Feeling nervous

[SteveP]

Hi all

We have been working towards our dream of escaping London for a complete lifestyle change and have been looking for a home with holiday cottages on site as a semi retirement plan.

3 years of looking for the right property inc filming with escape to the country earlier this year, we tripped over our perfect place in an area we weren't even looking in - lol

Cut a long story short we got an offer on our own home back in June and have kept the buyer dangling on a thread whilst we have been trying to strike a deal on our purchase. Huge problems along the way with our purchase, from squatters on the land, sheep on the land and issues over rights of access and fishing rights have given us many sleepless nights, we are due to exchange on Monday but now our incompetent solicitor has suddenly admitted they didn't apply for a highways search (something insisted on by our lender) it's going to take 14 - 21 days to get the search back and our buyer has threatened to pull out.
Backs against wall time we have decided to let our sale go through
With the possibility we might be homeless in the near future if it all goes wrong, would anyone here consider a winter let of there holiday cottage if needed, we are a middle aged couple with 3 cats and a well behaved pooch

[AndrewH]

We have 3 badly behaved pooches and a well behaved cat. Our place wouldn't do because it is too far from the action, but none the less, welcome to this forum SteveP.

[zebedee]

Hello Steve,
It might help get responses if you indicate which parts of the country you would prefer to be based in for your temporary home?

I do hope things work out for you. Christmas and New Year may be booked out at many holiday lets, would you have family you could go to then?
Alternatively an estate agent or private landlord would be prepared to offer a let less than the standard 6 months SAT. It can be useful for other people between properties.

(Hate to say this though, your 3 cats may limit your options unless a friend or family member would take them for you short term).

[Tivoli]

Things have a habit of turning out much better than you fear

Worry does nothing but steal your joy and keep you very busy doing nothing.

[SteveP]

We have everything crossed that it will all work out ok, I guess if it doesnt we will continue our search in the West Country and Wales so anywhere in these areas would be good

[Lets Go To Puglia]

Welcome to the forum and good luck. I remember the stress and fear when we were selling our UK house and buying in Italy. So many things went wrong with the UK sale but eventually it all fell in place.

[loveka]

Hello! We are doing a similar thing to you! We have just got our holiday cottage, and waiting on buying a house nearby which we will live in.

We would consider a winter let, yes. We have a small garden, but don't know if your cats are used to roaming. We are in a village with not much green space. In Cornwall by the way.

[kg1]

Try the FB page - Dog Friendly Holiday Accomodation. Post what you are looking for & owners reply. Need to join the group but that's usually quite quick.

[SteveP]

Loveka if it all goes wrong we will be in touch
Kyrenia Girl thanks for the heads up, useful group. My partner Gulin is from Kyrenia are you to ?

[kg1]

Loveka if it all goes wrong we will be in touch
Kyrenia Girl thanks for the heads up, useful group. My partner Gulin is from Kyrenia are you to ?

No - we had a lovely flat there but had to sell it as we couldn't get out there often enough due to family circimstances. We do visit though - love it there. Usually stay at The Colony or Jasmin Court now. Just beautiful.

[SteveP]

Shame you had to sell it's a beautiful place, we are thinking about an apartment out there if all goes well with the holiday lets so we can escape the worst of the Welsh winter

[kg1]

Shame you had to sell it's a beautiful place, we are thinking about an apartment out there if all goes well with the holiday lets so we can escape the worst of the Welsh winter

Can recommend a good estate agent if you need one, also a good solicitor - which you will definitely need!!

[SteveP]

Well after two weeks of of being messed about by our buyer who suddenly lost all sense of urgency to exchange, it all came together last thing Friday with both our sale and purchase ready to exchange, then we get a phone call from the solicitor a few minutes before 5pm saying that the exchange hadn't gone ahead as the selling banks solicitor couldn't reach the person in the bank needed to release the property, apparently they hadn't returned from a long business lunch!! Our buyer is now playing silly buggers and making unreasonable last minute demands, fingers crossed we can sort it out to exchange 1st thing in the morning

[Jenster]

Good luck, hope it works out ok on Mon. We had the same thing - out solicitor couldn't reach the sellers solicitor as he was out to lunch! I phoned about 3pm to see what was going on and my solicitor said they were just about ready but as it was so late did I want to leave it till the morning. No I did not! I think she didn't want to be bothered - solicitors just don't have the same urgency buyers and sellers do.

[SteveP]

More dramas today, but we managed to exchange on our dream at 16.50 after much badgering of the solicitors.


So it begins be prepared for lots of questions, this is a total lifestyle change for us, 2 Londoners off 2 N Wales into a business that we are hoping is for us.