Offer to completion, how long to expect?

[DYIDIY]

We are in a two links chain, we are FTBs. Both us and our sellers are motivated to progress things quickly due to personal circumstances and solicitors have so far been resposive, mentioning they are aiming for 6-8 weeks until contract exchange (we have started working with them 2 weeks ago).
Surveys booked in and both mortgages approved, is it realistic to think we will be able to complete by December?

Offer was accepted two weeks ago

I was in a direct sale (no chain) and it still took 4-5 months due to issues with the searches. I would say, no impossible, but don't bet on it.

I would start saying a date now, to prepare all parties. I would keep saying in emails and all correspondence ‘with a view to completion week beginning December 2nd’.

It is feasible yes.

*not impossible

Completion is often 4 weeks after exchange. Until exchange any buyer might pull out. Our experience was that solicitors or conveyancers often wait until they have all the documents in before checking and things often crop up at the last minute. Good luck.

Really depends on what issues crop up, how reasonable people are about issues, how good your solicitors/agents are and how much you pressure them!

@Moveoverdarlin both us and the sellers want to complete before Xmas, they have also put that in writing

@Grmumpy can people still pull out after exchange? I thought it could be even less than a month in between?

You can exchange and complete same day if you want and all agree (wouldn't recommend). Most people I know have had 2 weeks (to allow for arranging removals etc). I don't know anyone who has had 4 weeks, though this was common years ago.

The deposit (normally 10%) is forfeited if you default after exchange. There's likely to be a variety of other penalties too.

We offered mid April and completed mid August this year so 4 months. We were chain-free cash buyers and our sellers actually went into rented for a couple of weeks. It’s an older house and we got caught up in various back and forths after the survey, there was also the weird quiet period which we subsequently found out was when someone tried to gazump us! I feel like Christmas is pretty ambitious unless you have super speedy solicitors and nothing crops up during the process.

I've just done a direct sale, no chain on either side, vacant property. Even using same solicitors office it still took 16 weeks from offer to completion

I also think Christmas is very ambitious, I'd say 4 months minimum assuming everything goes smoothly. That they've put their intentions in writing is a good thing as hopefully they won't delay things unnecessarily. But realistically the completion date isn't within their control, so their hoped date isn't something they can promise at this stage. Surveys and solicitors will take as long as they will take!

Can't remember first time I moved.

Second time, offer on my flat accepted mid Feb, buyer adamant completion had to be April, completed 30 April. We lost our purchase. Offer made on 18 May (chain free), sellers had a self build ready to move in, but messed about with paperwork, completion took place early September.

Last time, seven in chain. Our sale and purchase agreed late January. Whole chain agreed on early April completion early on, top six were ready to exchange mid March, but those at bottom of the chain who were cash buyers stalled, then announced they were taking a mortgage. Had wait while they decided, applied, offered and were ready - ended up.completing 24 June.

It’s just us and our sellers purchase is the end of the chain. Surveys are booked in for next week already, fingers crossed.

Ours took 9 weeks a few months ago. We were staying with family and the sellers were moving in with family though. They say the average is 12 weeks with no issues cropping up. The best tip is to not worry about annoying your solicitors and estate agents and just keep ringing and checking and pushing!

We finally exchanged on Friday after offering early May. Short chain - we had nothing to sell and were ready to go but our seller's vendor is in a nursing home and their solicitor has been remarkably crap.

I was in a chain of 3 and it took 13 weeks

Ours took 5 months but we were involved with a split chain (which is basically where a couple are splitting and so one of them is in your chain but the other one's chain still affects your chain quite obviously) so yeah, fucking nightmare but we got there.

It took us about 8 weeks for our first house. 5 months for the second, it was a tiny chain and the vendor wasn't even living in the house, but he was slow to respond and do anything.