Help, calm me. House buying and selling stress

They went back to the depot to offload at 11 am and have only just got back! I'm guessing they've had some lunch. Someone else's stuff took up half the van so I'm hoping ours won't get mixed up with it! Deep breaths. They very considerate moving aside when I walk past, their mums would be proud!! So far 9 out of ten for the lads but 6 out of ten for the company they work for.

so far so good whiff, I have nothing but praise for the hard working eastern europeans that I have had contact with, even got some very good advice about garden wood post preservation from a lithuanian delivery driver. My last house, the man who serviced the complicated stove and flue, he was latvian and had a degree in agriculture. Got to admire the work ethic. Thinking about you today

Movers came at 8 am. Good job I'm fairly easy going!! Due to Pickfords letting us down, grrr, the only company we could get was Jack the Lad. Anyway, they arrived on time at 8 am. Three young, very strong Lithuanian boys, no one speaks any English. Time for me to do my teacher bit and give them clear instructions. They have only stopped once for a quick coffee and so far no breakages! No swearing either, not that I'd understand in Lithuanian and they are very polite. Their packing skills leave a bit to be desired and the worry is it has all got to be offloaded and then reloaded again Saturday. I'm trying to just look on the bright side that at least we're nearly out and the pets are happy.
Our daughter lives over the road so we've taken stuff across for tonight and will head off early tomorrow morning with the animals before it gets hot, though it looks like being wet and windy anyway.
We have over 200 miles to cover to glorious Devon by the sea. I shall sleep for the rest of the month whilst my husband commutes to London for work.
Will keep you posted when the lads have finished.

Thank you all. Movers been hard at it since 9.

Whiff, how nice of the buyers to come round to see you. Good luck and tuck the house and its memories into your heart. Don't forget that selfie at your front door. Look forward to hearing from you when you are at your new address.

Ellianne, hope all goes well for you today, would love to know where you are moving to. I hope your daughter has left the fridge well stocked! Keep in touch

Nothing like a last minute solicitor dragging his heels, is there? Hope they get onto it first thing today Whiff.

Thank you Craftyone. I am very glad I read your thread and joined in. I know it has helped me cope with all that's gone on with the house. Thanks for all the support from everyone on thread. I will let you know how I get on.

whiff, I wish you all the very best on this very important day

Yeah moving day. Been up since 5 the second time. Woke at 2.30 couldn't get back to sleep so at 3.30 was packing away the things I should have done before bed. Had another hours sleep. Shed a few tears wrapping up my husband's photo I keep by the bed.
Got a lot of calls done last night. Getting a rebate from the water co, set up n power for bungalow £50 cheaper than I pay for here. BT got that cheaper saving £19. Will start rings other places at 8 .
Hope all is going to plan with your move Ellianne.
Hope everyone else has good news about selling etc.

My buyers *** solicitor. Hasn't exchanged today. My solicitor is hopping mad. Exchange tomorrow completion as planned Friday. My buyers came round tonight with a card and flowers to say thank you for waiting for them. They are annoyed with their solicitor for mucking me about. Just having a milky drink then bed. Up at 5 Pickfords coming at 9-9.30. Then the big clean.

Operation not opening

Ellianne that was my worry the labels would come off that's why I have written on the boxes ,what's in them where they need to go , my name and I've numbered them. Numbering was Craftyone's idea that way you know if any are missing.
Still waiting for confirmation that all the exchanges have gone through. Last hear the first in the chain was awaiting confirmation that his funds had been transferred.
Done all the packing I can do for the moment. Stuff to pack at bedtime then some in the morning. Pickfords due about 9.
Mosaicwarts chin up someone will love the challenge of transforming your house. Just need the right person with the vision to see what is possible. Put my house on the market March 2018 and only just moving this week. Hope this afternoon viewing went well.
On the subject of pension. I will only have my state pension in 5 years. My late husband worked from 17 until his death at 47 he paid a lot of NI because he was on good money. I have been told out of what he paid I will get 43p a week. A few years ago my pension forecast was £83 and pence a week. I paid 10 yrs voluntary contributions it is now £150 and pence a week. I am not in the position to pay any more into it. I have a neurological condition but it has no name. It's bits of other conditions like ME, MS and more. If there was a name I would have been able to claim something these last 31yrs.
SueH49 great news about your property sorry about your hip. My brother had the same as a result of his trike landing on top of him after a tanker hit the back of it. He had to wait 2yrs to have a hip replacement. It was very painful and he used to cry doing the exercises after the opening but it helped the healing and he walks with out a limp so he says it was worth the pain.

Thanks friends Brushed off and ready to go for another viewing on Friday afternoon. Looking forward to going to the Fringe next Monday, just for the day, seeing three shows in total - my daughter's play, an all male dance ensemble, and a comedian. Paying for all three of us so that's it, anything else will have to be free!

Love your luggage labels Ellianne, how clever. make sure you keep the clipboard with the code so you can just direct from a distance!

Very pleased with myself today. I had the idea to colour label the rooms in our new house with luggage labels! Let's hope they don't become detached in the move!

Chin up mw, someone will come along who loves a project. We have friends who really enjoy doing up houses to sell, even old wrecks! (Not saying yours is!) They always use Laura Ashley paint because it looks rustic and covers up blemishes well.
I also got caught out by the change in pension age but life's too short to worry. The only reason we can afford to retire early is because we are downsizing out of London where houses sell for silly money. We've had stressful jobs and want to chill before it's too late.

I am so sorry mosaics, up you get, brush yourself down and quickly forget about them. Have you at all explored selling at auction with a reserve price.

