Is it possible to go from chain complete to completion in 14 weeks?!

[housemovingtimelines]

Chain is now complete.

-House 1 - FTB, they've already done their searches and want to complete asap
-House 2 - ours
-House 3 - one we are buying, no onward chain

We are due a baby in 16 weeks (but expecting to go a week over) so I either want to move within 14 weeks if thats even possible, or wait until baby is around 4 weeks old so in 21 weeks or so.

Is it worth pushing to complete asap or tell everyone we need to wait until after the baby is born? I know the FTB wants to be in before Christmas and baby is due January.

We completed and moved in 6 weeks with both our last purchases
New house new baby eh!

It’s possible. Try and do it before Christmas and if that doesn’t work out then people will just have to wait until you’re ready. It won’t be the first time that someone’s personal circumstances have delayed a sale by a few weeks!

Last time we moved with a 6 week old baby and it was really difficult so I'd rather move whilst pregnant. I can't believe I've timed it so badly again 😂

It depends how efficient the solicitors are; with 3 people in the chain you need to hope that your buyer and seller both instructed good solicitors. You and your buyer should arrange surveys asap.

We recently bought our house and it took exactly 3 months from agreeing the price to completing, but there was no chain at all and there were no issues with the searches or survey. The seller and I communicated directly and put pressure on solicitors when it came to exchanging.

We had exactly the same set up - FTB, us, new build. Took 12 weeks.

Our last move took four months from accepting offer on sale and purchase to completion. There were three in the chain -we were buying a probate house with no mortgage and our buyers had already completed (also cash buyers) - and it would have taken less than three months if there hadn't been issues for our buyers with our septic tank.

Previously we've gone from offer to completion in five weeks, but that was a repossession and again we were cash buyers/didn't have a survey.

We did it in 6 weeks, FTB moving from rental, our sellers were in a chain.
What HUGELY helped was I had the number for our seller (they were there when we went back for a second viewing so got it then). We were able to communicate about what had been sent off/what we were waiting for etc. Saved us weeks as we/they could prompt solicitors who were otherwise going to sit on stuff. If we move again I would 100% try to get the sellers number again!
Estate agents/solicitors etc don’t seem to have the sense of urgency that most would like. Being able to prompt people was a godsend!

We did it in 17 weeks recently. But it was held up by our buyers’ 3 week holiday to New Zealand where they didn’t look at their survey or any solicitor emails. And by the fact that we completed the chain in late Feb, so we were too close to the new stamp duty rules coming in, and all the solicitors basically said “look we’re going to have to put you on hold a bit, because we’ve got so many people trying to complete before April and since you won’t, you’re back of the queue”.

If it hadn’t been for those factors, I don’t see why 14 weeks wouldn’t have been doable.

Ds did it recently. 13 wks and 6 days.
Property 1 : ds and Dil purchased as FTB.
Property 2 : was a probate property, so no onward chain.

There were a couple of gold ups along the way ; survey downvalued prop 1 price, so a couple of days lost due to renegotiation of sale prices. Anoyfew says list because searches took longer than they should, a couple of bank holidays during the process also delayed things a bit and finally a few days at the end because the mortgage lender had lost some paperwork and needed to get it redone. Withythe delays, would probably have been nearer to twelve weeks.
Good luck OP

Thanks everyone. Sounds like we do have a chance of completing in time so I will start pushing for things to be fast! I’ve chosen a solicitor and booked a survey so hopefully that speeds things along.

My son sold and purchased within 12 weeks last year. However, all the lawyers involved were very on the ball and pushed things along. My own sale is another matter - my lawyer is very proactive - the buyer's lawyer has spent 5 weeks and sent only confirmation that they are acting for the buyer. No enquiries or any requests. I am not hopeful of a speedy completion on this one ...

We did it in 12 weeks, chain of 4 properties. But you have to be on top of everything and REALLY push everyone. Set clear expectations.

It is possible. We did it in 8 weeks to the day of the chain being complete back in March. Ours was person in rental, us, our seller, vacant probate property. I think it definitely helped that we all had decent Solicitors rather than those online ones so it meant communication was very easy. Also I pushed extremely hard once enquiries were finalised as I wanted to complete by 31st March, I think if I hadn't pushed it could've been another month! Also had just a week between exchange and completion.

My record is 5 weeks. We had exchanged already on a sale, then found and purchased to dovetail completion dates.

Most recent was done in 12. Small chain of FTB, mortgage free buyer, me, empty probate purchase.

We offered on Monday and I want to be in mid November which we were told was fine. We rent and property is empty we are buying. Want to be in by Christmas really but wanted them to have some urgency.

My father in law at 86 did a sale in 12 weeks and a buy in 13 weeks ( he wasn’t in BC a chain on either though as he went into Airbnb for 10 weeks in the middle -he didn’t look to buy till exchange on his sale