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Original poster

If you sold or purchased a house recently

88 replies

Thewayshetalks · 02/04/2022 07:42

How long did it take to complete from the day the offer was accepted, I know this varies, but approx timescale?

OP posts:
TeaandHobnobs · 02/04/2022 08:27

3 months, which included christmas so there was no progress for 2 weeks in the middle.
We were buying not in a chain (though our sale actually completed one week after our purchase).
Purchase hold ups:

  • vendor’s solicitor was a bit rubbish and slow
  • issue with title had to be confirmed as acceptable by the lender, which went into a call centre black hole and delayed things
  • struggled to find insurance due to historic subsidence (this nearly killed the whole thing)

Sale hold ups:

  • our buyer’s buyers were FTB and I think they were quite anxious and questioned a lot of stuff
  • buyer used the absolute crappest online conveyancer that was akin to talking to a bot
  • buyer was porting their mortgage and there was a delay in getting the redemption statement (or whatever the equivalent is for porting)

We had a deadline to meet, and we beat it by three weeks. Our vendor’s EA pushed like anything, which, though stressful, did help get it all through!

Baxdream · 02/04/2022 08:56

My PIL sold to a cash buyer and bought with no mortgage in 4 weeks. That was a year ago during the stamp duty freeze

drinkwithanumbrellainit · 02/04/2022 09:07

Just under 4 months (but fell through once before that)

CaptainMal · 02/04/2022 09:13

8 weeks. We needed to wait for tenants to move out before we exchanged, otherwise it would have been even faster (we were both chain free, freehold property, I have a mortgage).

negomi90 · 02/04/2022 09:14

4 months but buyer (me) was incompetent and didn't know what to request or when and seller has already moved and was in no rush so things were a lot slower than they could have been.
1st time buyer going into flat being sold with no occupant or chain.

wetjumpsuits · 02/04/2022 09:24

5 months, no chain either side. I was pushy but our vendor dragged their feet, it became evident towards the end that their was a reason they didn't want to move out until a later date, they were just difficult instead of declaring it from the get go. Had they not done this I think we could have got the process completed in 6-8weeks

Starseeking · 02/04/2022 09:49

Selling last year took 10 weeks, between April 2021 and June 2021.

Buying has been a lot more challenging. I had my first attempt at purchasing collapse after 7 months of conveyancing, when the vendor changed her mind and decided to stay put.

I am now in the process of buying another property in a private sale, which has been going on for 2 weeks since my offer was accepted. Contracts are currently being drafted. The survey was carried out yesterday, so this is moving much more quickly than the last so far. We're aiming for it to complete in 10 weeks as my vendors are prepared to move in with family while they look for their next purchase.

Bobbingtons · 02/04/2022 10:51

@Thewayshetalks

How long did it take to complete from the day the offer was accepted, I know this varies, but approx timescale?
Offered October, competed March. Just under 5 months. Chain free with me as FTB. Should have been in by Christmas, but of course there were complications (mostly a useless first solicitor)
Headabovetheparakeet · 02/04/2022 10:57

16 weeks

Frazzled2207 · 02/04/2022 11:02

5 months but at the top of a complicated chain. 1 month of that was sorting out a flood survey for the property we were buying.

I think anything less than 3 months would be very lucky.

Redglitter · 02/04/2022 11:06

4 weeks - cash buyer though

Goodbyetowinter · 02/04/2022 11:21

13 days. Cash buyer of new build.

DonGray · 02/04/2022 11:24

4 months
Nothing happened in Dec due to Xmas
Seller took some time to find an onward purchase

Angrymum22 · 02/04/2022 11:31

About 9weeks exactly a year ago. Vendor wanted to take advantage of stamp duty holiday, it was a second home for us so no chain. Had to push a little at the end. Solicitor was talking about increasing fee to speed thing up, I called her out on it and she got on with the job.

mindutopia · 02/04/2022 11:38

4.5 months, though really it could have been more like 8/10 weeks, but we both wanted to delay until after Christmas and there was no chain so was easy to do.

FrDamo · 02/04/2022 11:49

We are almost 3 months into the buying process with no chain for seller or buyer.

I can't believe how slow it's been.

I'm amazed at someone saying 5 weeks!

CrotchetyQuaver · 02/04/2022 11:50

Offer accepted 1st week of July, completed 30th September. 2 properties in chain, FTBs buying our buyers property, she was a "cash" buyer (no mortgage needed rather than having all the money sloshing around in her account). It would have been quicker but we had to wait for land registry to process transfer of title of the property into our names that we were selling to her.

AuntiePushpa · 02/04/2022 12:23

@negomi90

4 months but buyer (me) was incompetent and didn't know what to request or when and seller has already moved and was in no rush so things were a lot slower than they could have been. 1st time buyer going into flat being sold with no occupant or chain.
Now you're more in the know @negomi90, what hindsight would have helped? What should you have been pushing for and when? I'd like to avoid being that incompetent FTB!
Hijabihouse3 · 02/04/2022 12:24

5 months. Offered late Oct, but nothing happened until end of Jan when vendor decided not to hold things up further by moving into rented. Then took 2 months for all paperwork (we are FTB, no chain) and I used a conveyancer with an app that displayed progress and dates so I could nudge things along as needed.

Chakraleaf · 02/04/2022 12:54

No chain either side. Offer accepted early Feb. No sign of the end yet

Aria999 · 02/04/2022 14:06

2 months and 4 days.

RidingMyBike · 02/04/2022 14:13

30 days late last year.

We had already moved out and into a rental so no chain our side. Buyers had been going to buy next door, sale fell thru, but it meant they'd already done searches. Buyers were chain-free cash buyers. House was in good condition and nothing major emerged from survey. We also had all paperwork scanned/copied and ready to go. And chose a local solicitor we could drop things off to in person so no postal delays.

NorthSouthcatlady · 02/04/2022 14:15

4.5 months but a long chain with a few idiots in it

buginarug · 02/04/2022 14:48

7 weeks. We had a cash buyer and the house we were buying had no onward chain.

Aimee1987 · 02/04/2022 14:50

3.5 months. We came from rented and were moving into a vacant property

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