The Moving Saga Update #3 15/3/20

WE ARE UNDER OFFER!*

Which of course is great, but now we have to find somewhere to go.  Not so great, especially with all the problems associated with the Corona Virus.  How do you view a house if you're virtually under house arrest?  Although of course we're not at that stage (yet)  but everytime I have a bout of coughing, which I often do thanks to the medication I'm on, there is the dark thought - "should I be self isolating?"  Difficult times.

Anyway, we have been doing our best to find a new home.  We've seen quite a few now.  Some good, some ok and some definite Nos.

Spotting the definite Nos can be quite easy as in the following examples:

• The one with half the kitchen in the conservatory and the tumble dryer in the garden. 
• The one with a question mark over where and when the boundary fence would be reinstated and an extension next door with a window invading your privacy that wasn't on the plans.
• The one with the tube trains running along the bottom of the garden.

Yes I know you're probably wondering why we even bothered to view these but you can't always tell from the online information that these problems exist.  Yes we knew the trains would be there but it's hard to tell how noisy they are unless you're actually standing in the garden.  Answer, too noisy and too frequent.

The good ones often jump out at you but again it's not always easy.  They can look wonderful online but in reality they can be much smaller and the decoration in need of TLC.  We've also been trying to find out more about the areas we've been looking at.

It's hard because it's such a big decision for us having been in our current home for 27 years.  We've also been used to a big house with lots of rooms and now we're looking at things that are smaller.  But we know it's the right thing to do at this stage in our lives, although we still want enough space for when the kids and grandkids visit.  I'm trying not to hanker after something bigger and I'm gradually getting used to being sensible.  We looked at a house yesterday that would have been great but it was at the top end of our budget and being on a corner plot it would have involved lots of maintenance.  My heart loved the house, my head told me not to be stupid.  I've allowed my head to win.

We have 2 that we think are worth a second look and another couple to try and see.  Again I'm trying to think with my head, especially as one of the houses we'd like to see again currently has 2 large vivariums housing snakes.  I cannot bear snakes.  Rationally I know that the snakes would be gone if we moved there.  Irrationally I would worry about any escapees!  But it was a lovely house and ticked a lot of our boxes.  

The situation with the Corona Virus is also beginning to impact on this process.  Several of the estate agents have started implementing handwashing on arrival and before leaving a property and some have also mentioned the possibility of moving to virtual viewings if necessary.  This will possibly slow the whole process down.  Hopefully we will be able to find a property before our buyers lose patience with us (they have buyers for their flat and are also expecting a baby very soon) but I'm a great believer in that if it's meant to be it will happen.

For now our search continues!

* Not sure how it works elsewhere but here in the UK this means we have agreed a price with the would be purchasers.  Their solicitors will now carry out various legal checks, a surveyor will check out the property and their mortgage providers will also determine how much money they will lend them and how much deposit the buyers will be required to lodge on exchange of contracts.  

Hopefully all that will go smoothly and contracts will be drawn up.  An exchange date is then agreed at which point the buyer makes a deposit which is non refundable.  The solicitors then work towards completing the sale process and everyone moves on completion day.  

There are usually a few weeks between exchange and completion (although it can be done quicker if required) which gives everyone time to finalise removal contractors and everything else associated with moving house.