MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

Coxy11

Thanks everyone for the comments x

I was away last week on the latest leg of my JoGLE hike with my sister. We walked Gloucester to Tiverton over 10 days. Next Spring we hope to finish in Lands End.

We had our NatWest mortgage discussion on Monday all good to port our existing £37k to the new property – just want to keep a line of credit open in case we want to do something major. The follow up meeting was today, and thankfully only one of us needed, so DH did that. All good. We have paid £102 for a valuation and are organising our own Housebuyer report.

Solicitor had a question over whether the new property is listed, but thankfully looks not to be. It’s on land next to a listed building (built in part of the grounds).

Our purchaser has organised a survey for 17 September. Was meant to be next week but as we are away and DD is needed in the office all next week, we pushed it back.

DH will be sanctioned by DWP next week and will need to reapply once home. He has said he will look for a job properly when we’ve moved. In the meantime he is learning the entire Dark Side of the Moon album on piano………

Food budget looking better for this month already. DS2 left for last year of uni today L and has had his rent and maintenance money from us. I’m really looking forward to lying in the sunshine next week and may book myself a birthday treat of a massage given my back is suffering after the hike!

Suffolk_lass

Hope you have a lovely time

Coxy11

Crete was.....well....okay...... a few issues with the hotel and definitely not the 5* experience we'd paid for. Staff rude and we even had DH's signature forged on a bar bill for cocktails!!!

Whilst we were away we received the survey on the new house. All okay - a few red areas but nothing that would put us off buying it. The survey on our house was done this morning. Have a feeling the FTB will have lots of questions!

Still haven't received our mortgage offer (£37k on a £725k purchase) as they want 3 months savings account statements. I use an app for Skipton and there's no statement download function on it, so will need to find my log on credentials once home. Always something. We have suggested an exchange date of 18 Oct and a completion date of 15 Nov but all dependent on survey and searches from our prospective buyer.

Budget-wise we are doing okay. A couple of extra expenses in Crete plus a meal out on Saturday when we got home as were tired from travelling. I've taken that from the food budget though. We did a BBQ on Sunday for us and the children and had so much leftover that it fed us last night and will do so again tonight. Food budget runs until 20th and we have £190 left so definitely an underspend this month.

Weirdly British Gas have said our smart meter isn't working and can I send a manual reading. ERRR we don't have a smart meter. I sent readings before we went to Crete but they've asked for them again today. Another thing to do once home.

We are going to start bringing things down from the loft to sort out, either to donate to charity, take to the tip or pack. We also need to sell some furniture as we won't have a spare room once we move. 

Coxy11

Update time.

We received our mortgage offer on Friday - yay. Still no word on the survey on our current home so DH is going a bit stir crazy. Have spoken to our agent today (he's a friend and we met for coffee). He will chase tomorrow as has been off this week. Have also had draft contracts for the sale and should get draft contracts for the purchase later this week.

DH was sanctioned for Job Seekers when we were in Crete so had to make another application. He was asked to attend in person today. All a bit depressing but needs must and it's £90/week at the end of the day.

We ended last month with £100 surplus in the car fuel fund and £140 in the food budget. Okay we were away for one week, but pleased none the less.

We need to start sorting through the garage and the loft. Might start DH on that tomorrow - keep him busy!

Coxy11

Updates since my last posting:

Payday last week and all regular bills/savings paid out. We had a regular saver each with Nationwide which matured this month. Just over £5k earned. We plan to gift the three children £5k each from the house move proceeds but DS1 needs some money now to fix his car, so we’ve sent £1k over and will give the rest later. DD and DS2 will have theirs ring-fenced for when they need it.  

DH is waiting to hear back about a SAYE scheme and a BAYE scheme from his last employer. I think we are waiting for the broker to issue share certificates and then we get to decide when to sell. TBH I’m not au fait with it all, so letting DH pursue that!

DH went back to the Job Centre last week and re-registered for Job Seekers. Had the first payment through yesterday. Think there’s 8 weeks left before his claim expires.

We’ve received all paperwork for both sale and purchase. As luck would have it, we were seeing friends on Saturday who obliged with witnessing it all which meant DH could hand deliver it back to the solicitor on Monday. Our agent is back working today (works part time) and will be chasing our buyer to find out what’s happening re: the survey on our house – it’s been 2 weeks since the surveyor came round so not sure what the hold-up is.

I have resigned my post at work. A bit reckless given we haven’t yet exchanged, but I need to give 8 weeks’ notice and there’s no way I’m commuting back for this job. If the sale falls through I will just get a temp job – I’m really not that bothered!

DH has been to the municipal tip with some garage/garden waste. We have sorted the bathroom cabinets and chucked a load of old toiletries out, and will be making a start on the loft this coming weekend. Thinking we will bring a box down at a time to sort through as perishing cold up there! I must stop buying books as currently have around 20 in my ‘to read’ pile. Got a few new ones for my birthday and bought a couple more with my birthday money. I do love to read!

