Is it a good idea to stay in touch with Seller?

AC20

Hi There,
Want to know fellow forum participants advise on any tips on moving the application faster?
We were in touch with seller directly via an online estate agent and our offer has been accepted. My conveyancer has initiated the searches and everything is progressing smoothly at our end. Do understand the seller wants to proceed quickly. Is it good idea to keep the seller updated regularly throughout the process or best strategy is not to reach out at all and only communicate via EA ? We just don't want our seller to get the impression, things are not moving fast enough at our end.
Thanks for your inputs.

hippocrates1

They will get updates from the solicitor and estate agent. I wouldn’t open up a dialogue. It’s not very professional.

macman

You should never need to either meet or have any contact with the seller directly, except possibly when viewing. if you do, then the EA and conveyancer are not doing their jobs properly.

dimbo61

With all the current delays in the conveyancing process, searches, surveyor, land registry and legals and the massive push to exchange/complete before end of  March or now end of June it would be nice if you can maintain contact with the seller.
However you also want your solicitor to ask the right questions and get a " Legal " reply.
No point you asking to many  questions 

Thrugelmir

Remember this is a business transaction. The vendors aren't your friends. When stress kicks in best to remain aloof. 

AC20

Thanks All

Greymug

We've been in touch with the sellers directly.

Before we went for the first viewing, they gave me their mobile number to use in case we had problems/were late/needed to reschedule (the viewing was over the weekend so no way to contact the estate agent if we couldn't make it).

We stayed in touch throughout the whole process; in return, having an open communication line meant that it was possible for us to get access to the property before the key exchange day so I could show the house to flooring installers and painters. This allowed us to organise work asap and save plenty time.

I barely spoke to the estate agents and solicitors and it went great...as they would have only added layers of unnecessary complications.

macman

That's fine when both parties are reasonable people. However, if the other party is the buyer/vendor from hell, you really don't want them to have a direct line to you, before or after completion. 

firsttimesellerldn

My buyer has my contact details and that’s been useful at points but I wouldn’t overdo it and certainly don’t feel like they should be updating me all the time. They’ll be aware that the process just takes time. 

Doozergirl

macman said:

That's fine when both parties are reasonable people. However, if the other party is the buyer/vendor from hell, you really don't want them to have a direct line to you, before or after completion. 

This I agree with.  

Being in touch with our buyers this time saved our sale.  No doubt.  

In the past, co-operation between us and our buyers/vendors got us to exchange and completion sooner than the solicitors expecting, with them being a bit mañana about everything.  

Another buyer I'd probably have killed if I'd had access to him on a regular basis.  

If you get on with the people, it can be a benefit. 

Aspiration

We were in contact with one of the buyers on our last purchase. 

It was all friendly until we’d waited for months and a couple of their failed onward purchases and we had to advise in a few weeks we would need to start looking elsewhere (No immediate pressure and a real sensible conversation as it needs to feel right for both sides). One of the sellers was really balanced and agreed, the other was very emotional!

Also, I was tempted to call them about the illegal electrical works that nearly set fire to the house (plastered over cable joints in the wall that popped the plaster and started burning) but obviously didn’t.

My advice, if I didn’t need to I wouldn’t but if I felt the process needed a bit of intervention and reassurance of our commitment I would engage with the seller/purchaser.