Help, calm me. House buying and selling stress

Whiff is right mw, you can't do anything now about the past so just concentrate on the present and move forward. Don't even look too far ahead, just day by day.
You will find a rental for the pets. We had 2 large dogs and 3 cats in a rental in London. We offered an extra security deposit to the owner and promised to replace carpets if needed. Luckily we didn't have to do either. I hope your old cat isn't too upset. Ours are the same age but have settled like a dream here and after 3 weeks are now patrolling the neighbourhood, looking very smug!

It maybe the down after the euphoria of yesterday MW!

Such wise words of advice on here.
It's even given me the courage to consider downsizing myself.
I agree about the old house and mortgage too. A cash buyer is worth a lot.

Grammaretto downsizing is the best thing I have done in years. Love my 2 bed bungalow . All my bills are cheaper except council tax which is £24 a month more than I used to pay. But on the plus side I have a free bus pass which I can use on the local train network. I can go as far as Chester for free. In a short time I feel as if I have always lived here. I don't miss my old life . My new one is so exciting and I get to see the family on a regular basis.

On the subject of cash buyer just to say that we are called a cash buyer even though we have to sell our house first to be able to buy another. Apparently cash buyer means anyone not getting a mortgage, whether they have to sell their house to buy another or have ready cash in the bank.

sazzl I said I was a cash buyer and they wanted to see evidence of available actual cash.

I`m always busy, I think it is in my nature. I love having a `smaller` home with easy clean floors, I can clean very quickly here. My garden now has some height, 3 pot grown apple trees, took me an hour to plant each one yesterday in spite of previous hours clearing the ground beneath. Jelly king crab apple was 5` tall and they are full of leaves. I have been raking, filling buckets with stones, washing windows and making some basic paths with weed fabric

Am I the only one who likes to work in silence

Have been following this thread, even though not contributing much recently. Mosaicwarts, how wonderful to have two offers - your EA should be able to advice you as to the best one to take. I originally had an offer from a lady whose own large, expensive house was being purchased by a cash buyer. Then they dropped out, and now five months later, her house is still on the market.
Nothing is really definite until Contracts get exchanged. Had a talk to my solicitors today, they have some concerns about the lease on the flat I am purchasing. This is in a well established block and he did say it would only every come up again when I sold that. Seems that there is a small fudge on the land registry regarding the garage. Nothing, he assures me, that will effect my whilst I am living there.
My purchasers have accepted their private very full survey and now have their mortgage offer in place.
At present we are looking for end of October for all of this to happen. But, I have been here before, and know that until contracts get exchanged nothing is really definite.
However, I do need to start (again) to be getting in some removal quotes. As I am in in hospital for a few days next week, I intend to try to get companies to come the following week when i should be home, convalescing.
I did ask if it would be possible to have two or three weeks between Exchange and Completion - but got told this does not happen now, and it is usually just a week.
So in that week, I will need to do all the arrangements of contacting utility companies, etc. get a charity shop to come to collect some furniture, get a house clearance firm to come in to take away some rubbish, etc. etc. Sounds pretty nightmarish to me !!!!!
Took another box and bag of stuff to charity shop this morning.
Trying hard to believe this will actually happen this time, but cannot fully convince myself.

Trying to pack things up here today as we have rented storage in Devon and are going to and fro with various boxes and bags every week to make the move easier. Staying in our caravan there as much as we can. So overwhelmed by it all. My washing machine has packed up so I'm looking at a launderette until we move which will probably be November- no point buying another as we are moving furniture ourselves renting a van. OH doesnt want to lift a washing machine too heavy Don't have much furniture left gave daughter most of it for her first home. Hope things get going this week as our buyer needs to change solicitors to get their mortgage. All the best to everyone and hope it all goes through for you all

you all sound physically and mentally exhausted, there is an end, there really is. Best to take `what if` out of the equation, what will be will be and `what if` is exhausting

I still get that stomach churn when I think back

Hello friends, wishing you all the best and sending positive thoughts for your personal circumstances. Thinking of you especially next week Franbern, I hope all goes well.

