Moving house diffculties

[minicoo]

We have had our house on the market since Oct 2009, sold it in 4 days then that sale fell through before the survey was carried out on our house. In the meantime we had found a house that we wanted to move to had our survey etc. So we went back on the market. Sold house again end of Nov in 4 days. Survey was done all seemed fine with the chain and we are about to sign contracts but...the buyer at the bottom of the chain pulls out at the last minute. So today we are back on the market again, the house that we want to buy is also back on the market, the people buying our house have put their flat back on the market too. I know nothing is ever set in stone until contracts are exchanged but we are feeling a little numb and in limbo at the moment, problem we have is that where we want to move to is a specific area and not much if anything in our price range is on the market, we want to be in by September so we can apply for schools. Just wondering if anyone else is going through the same thing or if we are just completely unlucky. Estate agent is doing all they can, we have 4 viewings this weekend..but are the right people out there? what is the market doing where you are? In both instances there have been no real reasons in our opinion for the chain breaking, the first one was 'oh I changed my mind and forgot to tell you' and the second said to our purchasers 'we don't want a house with a gas cooker' I just wonder why people look at houses with gas cookers if they don't want one, or why can't they change them.....I'm trying to stay positive but am finding it a bit of a struggle! How long has it taken others to move in this uncertain climate?

[Targarama]

This is a big problem with the English property market. The government could do so much to help just by bringing in a law like they have in Scotland where the buyer is committed around 1 week after initial offer, not the day before the move happens (or doesn't happen).

For this reason we have mostly bought new houses to reduce the stress on one side of the chain.