Its so tempting to look back, if only!! no point, water under the bridge. Best to live in the moment

Thank you for your kind words Ellianne, feeling very down.
Got the bad news this morning - second viewers loved the house, but too much work. I thought it would be a no as the Dad looked concerned and viewing was so short, he must have been involved financially as they had their house on the market for £250K.

Old houses are always too much work, the house is 172 years old and parts are original. I've just opened the back door to the kitchen and the wood at the bottom is rotten I feel like tearing my hair out. Although I won't because I've got another viewing booked in for 1.30 pm, and have already vacuumed!

I'm in such a horrible situation. I could stay here forever and spend every penny I've got doing the house up and struggle each month to pay the bills and maintenance. Or I could sit tight and wait for someone who does have the money to come and rescue it. If only I'd known the government had changed the pension date, would have held onto savings, four years to go. No chance of getting a job - local minimum wage job had 500 applicants ranging in age from 18 to 65.

Have a good day everyone

Thank you for your kind words mw. It will happen for you too! I'm going to hang around on this thread for a while to read about others' experiences and no doubt new people will join in. The discussions have led to things I would have forgotten so I for one have been very grateful for the tips.
Off to the dry cleaners now to collect a few garments then back to clean the utility room.

Good luck Ellianne, thinking of you, hope it's a nice weather for you. Well worth the £100 for the clean, they'll do skirting boards which I always find a pain, haven't cleaned mine for a year! Good of you not to leave a full bin, very thoughtful. Take a selfie at your front door before you go.

Hope your daughter has a good holiday.

Go, Whiff, go!

Last day in our house today. We've just put our bed on the drive for collection and are camping at our daughter's for a few nights. The pets are in for bit of upheaval but they're pretty hardy. It's my husband's final proper day at work though he will be flying up to London for a few days a week until September to sign off projects. Tonight he needs to sort out all the electrical things like TV, computer etc.
I managed to get a cleaner thanks to the EA lending us his end of tenancy lady. It's costing £100 for 4 hours tomorrow after the men leave, but it's worth it as I shall also have to clean our daughter's house a bit after our short stay. I can't be doing everything. I'm trying not to leave any rubbish in the black bin here, so the final bags can go round to DD's bin tonight too. It's worked out well they're on holiday, although I shall miss those goodbye cuddles.
Onwards and upwards everyone. Deep breaths and relax.

Thanks for your kind words craftyone and it is so nice of everyone to post. I spoke to my daughter today who thinks I should relax and not expect anything, it's just been such a long ten months.

I missed your post earlier Franbern, sorry you are poorly. Best wishes for your speedy recovery. I think I am ill too - still dizzy occasionally and I am still very conscious of my legs feeling tired all the time. Still haven't done the blood pressure machine, so I can't moan, I'm not helping myself.

I'm sorry you have a stress fracture in your hip SueH49, I do hope you receive good news from the surgeon. Arthritis is such a painful condition - as I have chronic psoriasis I am affected, and it seems to flare in different places each year. I just hope my hands don't curl like Mary Berry's, she does manage very well.

So Whiff, it's your day tomorrow, will be thinking of you.

Our beautiful antique kitchen mixer tap matched the cupboard handles when we had the kitchen put in years ago but sadly the 'ceramic' bits that turn the tap off had worn and I was scared I'd end up with it constantly running or shooting water all over the kitchen, so I had to ask to have it replaced. The plumber said £100.

I trust this company and always use them - they said they had a selection of taps and the young man turned up last week. I chose the best out of two - not much of a choice! Although the tap is plain chrome and not to my taste, I was very glad when he left that the tap has now stopped dripping, it was getting to be torturous.

Just come home to the bill - £169.53 plus VAT, making it £203.44. For a tap I don't even like. I obviously misunderstood the £100 just meaning the actual tap - which is cheeky, I've looked it up on line and the average price is £75.00

I'm not going to say anything, they do always turn up when they say, which is such a bonus round here. But I will ask for a more accurate quote in future. Off to walk the dog then I'm going to watch some trash on tv with a cornetto!

Well after two and a half years we finally received our approved plans for the development of our property from the Local Council this morning. Given this stage has taken about a year longer than anticipated we decided to bite the bullet and this afternoon we signed with an Estate Agent to sell the property. Hopefully this stage does not take as long as the last.

There may be a slight complication though, I found out last week that I have a stress fracture in my hip. I've been having trouble with it for months. An ultra sound and xray had shown nothing significant but eventually a MRI identified the fracture and severe arthritis. I will see an orthopedic surgeon on Thursday to see what to do about it. Hopefully it is not going to mean a full hip replacement. That would make looking for a new house and doing all that is necessary to leave this one very difficult.

Well done to all who have had positive results and good luck to those still waiting.

whoops I meant an offer first then a survey

mosaics don`t lose hope, some people think they have got to act as though they don`t care when really they want it very much. With a bit of luck, this will be followed by the survey, after all it is best to have a specialist look and take it from there. I did a bit of research about various viewers, there is often stuff online, for example a sneaky peek at facebook. If you have the dads name you may be able to find out something about his occupation ie builder or piano player

I do agree about emptying cupboards in advance, I empted and cleaned all bar a couple of shelves in the kitchen, it was quite a life saver

Car was serviced and two new tyres needed for the mot. Battery is a bit low on charge, drat, no good leaving it on the drive as it runs down just standing. No good going on short journeys as starter uses a lot. Needs more longer trips and no way am I going to buy a charger and connect that up, I will just have to go further