Chain length concerns - how long is too long?

Bryony84

We accepted an offer on our house just under 2 weeks ago, the chain below is complete and consists of our buyer, their buyer and a FTB. We had a chain free house that we were waiting to offer on as soon as ours sold, but unfortunately they accepted another offer hours before ours went in and we lost it. We found another property within a the same week and had an offer accepted but this property has an upward chain. This consists of the people we are buying from (who has their offer accepted) and the people they are buying from who are moving 6 hours north! Apparently they have found 2 properties they are interested in but neither are chain free. I'm starting to get quite concerned about the length of this chain and the likelihood of something going wrong. Ideally we would like to move by Christmas and our hard deadline is end of march (because of the stamp duty holiday).

I'd love to hear any positive long chain stories, or any useful advice.

SMR710

Could you break the chain? So sell yours quick as you can with the chain below you, then effectively be homeless if the purchase isnt ready. Risky as you'll not be guaranteed on onward purchase on the same day as selling, but can help you control the sale as the 'top of the chain' if you can bridge a possible gap by living with family or something...
Just a thought...

SMR710

For info in follow up to my reply above.. weve just broken the chain on our sale. We had a chain of 3 and have moved in with family whilst the onward purchase is ready. In these times with jobs at risk etc, we thought it was best to get the sale done and run! We sold 10th july and should complete on our purchase on friday 21st aug. The solicitor was fine about it and understood why we decided to break the chain. 
We exchanged & completed same day on the sale and will do on the purchase on friday too...

Bryony84

Thanks, we'd really prefer to avoid this if at all possible, we have 2 small children (2 and 4), my parents don't have enough space for us to stay with them and hubby's parents have their house on the market so wouldn't want to guarantee being able to stay there, plus it's miles away from work/school/nursery.

hazyjo

My last one was 5 or 6, I forget. 

Honestly, as I always say, the only thing to mess up a chain and cause stress is people putting unnecessary time limits on things.

So you've found somewhere, great! So why the desire to be in for Christmas? I've never understood it! Just love your old house for one last Christmas if it comes to it! You'll have years in your new home!

Have a laugh with those either side saying this'll be a slow bumpy ride, and buckle up.

Tbh mine was no longer than a short chain. We ended up with a bit of a delay of 5 weeks at the end where we all wanted to complete on different days, but that was it!

SMR710

Bryony84 said:

Thanks, we'd really prefer to avoid this if at all possible, we have 2 small children (2 and 4), my parents don't have enough space for us to stay with them and hubby's parents have their house on the market so wouldn't want to guarantee being able to stay there, plus it's miles away from work/school/nursery.

Ok I understand,its not possible for everyone to do this. Good luck however it all pans out for you in the end.

iwb100

I don’t think length of chain is as important as who is in it. Just done 6 house chain and it was a nightmare. 9 house chain a while back was easy by comparison and far far quicker (though no Covid to be fair...).

Bryony84

hazyjo said:

My last one was 5 or 6, I forget. 

Honestly, as I always say, the only thing to mess up a chain and cause stress is people putting unnecessary time limits on things.

So you've found somewhere, great! So why the desire to be in for Christmas? I've never understood it! Just love your old house for one last Christmas if it comes to it! You'll have years in your new home!

Have a laugh with those either side saying this'll be a slow bumpy ride, and buckle up.

Tbh mine was no longer than a short chain. We ended up with a bit of a delay of 5 weeks at the end where we all wanted to complete on different days, but that was it!

My reasoning is because of the general slowdown of everything (solicitors, buyers sellers etc) during December. When we bought our current house everything in the upward chain fell apart during December and the people we were buying from had to start almost from scratch again which meant that our purchase took a total of 8 months. I guess it's a once bitten twice shy thing. Also the new house would mean that we could have family to stay over and room to all eat dinner together which we don't have where we are.

hazyjo

Bryony84 said:

hazyjo said:

My last one was 5 or 6, I forget. 

Honestly, as I always say, the only thing to mess up a chain and cause stress is people putting unnecessary time limits on things.

So you've found somewhere, great! So why the desire to be in for Christmas? I've never understood it! Just love your old house for one last Christmas if it comes to it! You'll have years in your new home!

Have a laugh with those either side saying this'll be a slow bumpy ride, and buckle up.

Tbh mine was no longer than a short chain. We ended up with a bit of a delay of 5 weeks at the end where we all wanted to complete on different days, but that was it!

My reasoning is because of the general slowdown of everything (solicitors, buyers sellers etc) during December. When we bought our current house everything in the upward chain fell apart during December and the people we were buying from had to start almost from scratch again which meant that our purchase took a total of 8 months. I guess it's a once bitten twice shy thing. Also the new house would mean that we could have family to stay over and room to all eat dinner together which we don't have where we are.

Yeah and I bet it fell apart because someone was insisting they had to be in by Christmas.

Your purchase didn't really take 8 months then, it was from when the chain was complete again. How long was that? 3 months or so?

I’ve had chains fall apart and the process has taken over a year so feel your pain, but those were with short chains. I haven't found the length of chain has made much difference (providing people don't start making unrealistic deadlines or threats).

HCIMbtw

For what it is worth OP I am going to be in a very similar sounding chain. FTB> Our buyers> Us> House we are buying> House they are buying > ??????

I spoke to the agent of the house we are buying and he didn't seem to concerned about it, he just reflected on the fact that 5-6 person chain is pretty manageable and they have completed chains of up to 14 before (they did say this took 2 days because of the banks ability to transfer money quickly enough) 

Just have to do all your paperwork and nudge solicitors and estate agents a bit and be patient. Nothing more you can do unless you are willing to break a chain and go rented/live with somebody else.. and there is definitely nothing to be gained by worrying about it. Most sales that complete in the UK are in chains.