To ask anyone who has bought a house recently...

[jinglealltheway55]

How long did it take? We instructed solicitors beginning Nov. Asked for completion by mid Feb. Not in a chain so that's not too much of an issue. However I'm pregnant and due march so we are really cutting it quite fine! If we aren't moved by the time baby arrives we will obviously have to find a way to make it work but ideally I want to be in before then.

I know that searches and other bits are taking a long time right now but providing all goes smoothly should we be set for mid Feb do we think?

We moved at the beginning of the year. No chain so easy move. We moved in in 5 weeks ! We paid extra expedition charges that hurried things up. Well worth the extra if you need a quick move. Ask your solicitor if they do such a thing.

Friends of mine agreed a sale 3rd August and moving day is Fri 3rd Dec. Hope yours is quicker.

4 months earlier this year, chain free

No chain but moved really slowly due to demand on solicitor time with stamp duty freeze.

Offer accepted 1st July completed 15th November

Ours was ridiculous. Began beginning of May, completed end of September. No chain involved. Our house was vacant. The man buying off us had no house to sell.

Never been sure what the hold up's were.

It took months and months - partly because a sale fell through - but also because my solicitor did not regard it as part of her job to chase up outstanding documents - she said she would charge me extra for doing that.

So .... my advice is to get the best solicitor you can. But OP has clearly already made her choice, so I hope you are finding him/her efficient and hard-working.

I hope you are in your new home in time for the new baby - and lots of good luck with that.

We are on week 18, no chain either side.

Thé solicitors came recommended, but have been absolutely useless.

6 weeks in a chain of 3. In Scotland d though amd our property system is way less ridiculous than England’s

4 months for some of you then. Which isnt quickly by any means but does technically mean we could be in by our requested completion date of mid Feb.

Just completed on Friday. Offer accepted 4th Oct. No chain, good solicitors both sides, large deposit so no hassle with mortgage. So 7 weeks. Felt pretty rapid for England.

Offer accepted end of Sept. Vendor suggesting a move before Christmas and EAs saying they can't see that happening.
ftb buying off someone moving into a newbuild.

There are some key stages in the process:
-Getting the searches/land registry documents back
-Getting the mortgage survey and mortgage approved

• Getting the home buyers/ structural survey and then if relevant the renegotiating of price

-Conclusion of enquiries Once all the above is done you then tend to be at the stage where you can agree on exchange and completion dates.

A lot of the above can be done in parallel with each other and generally if you want to move quick it’s worth checking in often with your solicitor where you are and getting the estate agent to chase up any outstanding enquiries with the sellers to make sure everything keeps moving.

You can use this site to look up roughly how long searches are taking in your area
www.searchflow.co.uk/news-and-events/personal-searches-turnaround-times/

We sold this year — no chain. Accepted offer May 29th, exchanged August 2nd.

Accepted off in Feb. Completed in Sept. There was a lot of dicking about in the chain though.

Offer accepted 7th August, moved in 26th October! In Scotland