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Original poster

How long from offer to completion

18 replies

Rapunzel91 · 17/06/2023 08:07

Hi,

I’ve just accepted an offer on my house and got an offer approved on the one I want to buy. How long has it taken people recently from offer to completion?

Realise there are a few factors to consider but interested in knowing what the ranges are. There’s 4 houses in our chain so I’m expecting a few months but obviously the quicker the better!

Also 🍰🍷to anyone who’s gone through the stressful buying/selling process!

OP posts:

Mummaluma · 17/06/2023 08:15

So variable atm. Searches could take anywhere from 2-10 weeks apparently, depending on where you are!

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 17/06/2023 08:19

Forever. Our conveyancers are saying the national average is about 16 weeks. We’re on week 15 since accepting the offer and 13 for the onward purchase and today I need to try to call the estate agent (again) to find out what is happening because one of the mortgage offers in the chain expires in 2 weeks.

CatsOnTheChair · 17/06/2023 08:25

You'd be doing very well to get it through in less than 3 months.
4 months is a smooth chain, longer if there are issues.

peterb999 · 17/06/2023 08:27

I have just sold a leasehold flat. No chain, I didn't live there anymore and it was bought by a BTL investor. It took 3 months and 1 day from offer to completion (13th March to 14th June). The buyers solicitor was a bit hopeless though.

pilates · 17/06/2023 08:29

Impossible question to answer. So many unexpected scenarios could crop up. 3 months would be good if no problems arise.

blibblibs · 17/06/2023 08:32

Took us 7 months from offer to completion and there was no chain, just a very dithering seller.
We completed two weeks before our mortgage offer ran out and that was because we lied and said our offer ran out two weeks before it did and we would not be seeking a renewal (it was just after Truss!) and that seemed to put a rocket up their arse. Exchanged and completed on the same day and spent two weeks emptying all the shit she'd left out of our house 😡

Caramelisedbiscuitbutter · 17/06/2023 08:34

We accepted an offer on our house on 26 April and had an offer accepted on the 9 May for our purchase. Short chain of three and I am told we are about to start discussing dates within the next week or two.

Fairly quick and in this case all parties involved have been really on the ball. Searches were returned within a week I believe. Solicitors are doing a great job and mortgages weren’t an issue.

caringcarer · 17/06/2023 08:41

I've just sold a bit house I owned to my son. You'd think that would be quick as both of us are keen to push the sale through. Searches took 7 weeks. Apparently because 3 bank holidays in May. His solicitor would not do anything else until searches came back. We are finally completing on June 22nd. We agreed the sale in the beginning of February. Expect 3-4 months minimum but up to 5 months.

ConsideringAnything · 17/06/2023 08:44

I have a short chain. First time buyer buying mine, the house I'm buying is vacant.

Searches in the area of the house I am buying are taking an 4 weeks BUT the searches for the house I'm selling are taking an average of 10 weeks.

I'm expecting it to take 4 months all in - which means end of Sept/early Oct. Really hoping my FTB's hold out.

100Bees · 17/06/2023 08:49

7 months. No chain. A few hiccups but still a lot longer than we were expecting.

Noimaginationforaun · 17/06/2023 08:58

For us we put our house on the market in February, offers around Easter and we have now exchanged and will be moving next week. There’s 3 in our chain.

Wednesdayonline · 17/06/2023 09:16

Will be about 2.5 months, and we are FTB and the seller had no onward purchase. But seller did drag things out for 6 weeks so it could have been under 2.

mondaytosunday · 17/06/2023 09:24

No idea. I've had cash purchase no chain with no issues on survey and seller keen and it's still taken four months, and I've had purchases with a mortgage take two weeks.
I'd say three months if all goes smoothly. Could take considerably more considering length of chain.

Karmatime · 17/06/2023 09:33

I have sold twice and purchased once in the last year.
First sale - just under 3 months, a leasehold flat with no chain, sold to first time buyers and flat was vacant.
Second Sale - 5.5 months, should have been less than 3 but issues with my buyer’s sale. Chain of just 2 properties as we moved into rented.
Purchase - exchanged within 2 months but we have agreed a 4 week gap until completion. No chain and cash buyers.

Seaitoverthere · 17/06/2023 11:05

We’ve just taken 11 weeks with no chain.

Mywayward · 17/06/2023 14:49

The past 6 months I've sold 2 houses and purchased 1.

1st sale - 4 weeks
2nd sale - 10 weeks
House purchase - 16 weeks

Lcb123 · 17/06/2023 14:56

We sold our flat last autumn, no chain, took 3 months. We’re buying now, it’s been nearly 4 months so far, probably 5 months to complete.

thelinkisdead · 17/06/2023 16:14

Our house went on the market in March and we had an offer within a week, plus an offer accepted on a purchase. We complete at the end of this month, so just over three months. We did have a very good solicitor, no major problems with mortgages or surveys and no chain above or below us.

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