We were just about to sign contracts for a semi detached house in Cromer. We encountered a stumbling block. Our mortgage offer with Barclays Direct expires on 15/1/2025 but the sellers are putting forward a completion date of 17/1/2025. Is it possible to prolong the mortgage expiry date?
The person best placed to address this concern is your conveyancer who is in a position to determine if he or she is corresponding with the bank, owner’s conveyancers, estate agents or possibly all three taking into account the history of your conveyancing to date.
Our bank has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Cromer but I would rather instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Cromer or nearer to where I live. Can you help?
It is by no means the case that all Cromer conveyancing firms are listed all banks conveyancing panel. Please make use of the above search tool to find a Cromer conveyancing conveyancer on the on the lender panel.
I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Cromer. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??
You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Cromer and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing practitioner who conducted the conveyancing.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Cromer I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Cromer suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?
If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.
My husband and I are first time buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the estate agent told us that the owners will only move forward if we appoint the agent's chosen solicitors as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family solicitor who is familiar with conveyancing in Cromer
It is highly unlikely the owners are behind this. Should the owner want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine purchaser is going to damage their objectives. Bypass the agents and go straight to the sellers and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are serious buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you will continue to use your preferred Cromer conveyancing firm - rather thanthose that will give their negotiator at the agency a kickback or achieve conveyancing targets pre-set by head office.