Coxy11

Update time 

Our buyer had a couple of questions following the survey. Is there asbestos, a query over the Radon levels and a query over a wall in the lounge with higher than average damp readings.

The first two were pretty easy to put to bed – no asbestos and Radon levels are very low for our area (our EA friend produced a map). The issue with the wall is due to the steps outside the patio doors breaching the damp proof course. Not a major issue and only an issue this year due to a really damp Spring followed by a not too great Summer. Buyer wants to organise a damp survey regardless, so we are waiting to hear when that might be. There is no mould, wetness or flaking plaster, just a small A5 sized darker patch.

DH hasn’t had the best of weeks and is very low. Went to the Job Centre yesterday and his advisor spent 15 minutes telling him about her recent holiday to Italy. Could not make this stuff up! Motivational much?! No job seeking advice or support whatsoever. Groundhog day.

I now have 6 weeks left of my notice period. Hoping to move one week later, but this very much depends on our buyer and the outstanding enquiries. The top of the chain are ready to go.

DH has started on the great big loft sort out and we will continue it together on Sunday. He reckons it’s not too bad. One trip to the tip already and I have a mountain of bits to sort through tonight. Will be taking some clothing to the charity shop tomorrow as a start. We are being mindful of what food we are buying and trying to run down the freezer/cupboards. DH has also contacted several removal firms to enquire about costings and availability.

Food and car fuel budget still looking okay for the month. 9 days left until the end of this charging period (we buy on our cashback cc and pay it off in full each month).

beanielou

Positive thoughts & energy to you all. 

Suffolk_lass

That all sounds good except the job advisor. I dream of DH having the time and energy to go through stuff here. We are still much too busy for two people who no longer work. We defrosted the chest freezer and re-inventoried the contents yesterday. No meat to be purchased here until Christmas, I think! Most of a local lamb in there!

I hope it all goes well for you. The idea of moving really appeals, to remedy the things we are lacking here. So when we were offered a market appraisal on our return from hols at the start of the month we said yes. And then we reflected on what we have, what we have done and like about being here and we decided this is the place for the next few years. Still got lots to do but this is great.

Coxy11

Time for another update:

Buyer decided (after mulling it over for yet another week) that he didn’t want to organise a damp survey after all. Found that out on 14 October. Apparently he is still waiting for ‘paperwork’ from his solicitor who has been chased by our legal guy plus our EA. Still nothing. Really odd as we received draft contracts about a week after appointing a conveyancer, so either the solicitor is a bit rubbish or buyer is stalling, waiting for a possible Stamp Duty announcement in the Budget. Regardless, I doubt anything would change on that overnight?

In the meantime, our sellers have organised removals to storage for 13 November and an AirBnB as the bungalow they are moving into needs work. All very premature given we haven’t yet exchanged. They have a hard deadline (FWIW) of 15 November for completion, exactly one week before I finish work.

I have asked work if I can leave earlier than 22 November given the above, and have been told ‘not really’ which I get, as if they were letting me go as part of a restructure or somesuch event, I’d want my 8 weeks’ notice BUT I have barely any work to do and don’t line manage anyone, so there’s nothing to handover exactly. Looking likely I will either have to live at the local Premier Inn, commute 40 miles each way for a week, or go sick. There was a whiff of suggestion around a laptop and to WFH in the new house that last week – surrounded by boxes and with no Wifi – ummmm…Boss is back on Monday so I might know more about concrete dates then.

The great loft sort out continued at the weekend with a charity shop car full and a tip run car full. We have another stint to do up there this weekend. DH has also 90% cleared the garage and shed. DH has a WhatsApp video call with our preferred removers on Tuesday to walk them around our house for a quote. They are currently booking a week ahead.

Latest Job Centre appointment yesterday was with a different advisor who told DH he only had 4 weeks of JSA left and then could look into claiming UC? No help in actually getting a role at all. I’ve found a possible part time role for him with the NHS local to where we are moving to – he does project management – so will talk to him more tonight.

Food and petrol budget reset on 21 Oct so our first food shop tomorrow. Next week is a bit different as DH and DD are both away for a few nights. Will meal plan tonight and shop to the list tomorrow.

@SuffolkLass don’t blame you wanting to stay if the home you currently have suits your needs and is viable. I think we’re looking at this next house to be for around 10 years as I expect the garden will get too much for us. We shall see!

Suffolk_lass

Our garden immediately became too much for us as the previous owner had done a plantswoman course and over planted, so it was incredibly beautiful but SO over-planted - given my time again, a bare field that I can add a few island beds to, and a diverse herb "lawn" and managed wildflower area through a small orchard, with dead hedges and other pollinator habitats that combine with being simpler to maintain... and a gardener to help!