Property Chain - Details (FTB)

Keats007

We are first-time buyers and are currently sat at the bottom of a property chain.

Is it reasonable or possible for the following?

1. To ask our Estate Agent for details of all Estate Agents involved in the Property Chain? 

2. Contact each of the estate agents directly (subject to getting info from our EA) about how the sellers/ buyers are getting on?

AND

Is there anything our EA or Solicitors  ‘should’ be doing to keep on top of this? And how frequently ‘should’ our own EA be keeping us updated?

Sorry for all the questions, we’re new to this and appreciate any suggestions or guidance you may have. 

Thank you in advance. :-)

greatcrested

1) Yes, you can ask. Doubt they'll answer (because of 2)

2) Yes, you can contact. You're not their client so I doubt they'll answer.

That's OK - it was only 2 quick questions.!

hazyjo

To let you know, it wouldn't be usual practice for you to ask for details of all estate agents in the chain - nor to contact each of them. That's the job of the EA.

babyblade41

It isn't the right way of doing things, your solicitor and EA are the ones you need to touch base with.

`I doubt you would help situations if you kept pestering everyone.

It's a bit of a laborious process and at times stressful but sadly there is no other way round it . Think of about 12 weeks and you should be about right give or take  a few weeks 

Falafels

It's a frustrating, stress-making process - especially the first time you buy a place and haven't been through the process before - and it's understandable that you want to push things along. However, you need to manage your expectations.

It's doubtful that your EA would give you details of all the others; even if they did, the EA's acting for the other people in the chain probably wouldn't tell you what's going on. The transactions will be in the hands of the solicitors - who certainly aren't allowed to be in direct contact with buyers further down the chain.

As babyblade says, it normally takes around 12 weeks. At the moment many transactions are being delayed because of Covid, either because professionals are working from home and/or are working through the backlog that built up during lockdown. For example, it took four weeks for my purchaser's surveyor to visit the property - and that was the earliest they could make it. With all my other purchases/sales, this was all done and dusted - including the actual report and mortgage offer - well within a week.

There's nothing wrong with contacting your solicitor say, once a fortnight, to see if any progress is being made. Otherwise, it's best just to let them get on with their jobs!

Keats007

Hi everyone! Thank you for the replies/responses. It’s been roughly 2 months already since having the offer accepted and we’ve not really been expecting much. We’re hoping to be moved in by Christmas given COVID-19 delaying things for everyone. Fingers crossed the chain doesn’t break!

Falafels

Keats007 said:

Hi everyone! Thank you for the replies/responses. It’s been roughly 2 months already since having the offer accepted and we’ve not really been expecting much. We’re hoping to be moved in by Christmas given COVID-19 delaying things for everyone. Fingers crossed the chain doesn’t break!

Good luck! xxx

iwb100

Your EAs job is to keep up to date with chain when necessary. The fact is that most of the time there won’t be much point for anyone to do it. If someone is waiting on a mortgage decision, enquiries, searches etc it just takes time. Weekly updates won’t make it any quicker and just annoy and stress the chain out. Your solicitor should be the one you mainly contact. They will know what your vendors are doing and where the legal process is there. 

Keats007

Falafels said:

It's a frustrating, stress-making process - especially the first time you buy a place and haven't been through the process before - and it's understandable that you want to push things along. However, you need to manage your expectations.

It's doubtful that your EA would give you details of all the others; even if they did, the EA's acting for the other people in the chain probably wouldn't tell you what's going on. The transactions will be in the hands of the solicitors - who certainly aren't allowed to be in direct contact with buyers further down the chain.

As babyblade says, it normally takes around 12 weeks. At the moment many transactions are being delayed because of Covid, either because professionals are working from home and/or are working through the backlog that built up during lockdown. For example, it took four weeks for my purchaser's surveyor to visit the property - and that was the earliest they could make it. With all my other purchases/sales, this was all done and dusted - including the actual report and mortgage offer - well within a week.

There's nothing wrong with contacting your solicitor say, once a fortnight, to see if any progress is being made. Otherwise, it's best just to let them get on with their jobs!

Thanks Falafals! 

