Buying a home and don't know how anything works

[miss direct]

Ok so the following came:


Right, so ID is fine. Proof of address is problematic since I moved to this address a week ago and bills are included. What is "proof of sale"? Contract? Has my sister's name on and not mine.

 

[colacubes]

Let me think. Not really. I've not been here long and not met many people due to...well...everything. A friend of mine has also recently had an offer accepted on a flat but he also has no idea what he's doing so that'd be the blind leading the blind. My friend here (who came to view the flat with me) is lovely, but keeps telling me about the process of buying in Scotland 40 years ago.

Is there a local Facebook group? If so ask on there for recommendations.

 

[bimble]

Ok so the following came:

View attachment 254932
Right, so ID is fine. Proof of address is problematic since I moved to this address a week ago and bills are included. What is "proof of sale"? Contract? Has my sister's name on and not mine.

Proof of funds:
Do you have in writing anything that says, when this house is sold Miss Direct will get half (or whatever) of the proceeds ?

proof of address:
Rental agreement should do it?

 

[miss direct]

I don't think so... the completion date is next week, I have a copy of the contract but it's my sister's name on it. Will that not be enough?

 

[bimble]

I don't think so... the completion date is next week, I have a copy of the contract but it's my sister's name on it. Will that not be enough?

It will be fine. Can your sister write a note, with her contact details, to confirm what’s happening?

 

[bimble]

Actually, having a solicitor would be useful already, for a question like this about your proof of funds.
Maybe call a couple of them see if they can offer any helpful advice on this in your initial chat ?
These seem to have good reviews for the conveyancing. *

Conveyancing Solicitors in Sheffield | Wake Smith

Our expert team of conveyancers can help advise on a number of issues that can arise with buying, selling, transferring or a remortgage. Our conveyancers are are accredited to the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).

www.wake-smith.co.uk

* we accept no responsibility for the potential rubbishness of these solicitors off google

 

[Boudicca]

Suggestion - use the solicitor who is handling the sale of your Dad's house?

OK, not local but I don't think that would matter much.

And then they can provide 'proof of sale' to the estate agent.

 

[bimble]

good idea.

 

[cybershot]

Offer asking price and hope you’re the preferred bidder. Being cash will probably give you the advantage. Then hope you don’t get outbid and turn into a bidding war.

fingers crossed you can sort those documents out as it will show your keeness. Any hint of flackery will unfortunately go against you.

e.g on mine I could have accepted a cash offer of £2k below asking price or the mortgage offer at asking price. I went for the mortgage one purely because the cash buyer starting being flaky with providing proof of funds.

plus I actually liked the other person (I’d done the viewing) and he was very thorough with his viewing and came back with another offer when he was outbid. So we knew he was serious.

 

[miss direct]

Hopefully I don't come across as being flaky! I didn't meet the buyers, they'd gone out (wise considering covid!)

I wrote to the estate agent asking whether she would like to see the contract or speak to the estate agent dealing with the house sale, or if she needs something else.

 

[miss direct]

Really hope I don't get outbid etc. Too stressful.

 

[spanglechick]

Really hope I don't get outbid etc. Too stressful.

Don’t get too attached to this place. Even if your offer is accepted, you’ll still need to be rational about the results of your survey, and be prepared to pull out of the deal at that point if you need to.

 

[miss direct]

I think it was when she mentioned squirrels....and the bird song. But yes, if it doesn't work out, there'll be other places.

 

[bimble]

You can have all of my squirrels!

 

[miss direct]

Red or grey?

Well, estate agent wants to talk to other estate agent to confirm the sale. This is good, isn't it?

 

[Cid]

I think it was when she mentioned squirrels....and the bird song. But yes, if it doesn't work out, there'll be other places.

She’s selling a house. You need to actually experience the squirrels and birdsong, or it’s yet more sales tactics.

My Google-fu got me to the same solicitors as bimble. I used my people back in London , so can’t really recommend them.

Honestly you are leaping into this a bit full on... it would be good to take a bit of a step back. Consider potential major costs like condition of boiler etc... also think about whether sound insulation with neighbours will be good enough, I guess this is an older block (not that it’s always better in newer ones)... and check nature of freehold as someone above mentioned. I’d ask for more pics etc, but am kind of aware of being random internet person in the same city... still, those would be my general pointers. Really think through condition of services, condition of building, security given area, and what your responsibilities might be... They absolutely will pressure you on timescale, hold other offers over your head etc. It’s funny how things can go unsold for a while and then there’s always an offer on the table exactly as you’re looking...

 

[belboid]

Actually, having a solicitor would be useful already, for a question like this about your proof of funds.
Maybe call a couple of them see if they can offer any helpful advice on this in your initial chat ?
These seem to have good reviews for the conveyancing. *

Conveyancing Solicitors in Sheffield | Wake Smith

Our expert team of conveyancers can help advise on a number of issues that can arise with buying, selling, transferring or a remortgage. Our conveyancers are are accredited to the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).

www.wake-smith.co.uk

* we accept no responsibility for the potential rubbishness of these solicitors off google

These are meant to be decent. Graysons and bannerjones are too

 

[miss direct]

She’s selling a house. You need to actually experience the squirrels and birdsong, or it’s yet more sales tactics.