I'm still in a whirl of emotions and my mind is a mush, thank you for all your support, it means a lot. My daughter is home tomorrow, I must pull myself together.

Car still broken, garage has used a cleaner product in the exhaust system, and told me I need to drive at speed, in a lower gear, and keep the revs up to clear the congestion. That's the trouble, I never drive fast - or far.

I had a wander around more rental agencies today and an estate agent told me they 'can't' put me into any of their lettings until I've completed, which I thought was odd.

The EA rang and said my buyer is going in to see her tomorrow to collect the surveyor recommendations and give his solicitor details.

I had tons of sand in my front door lock and the nice handyman has just left - putting my door keys into a zip lock freezer bag in future to keep the sand away.

Keep your fingers crossed my bicycle sells tonight - I spent too much on myself in the charity shops today. Couldn't resist a long mohair cardigan, and an alpaca jumper. Only spent £30, but I've already spent my clothing allowance this month.

Have a nice evening. I'm looking forward to reading late tonight in bed and getting up late tomorrow, I hate setting my alarm.

It's all go on this thread! Fingers crossed for everyone. Always remember 'this too shall pass'!

Phew yes Jane10. It's tiring just reading .

Exciting though. I do hope it happens for you soon Franbern

At the other end of the scale, a friend's DD has just sold her flat in June, bought a house, moved in last Friday, and held a barbeque the next day! She is in her 20s.

Franbern hope all goes well at the hospital next week. Do you have anyone to help you with all you have to do? Don't use Pickfords for your move. Still no resolution to my problems over missing bed part ,mirror and stand etc.

Sazzl hope you hear something positive next week.

Just waiting for the window man to come as I need a new front door, side garage door and window in the garage. At least I managed to get booked in for planning of my

New kitchen at IKEA on the 15th.

Franbern I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to book a removal company with only a week between exchange and completion. I'm assuming you can reserve the date by paying a deposit but I wish that had been explained fully to us. Pickfords were unhelpful even though they had told me the date was available a fortnight earlier. Also make sure you have the late key insurance as it was gone 4 PM by the time we got the keys due to an incompetent solicitor in the chain.
Good luck in hospital next week.
I didn't expect to be visiting the hospital here so soon after moving in but have an eye appointment tomorrow. That's one way of finding out what the traffic is like at 8 am going into the city!

I know there has been talk on this thread about lock boxes. My window man has just been. He saw the lock box on the side of the bungalow asked if I used it I said no. He said good because they can be opened with a screwdriver and anyone can then get into your home. He refuses to fit them.

I've just made the decision to give things away. I'm selling my £300 bike for £60 on facebook, and had a woman contact me on Monday night, saying 'she'd probably come over'. I wrote back and said I need a definite time - she said it would probably be Tuesday. I wrote on Tuesday and asked for a time - no response.

I heard from her today and she said she'd like to come over tonight. Second text came through saying 'Would you take £50'?

I feel really angry. I've written back to say I'm keeping it. She's just written back and called me a timewaster. I've just written back and said I am advertising it for £60, you only want to pay £50.

Why are so many people so desperate to barter and make 'cheeky offers'? I was relying on this money tonight.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks for the lock box info Whiff, that's scary.

She's just written me a long text explaining that you never get the price you ask for, everyone starts high and expects to have to accept an offer! I've apologised and said I saw red as I've been receiving silly offers for my house. I do not agree that accepting an offer before the goods are seen is usual, if she'd come to see and then offered £50 I would understand it.

I'm going to find an island and live alone when this is all over!