We were thinking about potentially asking the seller as to whether she would consider moving in with family so we can exchange and complete. We would also pay their 1st Removal Cost and 1 or 2 months storage fees, if needed. 

What’s your thoughts on how successful this could be? Are there any alternatives? 

Just wondering really and any advice is welcomed. 

iwb100

Keats007 said:

Falafels said:

It's a frustrating, stress-making process - especially the first time you buy a place and haven't been through the process before - and it's understandable that you want to push things along. However, you need to manage your expectations.

It's doubtful that your EA would give you details of all the others; even if they did, the EA's acting for the other people in the chain probably wouldn't tell you what's going on. The transactions will be in the hands of the solicitors - who certainly aren't allowed to be in direct contact with buyers further down the chain.

As babyblade says, it normally takes around 12 weeks. At the moment many transactions are being delayed because of Covid, either because professionals are working from home and/or are working through the backlog that built up during lockdown. For example, it took four weeks for my purchaser's surveyor to visit the property - and that was the earliest they could make it. With all my other purchases/sales, this was all done and dusted - including the actual report and mortgage offer - well within a week.

There's nothing wrong with contacting your solicitor say, once a fortnight, to see if any progress is being made. Otherwise, it's best just to let them get on with their jobs!

Thanks Falafals! 

We were thinking about potentially asking the seller as to whether she would consider moving in with family so we can exchange and complete. We would also pay their 1st Removal Cost and 1 or 2 months storage fees, if needed. 

What’s your thoughts on how successful this could be? Are there any alternatives? 

Just wondering really and any advice is welcomed. 

You can ask, via your EA. But its been two months - and the likelihood of them agreeing is not very high. Firstly you don't know how that affects the mortgage, whether they even have anywhere to go, and finally whether they'd risk on their ongoing purchase (if that fell through for example they could be stuck long term and have to pay expensive mortgage redemption fees probably).

You are a FTB - the LEAST stress of any in the chain - usually you are the hold up. Its been 2 months - whether you wait a bit longer or not is relatively speaking irrelevant to you compared to the chain looking at purchase and sale simultaneously. Why are you in a rush after such a short space of time? It would be entirely normal and reasonable if the whole process took a further 2 months - why does that matter so much if it did?

Falafels

Keats007 said:

Falafels said:

It's a frustrating, stress-making process - especially the first time you buy a place and haven't been through the process before - and it's understandable that you want to push things along. However, you need to manage your expectations.

It's doubtful that your EA would give you details of all the others; even if they did, the EA's acting for the other people in the chain probably wouldn't tell you what's going on. The transactions will be in the hands of the solicitors - who certainly aren't allowed to be in direct contact with buyers further down the chain.

As babyblade says, it normally takes around 12 weeks. At the moment many transactions are being delayed because of Covid, either because professionals are working from home and/or are working through the backlog that built up during lockdown. For example, it took four weeks for my purchaser's surveyor to visit the property - and that was the earliest they could make it. With all my other purchases/sales, this was all done and dusted - including the actual report and mortgage offer - well within a week.

There's nothing wrong with contacting your solicitor say, once a fortnight, to see if any progress is being made. Otherwise, it's best just to let them get on with their jobs!

Thanks Falafals! 

We were thinking about potentially asking the seller as to whether she would consider moving in with family so we can exchange and complete. We would also pay their 1st Removal Cost and 1 or 2 months storage fees, if needed. 

What’s your thoughts on how successful this could be? Are there any alternatives? 

Just wondering really and any advice is welcomed. 

No, I really wouldn't do this. What you describe would be a whole pile of hassle for them - it's not just the expense of moving house which makes it so stressful! - and I doubt they'd agree to it. I know I wouldn't, though being sympathetic to your cause. Up until exchange of contracts, anything could happen - and they shouldn't be agreeing to anything they couldn't live with in the longer term. It's also unlikely that their presence actually in the property is holding up the chain.

Even back in the day before seller's information forms and all that, a typical sale and purchase, no chain, would take about three months. You're only at the two month mark right now.

The only advice I can give you is to be patient. Do you have a particular reason for wanting to hurry this process up?