Help, calm me. House buying and selling stress

mosaics, your EA will have put that seed of an idea into viewer`s ears, surely?

sazzl, you think the money laundering quiz is bad now? Just wait until you have your house cash back, ready to put into whatever account you took it from. I had to put all my savings into a central bank location, halifax, when I bought. When I sold it all went into halifax, no longer fscs protected, so I wanted to disperse it asap, the fraud checks were terrible. Re money storage and fscs safety umbrella. NS&I savings is good to use as a very large amount is safe in there

Mosaics, I am already accumulating chocolate stash, I have enough hobbies and dried foods. Might not be far to the shops but always unsafe to walk when older. Speaking of age, I have the first stages of dry AMD, told today it is perfectly normal at my age. Scary or what, certainly exonerates me and my decision to move to walking distance of buses. The body is cracking up

The lady, a cash buyer, at the bottom of our chain had to have checks for money laundering and it was made a lot worse when she decided to change her name in the middle of it all due to her divorce. I think it delayed the selling process by about two weeks, but there was no way round it.
mw sorry to hear things are getting you down, but it will happen eventually. We had a difficult older property to sell once in France actually but struck lucky when the buyer wanted to be near a particular golf club at all costs. It only takes one person to want it.
I'm slowly getting used to the Devon lanes but the banks are too high for me to see over even in my people carrier. I took my husband to the airport at 5 am this morning for his London flight and it was s bit scary coming back on my own in the dark.
The cats have discovered the loft and seem to want to spend their days up there away from workmen. I'm not sure the fibre glass wool is very good for them but I'm going to let them outside next week so hopefully the loft will have list its appeal.
This thread has been so supportive, at the moment it's the only one I have time to read on GN!!

Ellianne, I would recommend keeping a torch and headtorch in the car I've lost my headtorch! Plus a winter kit of tea light and lighter or matches (one of Steve's sales managers died in a blizzard, stuck on the motorway - apparently lighting a tea light would keep your body temperature up), bottle of water, choc, blanket, spade and scissors. I've got Steve's old swiss army knife. I'm sure there's more but I've always carried these in the winter and felt happier. Dug a woman off an 'ice peak' her BMW was stuck on, back wheel was just spinning on it.

I'd get your cats out of the loft quickly, fibre glass wool is made from minute particles of glass and they're going to get it in their paws - and they could fall down the cavity wall too. I'd lock them in one room with the tray, I know it's hard but they can look out the window

Good advice about the cats mw. I'll try to barricade the door which leads up there tomorrow as they keep managing to hook it open. The problem has been keeping track of them when carpet fitters and builders are going in and out of the house.

I always carry a space blanket as it's useful in case of an accident and can be a lifesaver in the winter. Quite cheap on eBay

If you are driving on dark lanes, the headlights of oncoming cars give you plenty of warning. I prefer night to day for lanes. You will get more confidence I am sure Elliane

Thanks for timely reminder about money laundering. I did supply all this material both to my EA and to my solicitor, but note also have to supply to EA of any flat I try to buy.
If I do make an offer on the flat I am viewing tomorrow it will be easier for me to go into the EA there and show them my passport, utility bill, etc whilst down there. I hate having to scan into my computer and then send it to them.

I thought that devon lanes were much more unsafe than somerset lanes, too fast for me, the world and his wife want to move to devon and some parts have become commuter villages

I feel tired today, none of us can go on being busy day after day. Today my body is saying `rest` and I will be taking note ie having a nap later. I have had my hair cut, done local shopping and finished my soup-making. I noticed that my steps coming home were more dragging than spritely. It will take as long as it takes, normally 2 days for me. That was what was so difficult about viewings to sell, it was always the tail wagging the dog ie must clean, must go out, must go through feedback. Utterly shattering physically and mentally

Franbern, our eyes are on you. Good luck with all of it, get cosy soon

Sad day today - was driving along and the car coming towards me hit a squirrel and just carried on. The squirrel just lay there, face down on the road I stopped and checked he was definitely dead, and put him in the bushes. Poor little soul.