My Google-fu got me to the same solicitors as bimble. I used my people back in London , so can’t really recommend them.

Honestly you are leaping into this a bit full on... it would be good to take a bit of a step back. Consider potential major costs like condition of boiler etc... also think about whether sound insulation with neighbours will be good enough, I guess this is an older block (not that it’s always better in newer ones)... and check nature of freehold as someone above mentioned. I’d ask for more pics etc, but am kind of aware of being random internet person in the same city... still, those would be my general pointers. Really think through condition of services, condition of building, security given area, and what your responsibilities might be... They absolutely will pressure you on timescale, hold other offers over your head etc. It’s funny how things can go unsold for a while and then there’s always an offer on the table exactly as you’re looking...

Thank you. I did hear the birdsong myself
Can they lie about other offers?

 

[Cid]

Thank you. I did hear the birdsong myself
Can they lie about other offers?

To be fair, probably not... Dunno the ins and outs, but that does seem a bit fraudy.

 

[Leafster]

Thank you. I did hear the birdsong myself
Can they lie about other offers?

They are Estate Agents.

Extract from a convo with the one that sold me my current place:

us standing outside the garage
Me: did you check the dimensions of the garage?
EA: Yes, it's 5.5m long and 3.7m wide.
Me: (looking at the front of the garage): Are sure about the width?
EA: Yes, it's 3.7m wide.
Me: Can we check with a tape measure, just to be sure?
EA (looking slightly worried): Um, OK

* I measure the width of the garage, it's 2.7m wide and show her*

EA: Oh...

 

[Leafster]

Another question to the same Estate Agent:

Me: Can I get Virgin media here?
EA: Yes, all the houses round here have it.

Virgin Media (when I checked with them): I'm sorry, we haven't cabled up this road.

 

[Winot]

A friend went round to have a nose at the house she backs onto which was up for sale.

Estate agent - This is a lovely room and as you can see it has the original Victorian dormer window.

My friend - I watched them add that last summer.

 

[bimble]

The estate agent who sold me my house definitely lied, he pretended that a ‘professional couple’ were very interested so I should quickly up my offer, but I’d already been renting it for a year, it was the middle of the March lockdown, and I’d have noticed if anybody had come to see the house.

 

[Elpenor]

If they're contacting the agent about the sale of your dad's house then that's a good sign - they're checking you're kosher. I wouldn't be surprised if they advise the seller of the property you like to defer accepting an offer from you until you have cleared funds from the sale but I would be arguing against this if I were you.

 

[WouldBe]

These are meant to be decent. Graysons and bannerjones are too

We used Bannerjones in chesterfield to sort out my grandads estate years ago it took them over a year and still hadn't sorted it +will was straight forward as mum was an only child). Switched to Blakesly, Rice, McDonald (BRM) who sorted it in a month and made Bannerjones reduce their bill as they were overcharging. They may have changed in the intervening years but would be very careful if you use them.

BRM did conveyancing for dads new house back in Oct. They were quick and kept kicking the other side's solicitors up the arse. They work to a fixed fee depending on value of the property. Most if not all the paperwork was done by post or email so no problems with having to go in.

E2a: Correction it was Grayson's we had problems with not Bannerjones.

 

[Cid]

Apparently they're not supposed to lie about offers, but it just relates to code of conduct. Which means they will lie about offers. Also there is a difference between an outright lie and massively stretching the truth.

 

[Boudicca]

Well, estate agent wants to talk to other estate agent to confirm the sale. This is good, isn't it?

They are checking the back stories before they present the buyer options to the seller, so it's not over yet. But it's good that they are doing this rather than trying to get you to offer over the asking price.

You need also to be looking for a surveyor. If you are not getting a mortgage, you need to get an expert opinion on whether the roof is about to fall in etc.

The estate agent may come back with something like "It's yours if you can complete in 4 weeks". Which is entirely possible, but you need a solicitor who is on the case.

(And yes, treat everything the agent says with a pinch of salt. )

 

[miss direct]

A friend of mine bought a similar sort of flat a few years ago. She said no need to get full surveys done for leasehold places, unless you really want to for peace of mind. Everything I've ever seen advises getting a full survey. Who's right?

 

[ddraig]

A friend of mine bought a similar sort of flat a few years ago. She said no need to get full surveys done for leasehold places, unless you really want to for peace of mind. Everything I've ever seen advises getting a full survey. Who's right?

Always get a survey, wouldn't you feel better knowing there were no issues?

 

[kebabking]

A friend of mine bought a similar sort of flat a few years ago. She said no need to get full surveys done for leasehold places, unless you really want to for peace of mind. Everything I've ever seen advises getting a full survey. Who's right?

Everything. A 'part survey' will tell you it's got four walls and a roof, and roughly what it's worth. They are for the mortgage company, not the buyer. Get a proper survey.