I have had a key safe (lock box) on the wall in my porch for the last nine years. Been a godsend both to me, (when I have stupidly shut the front door without taking my keys with me), and to my family who know they can easily let themselves in. Only they have my code. Never had the slightest problem with this. Indeed, I know that they are advocated and installed by organisations like Age UK and are required if having any sort of help alarm system unstalled. If a burglar is going to take the trouble to prise this of the wall, and then manage to prise it open, think they would just smash a window to get in quicker and easier.
They are also useful if you live by yourself as the number can be given to emergency services should you need to call them. I think they are great
Thanks for the advice about late key insurance. I have spoken to my most favoured remover from last time, who says the price would stay the same as it is from the same place to the same area, and mentioned this to them. Just an extra £60 (plus VAT) seems worth it to me. I am not even going back to Pickfords after having read on here and other places of so many problems. I have been given the telephone no of a removal company in the town I am hoping to move to, and will get a quotation from them.
I think that is now normal to actually sign up with a removal firm well in advance just giving them approximate dates for this, and then firming it up on Contract Exchange.
Having received the fittings and fixtures form for the flat, I have quite a few queries, nothing too dramatic, but do feel they are trying to squeeze little bit more money out of me by listing some rather elderly white goods= as 'negotiable'.

Also of you have any big items to dispose of you can book a collection. Just look under bulky waste and it's easy to put in the information. We did this on three occasions as they only take a limited number of items at a time.

Franbern double glazed windows are hard to break. You need to use something sharp in just the right place or they don't break. Unfortunately nothing is 100% unbreakable.

Hello everyone, Mrs Confused here. My daughter is just boarding her flight in Belfast and I can't pull myself together. She's flying into Edinburgh and getting the 10 am or 11 am train, so I still have time to calm down.

I suppose I have started being organised by arranging for storage people to visit, so everything will be safe whilst we are in rented furnished accommodation. Plus I've registered with lots of people for rentals.

I'm just so confused as to what to take, as I don't know where I'm going, and must decide by Tuesday when the first storage people are coming. I definitely won't be taking the cast iron station platform luggage weighing scales! Does this fug lift when things become more definite?

Mosaicwarts yes the fug does lift. I know from bitter experience what you are going through. But I have found it is all worth it. Can you talk to your daughter about how you are feeling? I know you probably don't want to bother her . I didn't want to do that to my children. But when I did tell them what I had been going through they both told me off for not telling them sooner. I know this thread has helped me a lot. I know it's hard but try to look to the future. It probably seems like life is against you I felt like that. But try to think of all the good things in your life. I know as much as I miss my husband I am lucky. I have family and a few friends who love and care about me and I feel the same about them. I am not religious but the only phrase I can think of is count your blessings. I know their are a lot of people worse off than me. Like I have previously said I wish I had a magic wand and could make everything all right for you. Wish I could give you a hug.

Thanks for the hug Whiff. My daughter is 23 and told me some time ago she would rather I see a counsellor than discuss my sadness with her, as it makes her feel helpless, so I'm really careful what I say now. I did see a counsellor and she was dreadful, she really upset me about 'gaps' about the past which I obviously couldn't find out from Steve now.

I'm going to present her with a rather horrible coffee cake for her welcome back home - not sure what went wrong but it's very pale - and bustle around as though I know what I'm doing! Need to buy a clipboard! I will ask her to go round the house with me tomorrow to see what we should take, I've got some post its somewhere so will at least have things 'labelled'. The buyer may pull out after the survey, or later down the line, at least I will have had a 'trial run'.

Off to the beach at 60 mph to try and clear my exhaust, I'm scared of driving it now the malfunction lights are back on.

Have a lovely day, thank you for reminding me to count my blessings, I will hang onto that xx

You sound a really strong person MW and this process will be making you stronger. I'm sure Steve would be proud of you.

My DiLs mum went through a very similar experience a couple of years ago and now she has settled in her new house.
Her house (historic, huge and expensive) eventually sold after a change of agent and better photos. The first ones were awful. Think dead plants in patio pots on a dull day.

She was quite fussy about what she wanted and where but she found her perfect house, opposite a common for dog walking, walkable to the village shop and pub yet still rural and with good neighbours.
I hope you find your special place too.
I see from the morning thread that NanTopsy got away on holiday. Well done