We recently went through the whole house selling/buying process, and it wasn't all plain sailing.
Our sale process went through quickly and smoothly until the day prior completion date, when we were contacted to say that the buyer wanted the whole central heating system replaced, and he wanted us to pay for it! Yes, the system was old, but it was in full working order. The buyer already knew that, and the house price was agreed, taking all of that into consideration.
We were in a position where we didn't need the funds of the sale of the house in order to purchase our new property, so we simply said, 'no way'! He obviously thought, at that late stage in the proceedings, we'd back down and pay for it, in order not to lose the sale. He was wrong! Yes, it would've meant us having to pay more stamp duty, but we were prepared to take the risk and said no. He backed down, and continued with completion the following day! There are many people out there who will 'try it on', don't let them get the better of you!
Along the way, we had two house purchases fall through on us, which was very stressful and disappointing, and we were at the point of not wanting to bother looking anymore! However, we decided that those houses simply weren't meant to be, and with hindsight we're now glad that they didn't go through. We found another property which is far more suitable for us as new retirees, in a lovely area, with nothing much to do other than putting our own stamp on it, and it has a lovely manageable garden to enjoy. It was definitely 3rd time lucky for us. The purchase went through quickly and smoothly before Christmas, and we'll be relocating and moving into it this month.
Sometimes things don't work out for a reason, so just try to prepare yourself for any setbacks, and then move on.
Also, try to appoint a good solicitor who comes on recommendation from someone you know. We had several quotes, and certainly didn't go with one of the cheaper ones. However, we still had to keep on their backs constantly, and some of the paperwork we had from them was shockingly poor! I think some solicitors use a lot of young, inexperienced conveyancers to do the majority of the work, and it's very telling!
Thankfully, we got there in the end, and I'm hoping never to have to do it again!
Good luck to those of you who are embarking on the process!