortgage offer, there's not much the mortgage advisor/broker can do at this stage, especially as an independent and not connected to/part of the EA. Once our mortgage was approved, the paperwork was sent to our solicitor and we have mainly been in contact with them and the EA directly - solicitor for searches, enquiries, and so on relating specifically to our purchase, and the EA for anything relating to the rest of the chain and their progress.

Your solicitor will send you the fixtures and fittings list as part of the process and you can negotiate from there if it's not as expected.

You mention that you can't progress things with the solicitor because you don't have the requested information, and need a meeting with the mortgage advisor to discuss this. What information do you need from them, and could you not speak to the advisor by phone or email about it? I don't recall our solicitor needing anything from our mortgage advisor other than the offer itself, although I guess they may have been in contact directly.

My advice would be to speak to the EA. Ours have been very proactive in speaking to both solicitors involved in the sale and even chasing me for paperwork when I sat on it for a day, so in my (very limited!) experience they have been the ones holding everything together.

sheepy21

Don't know why you're seeing the advisor, they've got you the mortgage so that's their bit done. You need to chase your solicitor and estate agent, it's them that will now be pushing everything else through

KingMob

Thanks all, sounds like I need to take more control of the situation.

Reason I've been trying to organise a meeting with the advisor is when I made the full application they said another meeting was required but didn't specify what would be covered. They took over discussions with the estate agent once I had the offer approved.

Feel I understand the steps outlined on the timeline but found the information provided by my solicitor as quite vague/cookie cutter and as haven't been privy to what has been discussed recently with the EA wasn't sure if things like the fixtures and fitting list would come via the EA or responses from the vendors solicitor.

Surrey_EA

KingMob wrote: »

things like the fixtures and fitting list would come via the EA or responses from the vendors solicitor.

Both will come from the vendors solicitor to your solicitor, then forwarded on to you.

Solicitors will work differently, some will forward documents/responses on to you as they receive them, others will wait until everything is received, package it all up in one report and send it to you in one go.

KingMob

Surrey_EA wrote: »

Both will come from the vendors solicitor to your solicitor, then forwarded on to you.

Solicitors will work differently, some will forward documents/responses on to you as they receive them, others will wait until everything is received, package it all up in one report and send it to you in one go.

Thanks, I think this was the part of the puzzle I was missing.

Solicitor had bundled up title report and various other bits and pieces while waiting for mortgage offer and responses to enquiries from vendor's solicitor. I need to sign and return some of these. Most have clearly explained gaps to be filled in at a later point but one was confusing as had been asked to fill it in but parts seems reliant on responses to enquiries.