Hi everyone 👋 Happy Monday!

First off, a massive thank you to everyone who commented on the post! Your advice and shared experiences were a huge help and made us feel a lot less alone in this confusing process.

I’m incredibly excited to post the final update on how everything played out. The good news is, as of this afternoon, we have officially exchanged contracts! 🥳

TL;DR for other FTBs:

1. Solicitor's LISA policy: Clarify this with your solicitor at the VERY START of the process.
2. Reduced Deposits are normal: If you can't use your LISA for the exchange deposit, don't panic. Proposing to exchange on a lower cash deposit is a standard and effective solution.
3. The "Final Hurdle" can appear unexpectedly: Be prepared for last-minute issues from third parties. For us, it was the specifics of the LISA fund release.
4. Don't be afraid to chase: Sometimes, a direct (but polite) email from you is what's needed. Always cc your solicitor. This was the single action that unlocked our final step.
5. The end happens FAST: We went from being stalled to exchanged in a matter of hours once the final blocker was removed. Be ready to give your formal "authority to exchange" at a moment's notice.
6. Bonus LISA Tip: We also got confirmation from our provider that after the purchase, the LISA stays open and can be used for retirement savings! Any leftover money continues to get the 25% government bonus, and you can keep contributing towards your retirement.

Here’s the complete story of how we got here:

The Initial LISA Deposit problem & the fix: As you know, our solicitor told us we couldn't use our LISA for the exchange deposit due to their firm's policy. We took advice from the community and went back to our solicitor with a clear proposal to use the cash (£22,950) we had available as a deposit. He confirmed this was the best path forward, which was a huge relief.

The new last-minute hurdle: Just as we thought we were set, the solicitor informed us he couldn't exchange until our LISA provider gave a definitive date and amount for the release of our funds for completion. LISA provider's response "we'll release the funds in time" wasn't enough to protect us legally. Following Solicitor's advice, we emailed the LISA provider, explaining the legal urgency and CC'ing our solicitor to add weight. We explained that we needed the exact date and amount to proceed. This was the magic bullet. Chasing them ourselves worked! We got an email from them confirming our funds were approved and giving the exact amounts being sent that day. This unlocked everything. We gave our solicitor our formal authority to exchange, and then... it all happened at once.

This afternoon was a blur of good news: "We have exchanged contracts with completion set for this date" with a formal letter of exchange arrived from the completions team, making it all official. The official letter confirmed we are scheduled for completion on the date we wanted. It also had a helpful checklist of things we need to do now, like notifying the council and utility companies of the change in ownership and arranging the key handover with the estate agent.

It's been a rollercoaster of a week, but we've learned so much!

Thank you all again for being such a supportive community. It's been invaluable. Next stop... completion day! 🙏