Would you approach upward chain sellers directly?

LouLou589

I could write war and peace to explain the process we have been through trying to buy a house. We had our offer accepted back in Jan, and all our legal work + HB survey completed in Feb, initial mortgage offer expired July which has been extended till Sept. Our vendor is on his 3rd property choice (pulled out of 2); but we are now aware that they are ready to exchange; but I am getting no clear/factual info on the chain above him (4 properties involved with us at the bottom - all via different EA). I want to know if their legal process is complete (the last update i had was that at least one party is still at enquiry stage), their position on exchanging and completing on the same day (we are loathed to risk a deposit that's taken 8 yrs to save) and that they are aware that our deadline in Sept is a final one... if anyone has a holiday booked that they need to quarantine from/any other factors that will stop this I would rather know now.

Given that our vendor's EA is not able to give me any clear/factual info on that would you consider going direct to the onward chains EA? Or even to those vendors directly? The last thing I want to do is upset the apple cart; but at the same I feel that I need to know more info than we are getting given. I was considering popping a note through the door of properties 3 and 4 explaining who I am and that I would just like an update alongside my email address and phone number. Is this something that anyone has done before? Alternatively I could try and speak to the EA dealing with each sale (but not sure they could/would tell me much given my lowly position at the foot of the chain). The final option could be to give vendors EA a deadline to gain more factual info, and say that if it doesn't come i'll be seeking it directly? 

Appreciate any thoughts/feedback on this... 

Falafels

I'm at the top of a chain of four and, no, I wouldn't appreciate someone lower down approaching me in the way you describe. 

In fact, I'd try to remain polite but would refer you very swiftly to your own solicitors/estate agents. You need to learn to manage your own expectations. Does your EA have a Sales Progressor? If so, they should be your main point of contact.

Sorry to be so blunt, and I appreciate that this whole process is really nerve-racking, but you have no business approaching professionals with whom you have no professional relationship. You are also very unlikely to get the information you seek.

Tiglet2

EAs are sales progressers, that's their job - get the vendor's EA to phone up the chain.  If you are in contact with your vendor, can they not chase their EA or the EA of the property they are buying?  
I do not think anyone would appreciate you trying to do their job for them.
Try to understand that you are ready first because you are the first link in the chain.  Your vendor has pulled out of two purchases, so the sellers of the third purchase is considerably behind yours in terms of progression.  Therefore the onward purchase from the third property will also be behind in terms of progression.  The last update of one party being at enquiry stage tells me that they are not yet ready, so no amount of chasing is going to be productive.

eddddy

On one occasion I contacted an EA lower down the chain (it was the EA dealing with the FTB). The EA was very happy to speak to me. I got their details from my own EA.

Interestingly, in  that case, I found out that my own EA was fibbing to me about what the FTB was saying. (My EA was claiming that the FTB was on the verge of walking away etc, but apparently the FTB was very happy with everything)

Doozergirl

It's the estate agent's job to do this if they're keen on getting their commission!  They can speak to the other agents in the chain.  

LouLou589

Thanks all for your comments. The Vendors EA that I mentioned is their sales progressor. I'll continue to liaise with them and our Solicitors. 

We have no direct contact with our vendors (sale is due to divorce with one still present in the property and the other having moved out) - everything has been done via the EA. I know that we are ready first because for us this process started back in Jan; and I appreciate that the properties at the top of the chain only started at the beginning of July... I guess thats part of the reason why I am seeking more info. Our vendors EA/Progressor has said she has made them aware of our timescales - but that doesn't mean they are planning to work to them. 

I think the last few months of stress are just starting to take a toll and we would like to know one way or another if this is actually going to get over the line... There are a lot of personal factors at play for the whole family (school catchments, siblings getting their own bedrooms etc..) which means I feel that I am responsible for driving things forward as much as possible... plus the longer its drawn out the harder it feels. 

Its perhaps time to hold my hands up and say i've done as much as I can and just let the next 5/6 weeks play out. 

Falafels

Its perhaps time to hold my hands up and say i've done as much as I can and just let the next 5/6 weeks play out. 

This ^^^. It's all a total nitemare, I know! xxx

Grumpy_chap

You are paying your solicitor to do this for you.  Just deal with them and let them do their job.  Bypassing this route will cause "Chinese Whispers" confusion and ultimately slow things down.

Doozergirl

LouLou589 said:

Thanks all for your comments. The Vendors EA that I mentioned is their sales progressor. I'll continue to liaise with them and our Solicitors. 

We have no direct contact with our vendors (sale is due to divorce with one still present in the property and the other having moved out) - everything has been done via the EA. I know that we are ready first because for us this process started back in Jan; and I appreciate that the properties at the top of the chain only started at the beginning of July... I guess thats part of the reason why I am seeking more info. Our vendors EA/Progressor has said she has made them aware of our timescales - but that doesn't mean they are planning to work to them. 

I think the last few months of stress are just starting to take a toll and we would like to know one way or another if this is actually going to get over the line... There are a lot of personal factors at play for the whole family (school catchments, siblings getting their own bedrooms etc..) which means I feel that I am responsible for driving things forward as much as possible... plus the longer its drawn out the harder it feels. 

Its perhaps time to hold my hands up and say i've done as much as I can and just let the next 5/6 weeks play out. 

I feel your pain.  We accepted an offer in January, it all collapsed at the very last minute as solicitors were literally trying to exchange and completion on the same day at lockdown and we're now back on the market with two offers and I'm just tired.  These are acceptable offers 5 and 6!  It would just be nice if people were serious!  I really want to move on with my life too 😕

All you can do is everything you need to do for your own transaction and wait.  A call to the EA every couple of weeks to see if they can have a call around up the chain is all you can do.  

And then distract yourself with other things. 

LouLou589

Doozergirl said:

I feel your pain.  We accepted an offer in January, it all collapsed at the very last minute as solicitors were literally trying to exchange and completion on the same day at lockdown and we're now back on the market with two offers and I'm just tired.  These are acceptable offers 5 and 6!  It would just be nice if people were serious!  I really want to move on with my life too 😕

All you can do is everything you need to do for your own transaction and wait.  A call to the EA every couple of weeks to see if they can have a call around up the chain is all you can do.  

And then distract yourself with other things. 

Tired is exactly how I feel now... plus the kids are aware of the purchase (in the early days we'd kept it from them in case things didn't go to plan) so they are constantly asking about it too. Just feel like we are living in limbo... at least in the next 6 weeks we'll know one way or another I guess. 

kirtondm

either wait or give your vendor an ultimatum of Sept. IF it is divorce it is unlikely they will be accommodating though.
You might be able to force them to break the chain