If you've sold recently to a cash buyer, how long did it take?

[CatAndHisKit]

Especially I'm interested to know how long would it normally take after the searches have been done as I know it takes longer than usual now. But if no serious poblems with the survey, how long after that?

My buyer is messing around and I'm considering someone else who's offered, the drawbabck is they are a private buyer so uld prob want a survey / might be finding fault whereas theexisting one is a developer who knows his stuff and doesn't need survey. Agent is apprehensive as it's a 'risk' - but we are both fed up with being strung along for months and them changing their story/finances, still no certainty.

To clarify my point about searches.
Mine were back really quick, didn't hold up anything.
You can get some idea of how long a particular council is taking by googling it.
There is no obligation for cash buyers to get searches completed (although it's a jolly good idea). If your solicitor thinks they can insist , you can remind them who they are working for, and offer them a written undertaking that you are proceeding contrary to their advice, and at your own risk.

As a seller, you can set whatever conditions you like(although it may be hard to enforce them)
Last summer I tried to buy a house from a seller in a hurry, who would'nt accept an offer unless you had solicitors arranged, and had booked a date for a survey, which had to be done and reported on within 1 week.

I’m buying a house I’m currently renting. I have a small ‘top up’ mortgage. We should be ready to exchange by the end of this coming week (I had report on title and all paperwork sent to me to sign on Friday) and complete as soon as mortgage company can get funds across (apparently they are all needing some notice due to demand being so high). Should be all sorted within 7/8 weeks (just entering week 6 now!)

@CatAndHisKit - our buyer did searches, nothing was skipped. They did things in parallel though rather than wait for things to happen in sequence. Searches took around 2.5 weeks. All parties were super efficient and not a single day was lost anywhere.

Of course cash buyers who are purchasing as part of a chain, will usually take longer to complete than cash buyers who are not in a chain above them.

It’s surprising how many call themselves cash buyers but actually aren’t....waiting for a small mortgage (size doesn’t really impact the hoops the solicitor has to jump through for the mortgage lender or processes which have to be completed) or for a gift to be released, or for a sale to go through, even if not directly in the chain. And it’s surprising how late in the day these things sometimes emerge.

I’d always expect written confirmation from the EA (and then solicitor to check too) that cash is available for the purchase...proof of funds, plus confirmation to the Qs about if they are reliant on a gift, on a sale, on a mortgage or something else which means the money won’t 100% be available in 4 weeks.

Our local authority sometimes returns search requests the same day they're requested (even during covid) and advertise a maximum of 10 days. Cash buyers here can move very quickly.

@WombatChocolate - totally agree. We had our EA and solicitor check cash buyer's ready funds.

Also we exchanged and completed the same day so that shaved off a few days too.

This thread is giving me some hope! We are cash buyers and waiting to hear if our offer has been accepted on a property. We actually had searches completed on a different property 2 weeks ago. It's only on the road behind so I assume some of the searches will cover the new property too?
The surveyor checks for planning anyway ( as have I)
If it's accepted there might be a slim chance for us. They said they'd move into rented.....
As long as they accept our offer of course!

My existing buyer had searches done which took 5 weeks, and I've heard this is not the slowest - so those who currently have only a couple of weeks timeframe, are very lucky, like Teen !

Yes, good advice about checking the buyer's funds, aND only accept when they have solicitor and survey booked, Evidence - I might try that.
Of course they did check my original buyer's funds, but the he went and spent it elsewhere! So now needs loans against those properties he bought with cash

Thank you for all replies - this does give me hope that it can be done within 2 months. Obvs some cahs buyer manage to stretch it for months, but sounds like a small minority.