Owning your own home

Anyone recommend a solicitor? Buying through KFH (ugh) and the gf has been in touch with them, just seen the quote and its £2066 inc VAT, must be someone cheaper and tbh I'd rather not use the one recommended by the agent as it all seems to be horror stories.

Foxtons wanted 2.5%

You wonder what they do to be able to charge that.

Or whether anyone pays them that.

Get on to Google Maps, search 'conveyancing solicitor', pick a few, call them, see if you like the sound of any of them. I've used three different companies in central london and they've all been fine. But you can use companies further afield if you don't mind not being able to drop in. Don't pay more than £1k + VAT for labour in central London, unless you are buying something very odd.

Cheers, will try this!

Asking price 95% of the time they claim, and valued it at 50k more than others did.

My personal friend Rebecca louis at mayo Wyn Baxter has done all my conveyancing, my parents , my friends , my wife's family etc. She is the dogs bollocks. I used to work with her years ago and she is always on top of things.

For conveyancing solicitors, I've used these guys twice, and my brother and various friends have used them too. Plenty of compliments; no complaints, excellent communication. And cheaper than anyone I've contacted in London.

https://www.morgan-kelly.co.uk/

It helps though. I could ride over to mine and post bags of shit through their door if they annoyed me. I think they got the hint after our first direct meeting and were fine.

My partner also is keen on the idea of chase chase chase. Although things are ticking along fine so I've managed to limit her to one "update" phone call so far.

I got home and it turns out that she had called them again god dammit :')

They gave her some useful info on progress. Turns out that they have been working.

I feel better for knowing re: progress +next steps , but I was aware that things were progressing anyway. Hey ho

Selling.
2nd survey done on flat.
Met the surveyor briefly, he at least seemed clued up on the notion that the little thingymebob tools they stick in walls, are often not accurate 'cos they're better in timber than plaster/brick.
"Low level damp readings" he said - so fingers crossed that all goes smoothly.

Buying.
Stalled this week on house I've had offer accepted on.
Seeing two more tomorrow, but in a different area of the country. Neither need any work doing.
And they're the same price as the do-er upper which needs 20-25k.
One of 'em is also 1050sq ft. Compared to the accepted offer, which is approx 700sq ft.

Selling.
Buyer asked me to speak to mgt co to make sure he could have DPC done without any trouble.
EA rang, his mortgage is still pending. All to do with the 6 month thing. Worrying.

Buying.
Offer accepted on 3 bed in Teesside. Much better condition than house in Mcr.
Need to pull out the one in Mcr now (sorry).

Mortgage approved subject to valuation survey.
Thats booked for tomorrow.

Waaaay!

Offer accepted early March. Broker has fucked up several times and lender being glacially slow. Very, very unimpressed by L&C to the point I've pretty much given up on this house which is a real shame. Every time a fuck up is discovered they resubmit which means the lender pushes our application to the back of the queue adding another 8+/- working days before we hear anything. L&C claim lender won't escalate without letter from solicitor saying completion date but who would agree a completion date without a mortgage offer?? We've had two hard credit checks (why 2?), sent copious paperwork, had a valuation done and still nothing. Fuck this shit.

Estate agent being surprisingly chilled and patient but the vendors apparently fairly unhappy which is entirely fair enough.

Yes but what about the troll in the attic?

I think this is more common than you might think. Took us 3 months and 4 banks from offer accepted to mortgage offer on the table. Brokers can screw up but banks can be cunts too.

HA! I've not heard a thing about that since we flagged it!

Penning emails to EA after a few wines, name the movie quote and ya get a beer at Easts...

"Have been talking price with Zoe, we are thinking we want to put it on at xxx, you may think thats crackers, totally disagree, and be the experts at selling flats in the area, but we feel we can get that for our place due to its uniqueness, who knows who’s right, much like the question of which will be the bigger movie - E.T. or Krush Groove, only time will tell on that one..."

Bladerunner

Fuck, first go...

Next question, who did you want to punch more after watching that?
Matt Damon
Ben Afflick
Jay
Silent Nob?

Dear god you're good.

None of them as it was a fantastic movie.

I have zero idea what is going on

Then again you are all ol fogies

Just signed up for https://resi.co.uk to do our extension. Anyone used them? Seems reasonable and good idea. Could be bad idea.. If anyone’s interested will let you know how I get along. Doing a kitchen extension for what it’s worth.