Testing times

Ok, when we accepted the offer on the house we specifically said it had to be done and completed in 6 weeks. No problem everyone said. Of course the six-week mark is tomorrow, but I had allowed a little extra for any problems. As you may know from my previous posts I bit the bullet and booked our removal company for next week, I informed estate agents and solicitors that would be our cut off date. I know I was a little optimistic that it would speed things along and said silly things like “what will be will be”, but now it comes to the crunch I’m not happy about that scenario at all. Our buyers solicitor seems to be a complete jobs worth and as is the way with solicitors will only work at her own pace. So here we are days away from removal men arriving and we still have no sign of an exchange of contracts let alone completion. I can see we will be living in an empty house.

Hind sight of course is a wonderful thing and back at the time we offered on our ‘new home’ we could have raised the remainder of the funds we needed to complete the purchase (on top of what we already had). Back then also the exchange rate was 1.17 euros to the pound. As we got a buyer so quickly we stupidly said we would wait for the funds to come via the sale. Based of course on the quick turnaround everyone promised. So now we are in a situation where the completion date required for our ‘new home’ is looming at break neck speed (so it seems) and we may not have the funds in place. It does not help either that the pound is now only buying 1.11 euros (today) and falling fast. For those of you that don’t know, when you buy a house in Portugal (and lots of other countries, but not England) you give a deposit, usually 10% and promise to pay the remainder by a set date (maximum 3 months). Should you not complete by the date you lose your deposit, if the seller pulls out they give you double. Transferring of funds takes time and if this sale here does not go through by next Tuesday we will probably lose our house and deposit.

To add to that, on Thursday and Friday of this week France and Germany will be releasing their GDP figures which will show they are in growth, unlike the UK. Therefore a further drop in the pound is highly likely probably back to the low figures of a few weeks ago (maybe 1.07 or less). Of course I am no expert but I think it’s virtually guaranteed to drop.

I have to accept that this is all pretty much out of our hands, but it really is testing me.

 

Sometimes you just have to take a chance.

The date that we are required to complete the purchase on our house in Portugal is getting ever closer so in an attempt to speed up the whole selling process here in the UK I have bitten the bullet and booked our removals. This is therefore that date I have asked for, for the completion of our sale here. I’m not entirely sure if it will actually make a difference or not, but worth a try. I was becoming so stressed thinking that if I waited too long I would not be able to get a removal company arranged, I wanted to relieve some of that pressure. I have also started the ball rolling on the rental of a property in Portugal, just for a couple of months till we get some of the work done on the house. The property for rent looks ok and is walking distance of the lake (great for the dogs) and a bar (great for us!).

Hubby handed in his notice, again because time is running so short. Good job he did, because he did not have enough time left on his leave allowance, so as it is he will owe them 2 days wages, if he wants to come at the same time! Needless to say, we will just forfeit the money……..and run.

The date we have set is 16th November, which is a Monday. That means we have three weekends left to clear all the rubbish from the house and garden (few runs to the tip required), find new homes for the fish in the pond, see friends and family and finish the packing. I spent most of yesterday going through old paperwork, some of it dating back to 2001. The chimnea in the garden took a bashing as did the shredder. The shredder overheated at one point and I had to give it a rest. There are a number of plants and pots that need relocating to new homes which in its self will take most of a day. I managed to sell some bits of furniture this week so they are being collected this weekend, then I will need to place an advertisement for the next batch. I keep putting off the process of writing to various companies (utilites and the like) but it really does need to be done now.

There is one final piece to the jigsaw for our buyers this week. Apparently their building society want our drains inspected! The first available date for the drain company is next Wednesday, so we are hoping everything is ok and that the exchange will occur shortly after. If it does then hopefully that will mean everything will be on schedule for our selected date.