Thanks.
I'm not at any stage. I ping the agent every month or so looking for an update but there is never any. I have been prepared to just let it drag on as I'm in no rush. I expect that some day he will ring me and say it's ready and there is another bidder. I'm prepared to go 5% above the asking price and see what happens.
I guess I was thinking I should approach him and say that if the final land configuration is the same as what I saw on the map I would offer the asking price and pay a refundable deposit (in case probate resulted in something else) in order to secure the land. But I guess a refundable deposit means it's not secure.
I'm just looking for some way to get closure on it I suppose as we would really like it but we could put the money to some other use if it was going to take 5 years!
There is actually a ruin on the land according to the map, but I couldn't see it when I was there and I searched the undergrowth. I'm wondering if the delay is associated with that, or if they are trying to redraw the boundaries so that the ruin is part of the adjacant field.
Anyway, I think this pretty much equates to what you have just posted!
Thanks for the advice.