Time from offer accepted to exchange

[TheMouseInMyPocket]

We have just had an offer accepted on a house. We have a DIP for a mortgage, just a general one, rather than specific for this address, but granting us almost double what we actually want to borrow, so getting a mortgage approved should be straightforward.
The house has been SSTC a few months ago, which fell through as the buyer changed their mind. Searches have already been done by them and our solicitor will be able to purchase them from previous buyer's solicitor.
What I'm wondering is - what else happens between offer and exchange that takes weeks? If the searches are done, and the one issue with the house (which we were made aware of at the viewing) has been already addressed by the vendor to our satisfaction, then we could be exchanging fairly soon yes?

We are nearly twenty weeks from offer, and no exchange yet which is pissing me off something rotten.

Can't see that it should take too long if there are only two of you in a chain, call your solicitors and estate agents to tell them when you would like to complete by.

Earlier this year, it took us 16 weeks from the chain completing to moving house. That was a ftb - us - our vendors - newvuild chain. Apparently it only took that long as our chain finalised during one of the busy periods.

I've just counted up, our buyers have been waiting 23 weeks so far! It took us quite a while to find somewhere to move to, we had our offer accepted on that around 9 weeks ago and are very close to exchange (tho have been 'very close' for the past 2 and a bit weeks and nothing yet).

In short, it is a very frustrating and slow process and I still don't know if we'll actually be moving or not!

Ours was ten weeks from offer to completion, but that was with no chain. We were in rented, first time buyers, and this house was empty.

We've been told 8-12 weeks but my sister is just hitting her 13th week and no dates set

Took me 4 weeks making an offer to exchange but there was only the one property involved so it was completely straightforward.

I would say ring the solicitors a lot and the estate agents, Nagging at them to get on with it will push it all through quicker.

I will nag them! We've sold our house last month, which was a dream sale - 6 weeks from offer to completion, so I'm just a bit worried that my expectations might be unrealistic - I'd like to be in by first week of October?

No chain either side, house we are buying is empty, we're in rental ready to move whenever.

No chain either side, house we are buying is empty, we're in rental ready to move whenever

That was exactly my position too. Took 4 weeks

@Redglitter that gives me hope! I'm finding the whole process very stressful, even though we haven't actually encountered any problems yet. Last time we bought a house (7 years ago) I pretty much left it all to my husband . This time it's me sorting everything out, making phonecalls and writing emails, so it's a big learning curve!

I am 11 weeks in from offer accepted and no exchange has happened. I don't even have a chain but it's taking forever because our seller has a bullish solicitor who is refusing to answer certain questions.
It varies so much and depends on what enquiries are going to come up throughout the process. Very stressful

When we bought our last house and were in rented accommodation, we had completed in 6 weeks.
I managed similar again the next move as there was no chain on either side. It took a lot of phone calls and chasing, but we needed to be in before the school year started!

Took us 8 weeks to sell/buy. If you've had the searches done already it should take you under a month.

If all the searches are done and there is nothing in there that concerns you then it's getting the actual mortgage sorted. Some of them take ages, some are quite quick. right now nothing to say you can't be exchanging in four to six weeks but depends what the searches throw up.

Does your seller have somewhere to go ?

Took us 8 months. Chain of 3. They didn't find a property until 6 months in. Luckily our mortgage company has been fairly slow - we exchanged on the day the mortgage offer expires.

Average is around 12-16 weeks depending on the property - Leasehold typically take longer as you need information from Freeholder/management company. In reality you won't know what you're dealing with legally until your solicitor gets the initial papers and the search results. They'll be able to tell you then if there are any time consuming things to deal with.