Moving house?!?!

[BeTrue]

Hi all,

Me and DP had an offer accepted on a house at the beginning of September. Our solicitors have received the contracts today, this has been a long process in itself getting everything from the Sellers. Can anyone advise roughly how long it will take for everything else to be completed? We were hoping to be in in November but this is seeming less and less likely every day!

Any advice welcome on how to help the process as well 

Average is around 3 months. Was about 14 weeks for us with delays down to vendors who didn't make sure the surveyor could access the house, who disappeared for a week, prior to exchange, used bloody useless Internet conveyancers who missed stuff out and spent whole weekends arguing about decisions that had to be made. The joys of buying from a separating couple.

Every situation is different.
Without knowing some relatively detailed specifics about your particular circumstances it's very difficult to provide any meaningful advice.

As Pick says, average is around 12-14 weeks.

@PickAChew - thank you! Is that 3 months from when the solicitors receive the contracts?  on the Memorandum of sale it stated working to an exchange date of 9th Nov, I think we will be very very lucky if we are in before Christmas at this rate! The most annoying thing is the sellers have already moved out so there is no reason to delay!

thank you! Is that 3 months from when the solicitors receive the contracts?
Yes, that's a reasonable expectation to have.
stated working to an exchange date of 9th Nov
That's less than 20 working days from now. Not impossible, but unlikely.
In my opinion, there is little point discussing exchange dates at what is a comparatively early stage. Nobody knows whether there will be any problems with the title, or if the searches will take a while, or if there might be some paperwork missing somewhere.
So many variables I'm afraid.

3 months at least!

We've been waiting for over 9 months to complete!

Are you the only one in the chain? I sold a house in 6 weeks before.
Have you had your searches done yet?

@Baxdream neither of us are in a chain, the sellers have moved already and we are renting so can be out within a month. It just seems that for some reason they seem to be taking their time with sending everything they need to the solicitors.

I really wanted to be in before Christmas but my partner and the estate agents seem to think that is unlikely.

@Baxdream sorry didn't reply to your second question. The bank have been to value the house but the solicitors are arranging searches now they have received the paperwork so not been done yet

Honestly, it's very doable! It's really not a complex purchase!
My recommendation is to keep on at your solicitors. Phone at least every week.
I've had better service this way as they want you off their back!
Ask if they've requested the searches and how long they'll be.
Ask when you should expect the contract to sign.

In fact, I've bought two houses that took 6 weeks!

Have you had your formal offer through following the valuation?

We had offer accepted very end of May - no chain on either side and completed mid July - week between exchange and completion with small mortgage. I had to push for that though.

I think ours was 6 weeks of which solicitor was on holiday first two so nothing much legal got done before then but after that she put it as urgent as we needed school places by mid July.

It's really not a complex purchase!
You don't know how complex or not this particular purchase is without access to more info.
The chain itself may not be a complex one, but there are plenty of other factors that can affect things.
Not saying it can't be done quickly, but there's not enough info on this thread to be confident it definitely can.

Sorry mildura I'm just trying to help 🙄

When we bought our first place recently I was told by family & read online that 3 months was the average. I thought 'ahhh ok that's fine but we'll be quicker cos there's no chain on either side! It'll be a quickie!'

It took 3 months, almost to the day 

I know it'd be disappointing to not be in for Christmas but it would likely be shortly after and a bloody amazing way to start New Year!