Week 8

The speed with which these things move is quite crazy. All parties want this transaction to happen, there have been no sticking points, no negotiations, yet somehow we are on to week 8.

But there is some good news, finally!

Apparently everyone is basically ready. Searches done, mortgages sorted. My solicitor has the paperwork signed and witnessed, and the money. We were basically ready before Christmas (as originally planned), but as everyone else is now apparently ready, the final steps have been done on our side which did mean physical signed paper through the letter box of my solicitor.

My solicitors have been great. Prompt to email me. And indeed, everything by email apart from those final two documents on paper which added around half an hour delay as I walked to their offices. Indeed, that walk was probably the longest step we have had to do in the whole process.

But it seems others are not quite as on the ball with this. We learned earlier in the week that the sellers were "meeting with their solicitors on Thursday". So days of delay to meet the solicitor (in the middle of a pandemic) rather than just doing things "now" by email, or phone, or video call, or something immediate.

Of course even though all apparently ready, the agent is talking of exchange next Friday. Why waiting a week? What the hell is going on? It seems a couple of enquires have not been answered yet somewhere. Well, answer them! Just do it, like, now, do it! do it! do it! Why wait a week. What the hell is wrong with people?!

Anyway, the good news is we should exchange some time next week, and then apparently they want 2 weeks before completion. So looks like end of January. Whilst that too is a pain, I can understand that to some extent. I have been reluctant to even start packing until we exchange. Packing and booking a removal van will take time. There is also some chance that lockdown will "kick in" and reduce some of the risks involved.

However, with this good news, I have lots of packing boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and the task of packing is looming. Of course, in a normal time, we would be able to get friends and relatives to help, but our options are very limited at present (even if law allows for "moving house" related activities). Thankfully one relative does have antibodies so I am a lot less worried about them coming to help. But it is a daunting prospect. We have been in Bracknell 30 years, and accumulated a lot of stuff.

But, we have made a start...

P.S. Covid tests all negative for 10 days - very lucky!