If you’re new to buying a home, you may hear lots of familiar phrases that you don’t fully understand. One of these phrases commonly used is ‘the property chain’. If you’re unsure what this is and why it’s talked about so much, we explain here.
As a first-time buyer, purchasing a new home is relatively straightforward. Once you have your deposit and, perhaps, your government-funded Equity Loan, you just need a valuation for the mortgage and a mortgage offer and your lawyer will do most of the rest. The housebuilder finishes the home and then sells it to you. Simple.
But what about when you are buying a home from someone other than a housebuilder?
Well, in this instance things can get more complicated. In most cases, the person you are buying from is likely to be selling to move to another property and the person they are buying from might be doing the same - and so on. This can sometimes result in a long chain of transactions, each dependent on the completion of the one before.
Most experienced home owners will be wary of long chains, simply because if just one buyer pulls out of their transaction it can cause all the other transactions to stall or even fall through completely. For this reason, buying from a housebuilder or selling to a first-time buyer with no house to sell, can be a very attractive proposition. Cash buyers are also attractive for the same reason, as is selling at auction, although this brings with it its own drawbacks.
For a chain of transactions to work well, it’s important to have a good understanding of everybody else’s needs and desires. For example, one buyer in the chain might be moving conditional upon relocating for a new job, or another might be an investor that must sell before the end of the tax year. If you don’t understand these pinch points, chains can collapse and you may all be left with what is referred to as abortive costs for work undertaken by your conveyancer, solicitor, etc.
In a successful chain, all the people involved in the transaction will understand the needs of each other and will communicate difficulties honestly and promptly. An element of flexibility might also go a long way. Especially on timescale. When everyone is sure they can ‘perform’ as required (in other words, they know they will be in funds for the purchase, etc) they will exchange contracts for the sale or purchase. At this point all the terms are set, including move dates, etc.
It’s unwise to exchange on a contract unless you know you can fulfill its terms, although sometimes it’s necessary to exchange based on the exchange of contracts with another. If at some later stage you cannot fulfill the terms of your contract because of the breach of another contract made with you, there is a route by which you can pursue a claim for damages incurred as a result of these breaches. Hopefully, it never gets to that stage.
Choosing which fixed rate to go for has been a dilemma for many of our clients so far this year. There really isn’t a right or wrong answer, but below we will look into the pros and cons of a two-year and five-year to help you make the right decision for you.
13 days ago
Here are the lowest fixed mortgage rates of the week, available to first-time buyers, home movers, buy-to-let, and those remortgaging.
Call us for more information: 01628 507477 or email: team@mortgagerequired.com.
14 days ago
According to Rightmove, a whopping 500,000 UK homebuyers are rushing to finalise their home purchase before the new Stamp Duty rules change in April.
The UK government is introducing new rules for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) that will impact landlords. Here's a summary of the key changes
21 days ago
Choosing to buy a house is one of the biggest decisions you are likely to make in your lifetime. There are many factors that influence a house purchase, these include: finances, housing market conditions, and mortgage rates.
24 days ago
Since being launched back in 1999 Individual Saving Accounts (ISAs) have been very popular for those wanting to put money into savings. There are four types of ISA, and the majority allow flexible saving and the ability to withdraw funds easily. There are financial penalties on certain products, these usually pay the most interest.
28 Feb 2025
According to the Office for National Statistics, last year (ending March 2024), there were 153,800 new homes completed in the UK. To help the housing crisis, the UK government has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes in the next five years.
Check out some of the reasons why a new-build home might be for you.
Many households are still being affected by the high cost of living, with several people worrying about how they can make ends meet on a monthly-basis. Unfortunately, the cost of bills including, water, council tax, and energy are still rising. Here are some things you can do.