To cheer myself up I thought I'd make a coffee cake as my daughter is coming home tomorrow. I've never made buttercream before as I normally cheat with Betty Crocker - what hard work! My Mum was always beating something in a big bowl, I haven't ever really done it and don't seem to have any muscles! Need a lie down now.

Hope you feel perkier tomorrow craftyone - I can't find what dry AMD is? I googled it and it came up with a macular condition?

Enjoy your viewing today Franbern

Yes hope it goes well, Franbern. This time it might work out. Hear about it when we next see you.

Yet more paperwork from solicitors again today. Asking how we're going to finance the purchase (they're acting for us in the sale of this house) also how we're going to separate the purchase e.g. 50 50 or 40 60 Its just joint purchase. And another leaflet on money laundering! OH is stressed and said if they mentioned it again he's going to tell them he's opening a C factory in Botswana. Never had this fuss before but we haven't bought a house for 20 years. It's definitely hard work now.

Hold tight sazzl, there will be an end. 20 years in your home, just a whisper from me to say that the questions from your buyer may seem never ending and impossible. Just make sure to only send copies of paperwork and certificates, just in case you might need to go through the whole process again and you would need yet more copies

Just popping in to say hello - came home to a bit of my bedroom windowill on the front steps, god help me! October winds in August, trees are bent over.

Wishing you many black pens in your stationery kit sazzl, I'm now forewarned with all the paperwork I've got to expect. I'm not sure I'll be able to manage it all, I found probate very difficult to do and had to rely heavily on my solicitor.

Picking my daughter up at 3 pm, can't wait to try the coffee cake! Have a good day everyone

you have a lovely attitude to life mosaics, things that would crease most younger people. You are an up and at em kind of person. Admirable

I have just finished a shift around of my living room furniture and am grateful for all the felt pads, sliding was easy. I decided that it is all too easy to plop myself in my recliner, which is in front of tv with laptop to side and then I sit, tv and/or laptop on and now I am thinking I need to go back to being more selective again. What a waste of time, just browsing or watching escape to the country yet again

So the kitchen table has a pile of papers on it for sorting tomorrow, they had been plonked on a small trolley by my recliner. My black leather zero gravity chair is what I need most, to prevent back and hip problems and I am now gravitating towards that chair, by the french door and in front of tv but my view of tv will not be conduicive to switching on

I have dusted, the wind brings dust in through the vents. I hav re-arranged all the bright reading lamps, one by each sitting area. Now I am preapered to read again, haven`t picked up a book since I moved

It started with a soundbar, recommended by ds, modern tvs are very flat and audio is not as clear. Soundbar is on its way and I was working out how to set it up and that is how one thing lead to another

I do miss being able to ask my husband for his input and help

Glad everyone sounds relatively calm despite the winds (and rain) outside. I have someone coming to pick up the mountain of empty cardboard boxes tonight for free. I've told them they'll need to flatten them because my back won't stand up much longer. I've also advertised an old fridge but no joy so far, might have to take it up the tip.
I shall keep reading this thread to see how you are all progressing and yes, the whole buying and selling lark seems far more complicated and protracted these days.

My son picked me up from my bungalow still can't get used to saying my bungalow as it took so long to finally own it. He came to pick up all the pieces of the wardrobes which where to big to go in my daughter's car. He pointed out that I needed a roofer as a part of the garage roof had a crack in it as was sagging. Roofer coming tomorrow. When back to his house and had a lovely time with him my daughter in law and 2 grandsons. It is lovely to now know I will see them all on a regular basis and not only every 2- 3 months.

When to IKEA with my daughter and grandson and got bits and bobs I needed. Also choose my kitchen and booked their measuring service. Once measured I will use their in house planning service. It is so much fun choosing stuff for my new home as I haven't brought anything new apart from crockery and glasses for over 20 years. My carpets are being fitted on Tuesday. Need to phone Pickfords tomorrow to arrange to have my household brought up. Took my forms back to my new GP's today need to book an appointment with the nurse on Monday.

