How long is it taking to get to completion at the moment?

[Thingsthatgo]

I know that nobody can really answer that question for me. But I was just wondering how much longer than usual things are taking right now. Every Conveyancing solicitor I’ve spoken to says they’re swamped, our surveyor is booked up for weeks, banks are taking aaaages.
I am trying to manage my expectations, but I would dearly love to be in by Christmas. It’s a chain of three properties with a first time buyer at the bottom.

[FourForYouGlenCoco]

It’s on track to take us 12 weeks, assuming all the outstanding paperwork is wrapped up by the end of next week. Same chain length (FTB, us, empty house (but not probate)). Our buyers had an AIP when they offered but we had to start our mortgage application from scratch. The whole thing has felt painful (and would/should have been wrapped up in FAR less time than it’s actually taking if our vendors’ solicitors weren’t so bloody useless) but I suppose it’s been fairly standard really. Both houses are straightforward though, I dread to think how long it’d drag on if anything was actually complicated. Everyone (EAs, conveyancer, solicitor) has mentioned how busy they are atm. Christmas seems achievable though if everyone pulls their finger out and things go smoothly!

[RAINSh0wers]

We’re a chain of two properties and our solicitor said has said similar. She said if we’re lucky we’ll be in for Christmas. We were hoping for sooner but they said there are delays with the searches and local council. We booked our survey last week and the earliest they could do it was 21st September. When I looked at the emails from our last house purchase we booked on the Monday for a survey on Thursday!

I’m crossing my fingers it doesn’t drag into 2021!

[PeachandBee]

Its been 10 weeks and counting since we sold and had our offer accepted on our new house. Chain of 3 houses, me and my buyers are done and ready to go, our vendors are still sorting out searches! We originally agreed a move date of 17th Sept which wasn't ideal for us but it helped secure our offer and I sincerely doubt we will make that now. I'm really irritated that my DDs have to return to their current school for a single half a term rather than transfer at the start of the year as planned.

[SunshineAndSand20]

Week 9 since we had our offer accepted (which was 1 week after we accepted the offer on our house). We seem to be on track to complete in 2 weeks as planned. No significant delay with our mortgage offer thankfully but I know some banks are taken forever to offer

[Allthepinkunicorns]

We are currently on week 6, the mortgage company is taking for ever and asking what feels like every question known to man. Our searches are being done and we can't have our survey until the mortgage is sorted. We had a mortgage in principle before we put our house up for sale and we are staying with our current mortgage provider so God knows what they are doing. About 3 weeks ago we were told 6-8 weeks but I'm just going to be hoping to be in the new house before Christmas.

[notheragain4]

Our conveyancing was really speedy, our sale was done in 4 weeks once the conveyancing started. It was our buyer's mortgage offer that took the longest (about 7 weeks). We didn't have any surveys done though, both houses were done with desktop valuations.

[Thingsthatgo]

Thank you all for your replies. They give me hope that the delays are not too bad. I know the searches in my area are not taking much longer than usual, but the solicitors are so busy that it’s taking them a while to respond to requests and questions. Fingers crossed.

[Nomorescreentime]

Almost 4 weeks for us since we had our offer accepted, we’ve got our mortgage offer and the earliest we could get a survey is next Saturday. My solicitor is swamped though, she dropped some paperwork off for us personally one evening last week...it was about 8pm and she was just leaving the office!

[Anawi]

Hello all!
I hope you dont mind me joining you! We accepted an offer on our house about 3.5wks ago and starting to feel the pressure as we havent found anywhere to buy yet. our buyer is a FTB and said she was happy to wait for us to find the right place but obviously won't wait forever. In the mean time we offered but missed out on a house we absolutely loved and now there seems to be absolutely nothing coming on the market that would suit us and I'm starting to worry it was all a bit of a mistake! Eurgh house buying and selling....fun times!

[Anawi]

Oops wrong thread sorry!

[WithIcePlease]

I had an offer accepted 6 weeks ago. No survey required. All my paperwork is done and money is waiting to go to solicitor but I know that buyers solicitor is swamped. He had 300 unread emails at the last report. Hoping for late September/early October but I'm not holding my breath.

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but we were sake agreed on St Patrick’s Day (mid March) and only got our keys last week.

We’re FTB and lucky that we had the vendors’ phone number so we were able to cut down on a lot of communication through solicitors. Even so, with lock down and now solicitors, banks and land registry trying to clear the back log, things moved glacially slow.

[Roowig2020]

We accepted an offer on ours almost 2 weeks ago and had an offer accepted on the house we love 10 days ago.

Things seem to be moving fast. Our buyers are FTB and our sellers already bought another house pre COVID (so have 2 homes currently). Short chain. We've been given 6-8 weeks for selling our house and 8 weeks for buying as things move slower in that country. We are moving from one country in uk to another.

Would love to be in new home for Halloween but maybe that's massively optimistic?

[Thingsthatgo]

Oh! This thread is making me feel all optimistic again! Thank you. I know that there are a number of things that can and will go wrong along the way, but I am trying to enjoy the process.

[minnieok]

We have been told mortgages are taking 3 working days for initial approval but 27 for final because surveyors are swamped. Searches took 72 hours. Otherwise it's all go for circa 10 weeks

[Elouera]

We are hoping to exchange and complete this week. The house is an inheritance and we arent selling, so its completely chain free on both parties. Its taken 13weeks, so just over 3mths from the offer being accepted. Estate agent originally though we'd exchange in August! The agent has been getting busier over the 3mths, but also brought staff back off furlough.


Delays we've encountered, which are partly due to covid/less staff etc have been local land searches taking longer, delays in valuaing a property and then another 2 weeks for the vendor to clear the property of belongings. Best of luck.

[Elouera]

To clarify, the house isnt an inheritance to us, we are buying from someone else who is the beneficiary.

[user1471538283]

I've been told 8 weeks minimum after the survey and we are only selling. I don't understand why it takes so long!

[Thingsthatgo]

8 weeks after survey would be fine with me! I have visions of us decorating a massive and beautiful Christmas tree (but in reality the house will be an unpacked mess, and in all likelihood my DH will start stripping wallpaper on Christmas Eve!)

[FastFood]

FTB buying a chainfree flat, offered on the 8th June and about to exchange next week.

Mortgage offer came quite quickly (despite high LTV) within a week after application, but before that, it took me three weeks to gather the necessary paperwork. Otherwise I would probably already be in the flat by now.
Survey went back quickly too (I was the late one again for that, I realised quite late in the conveyancy that I should survey the flat).

So basically, 12-13 weeks.

[whatsthatnow74]

We’re coming up to 14 weeks, 5 parties in chain, lots of faffing about, hoping to exchange next week 🤞🏻