Time to Face The Music

RelievedSheff

Getting rid of the van was never an option for us. We use it too much. The budget was worked around keeping it. But if anything happens and it has to go it would pay the mortgage for a good couple of years if the need ever arose!

warby68

Checked in to make sure your house move is going ok and very pleased to see that it is.

Also your comment about the van as mortgage back up. i think when you get to the stage of having back ups built into your finances you're doing really well. When we moved up, our back ups were an interest only mortgage (although we always paid as if repayment) and selling the house as the equity would rehouse us in some way. Having liveable back ups made me accept the risk of the slightly too expensive house. And here we are 15 years later still in the 'slightly too expensive' house with the mortgage paid off so I'm so glad I did.

RelievedSheff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81913981#Comment_81913981

We have the van and we have the classic car that we can sell if needs be. But it shouldn't come to that.

The new mortgage is 30% of our take home pay which is pretty much where all of our house purchases have started at. So we are happy that it is affordable.

RelievedSheff

The solicitors are gearing up for exchange in the next day or two.

We signed and returned the contracts last week, we received the completion statements yesterday and they were all in order and as expected. Our solicitors have everything they need, our buyers solicitors have everything they need we are all just waiting on the onward purchase solicitors receiving the Help to Buy authority to complete which should arrive either today or tomorrow with a bit of luck.

I'm guessing our solicitors have contacted the Halifax to give them notice for the mortgage draw down. I went on the portal yesterday just for a last look at mortgage rates and the option to change deals has now gone, the deal is locked in and the first mortgage payment amount has now been confirmed.

So things are moving along nicely. Just need to get these contracts exchanged now for a bit of peace of mind for this last week.

Sun_Addict

All sounding good. Not long now until you're in your new home.

RelievedSheff

Annoyingly exchange didn't happen yesterday due to a delay with Help to Buy paperwork on our onward purchase.

We never used the scheme but it is still causing us problems 🙄

Fingers crossed for exchange on Monday instead.

RelievedSheff

Finally exchanged contracts late this afternoon. We had given up hope of it being today by 3.30pm but we unexpectedly got the phone call at 4.20pm to say they were ready to go.

By 5pm it was all done and dusted, exchanged and completion set for Friday 😀

beanielou

Great news.

milann

Great news. Happy moving day when it comes 👍

Cherryfudge

Exciting! Congratulations.😊