Mosaicwarts hope you have some good news about your house sale soon and Craftyone hope you are feeling better. Ellianne hope you back feels better soon.
Everyone else hope your selling and buying is going ok. I know for me this thread had been a life saver.

Glad you have rearranged your lounge easily craftyone, I agree about limiting tv watching, it's too easy to sit staring 'at the box'. I watch Escape to the Country, and occasionally Coast or Country depending on their budget. Not interested when they have £650K! Did catch Come Dine with Me yesterday, I don't like the rude person who does the voice overs, won't watch again. I'll be buying a new tv when I move, I've got a huge ugly silver dinosaur.

I've come on to tell you I rang the Council Conservation Officer yesterday to ask for recommendations for window 'overhaulers'. I recognised his name and looked him up this morning, he is the local person I thought he was. It's such a small world here.

I'm going to invite all of the people he recommends round to give me quotes for refurbing/replacing the windows. Has to be like for like in wood, no PVC is allowed. So difficult my neighbours attached station porter house aren't listed, and have recently had ugly cheap looking PVC installed, viewers do comment. Saw it close up last night as they are away for three weeks and my daughter 'heard noises' - had to go down with the torch to investigate. If the worst comes to the worst and I am here for years, I'm going to have to spend out on the worst windows before they completely collapse. It is a 'criminal offence' to neglect the maintenance on a listed building and it could be taken from me.

I'm so glad you are happily installed Whiff, I hope you are very happy there. Enjoy buying yourself new things for your new home. I love shopping!

Another autumnal day here, on the 16th August. Is it just my old mind, or were our childhood school holidays always sunny?

I need to order wood for the winter but haven't got the money yet, pension day next week. I'm going to have to bring it all in and through the house to the platform as the stone mason is coming to repoint the hallway, will do it in small bags and take my time. Carried too much weight last time and did my knees.

Have a good day everyone. My daughter is still in bed and meeting a friend for lunch, so I'm off to the beach with Jazz in a minute so I can get back in time to take her. She hasn't bought a car yet as she doesn't know what she's doing job wise.

Well we hope to move in ten days but since I put that to the solicitors they have gone non contact!

I'm very disheartened to read that Nannytopsy - how can they justify it? Is it incompetence, or a huge work load? I hope you are 'contacted' on Monday

Friday is by far the worst day to get anything out of solicitors. Apparently they try to act on all the completions in the morning and then after lunch they action all the exchanges. Anything else doesn't get touched unless you're very lucky.

Watch out ... our completion didn't happen until 4.30 PM on the Friday due to an incompetent solicitor near the bottom of the chain. Technically we were homeless for an hour because we had released the keys to our old house at 3.30 PM.

Nannytopsy hang in there and start nagging them on Monday.

That was nerve wracking Ellianne, I thought you said 4 pm before, half an hour extra is loooong!

Just popping in as my estate agent rang. Apparently Wednesday's viewers really liked it, but are quoting huge figures for the perceived window renovation to justify the 'cheeky offer' they may put in next week. They are also 'watchers' who have noted it was originally listed at £500K. I really have done it all wrong

EA has asked me get quotes for the windows - so I must be psychic as I've already started the ball rolling! I must try to rise above all the shennanigans people seem to get up to try and get a property for peanuts. The website where people are boasting at how they got properties cheap because they lied to/manipulated owners disgusted me.

The EA ended by saying she is going to monitor viewer's positions more carefully for the future and try to get me cash buyers. I'm so glad she's on my side!

My sister used to work for a solicitor, and said that one shouldn't try to complete on a Friday, as if there was any problem with banks etc, a lot of them would be closed on a Saturday and therefore the problem would not be resolved until the following Monday.

I think most people want to move on a Friday, especially if they are workers, so they have the weekend to get settled.

Yes, mw, it ended up being nearer 4.30 PM before the EA called to say we could pick up the keys. We had been parked outside the office for over a nail biting hour. I feel sorry for people with children, it was bad enough for the pets to be kept waiting.