Buying a house

[Megansnarkle]

I'd allow for a minimum of 12 weeks even for a simple freehold transaction without chain.

 

[WilmaHun]

Don’t want to de-rail the thread or anything but feeling a little stuck and anxious I’m not going to be completed by Christmas. Currently there’s the back and forth with enquiries. My solicitor says there’s 7 outstanding. Is that a lot? Or is it more dependent on what kind of enquiries they are?

I work in conveyancing. This is a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question I'm afraid. It depends on what the enquiries are and if they'll need any action - for example if there's a defect with the title which needs rectifying at the Land Registry, that could cause a delay. But if the enquiries are more simple like "please get the boiler serviced or provide a copy of a recent report" these can be resolved quite quickly!

I was always led to believe the same solicitor couldn't act for both seller and buyer

The same individual person cannot act for both, but two solicitors within the same firm can,

Can I also ask a question please I’m looking to buy a house. I did find one and get my offer accepted at the end of August. But due to a problem on the survey I pulled out. I just was wondering as in the 8 weeks between getting my solicitor and pulling out is it normal that they just sent off for the land reports? Or would it be expected to be further along at that point?
They said they were still waiting on the sellers solictor to send the pack? But they’d also not said they’d recieved my mortgage offer which I got end of September (although I just recieved these documents in the post today). The seller was also using the same solicitors.
Just wanted to know if this is normal as I was thinking of using a different solictor next time.
These solicitors were recommended via my mortgage advisor.

My advice would be to use an independent firm, normally when an estate agent or mortgage advisor recommends a solicitor it's because they're getting commission for doing so!

By "land reports" I assume you mean searches? The solicitor cannot apply for searches without the contract pack as they require the plan from the office copy title documents in order to submit searches - so that would be dependant on when the seller provided the contract pack.

 

[glitter tits]

Mine was 7 weeks in total as I had fantastic on the ball solicitors. My friend bought a house at the same time and it went on for 6 months due to a load of unexpected issues. So really is a case by case basis!

 

[doggomum]

Offer was accepted on the 19th August and we got the keys on 20th October. We were first time buyers and the property was vacant with no chain. Having a decent solicitor is vital!

 

[Kim Mild]

Viewed the house on the 5th of October last year, got the keys 29th of January this year we were first time buyers and the property was already vacant which probably helped a lot! So just over three months from start to finish x

We looked at our house around a similar time but we didn't get the keys until March. ( we were all aiming for completion in 8-12)weeks as the house was vacant).The seller used the worst solicitor ( they have a terrible reputation) I wish I'd asked them to use a different one .

 

[Chatty-Jo]

4 months, which I found quite frustrating as I had a cash buyer for my house and the house I was buying was empty as it was an ex rental. I assumed it would be quicker, but I got there in the end!

 

[Sunflower91]

My offer was accepted 9th September. I’m a first time buyer, the property is vacant and I’m still waiting on a date.
Top tip so far is to keep chasing solicitors. I’m fortunate mine are okay but the vendors have terrible solicitors so I’ve been chasing theirs through the estate agent. Had 0 contact/ movement for 5 weeks as their solicitors completely ignored mine.

 

[Sslb_18]

First time buyers - 14 weeks and that was with no chain.

could have been so much quicker if we had decent solicitors!

 

[Be More Pacific]

It's like asking how long is a piece of string to be honest.

My first house completed exactly eight weeks from the day I viewed it to completion - I was a first time buyer, it was an empty rental and there was no chain.

My second house took around four months I think, from viewing to completion, because the people we were buying from were involved in a long chain

 

[silkytoes]

We were first time buyers. It took us 3.5 months to exchange and then completed 2 weeks after.

It took my brother over 6 months as a first time buyer, not sure why. Think it was because there was arguments over garden access.

 

[WilmaHun]

Offer accepted mid April
Exchanged contracts 12th Aug
Completed 25th Aug

The house we bought the owner had passed away so we had to wait for a Grant of Probate hence the delay. If we weren't waiting for a Grant of Probate we'd have been completed by the end of June as our searches/enquiries and mortgage offer were all satisfied by then!

 

[judgejohndeed]

Offer accepted in February, exchanged first week of August, moved second week of August. Ours took longer because we bought from idiots who didn't really know if they were coming or going, and also the solicitors/estate agents etc were all really busy with people trying to avoid the stamp duty. It seems to be a lot quicker and smoother for friends of mine who are buying at the moment.

 

[HoGi]

We were first time buyers buying an ex rental so no chain and took over three months from offer to exchange.

Sold my mums house last year and took over 3 months from offer to the day before exchange the buyer pulled out. Remarketed it and had accepted an offer within 2 days and we completed in 6 weeks.

Her flat that she was buying took 7 months from offer to exchange (completed day after exchange) as the sellers couldn't find anywhere to buy. So she moved in with my sister so her sale could still go ahead.

 

[Tommyb]

They came back to us and said they are hoping for a 60 day turnaround so early Jan. We already have the other parties paperwork as it's a building company with their own in house solicitors.

Thanks for the replies though. Really helpful!

 

[Sunflower91]

Can I also ask a question please I’m looking to buy a house. I did find one and get my offer accepted at the end of August. But due to a problem on the survey I pulled out. I just was wondering as in the 8 weeks between getting my solicitor and pulling out is it normal that they just sent off for the land reports? Or would it be expected to be further along at that point?
They said they were still waiting on the sellers solictor to send the pack? But they’d also not said they’d recieved my mortgage offer which I got end of September (although I just recieved these documents in the post today). The seller was also using the same solicitors.
Just wanted to know if this is normal as I was thinking of using a different solictor next time.
These solicitors were recommended via my mortgage advisor.

This is what happened to me/ what I’m still in the middle of. My solicitors have been okay its the sellers. They said they hadn’t received the welcome pack and the property was going through probate. I started chasing via the estate agent as the sellers solicitors were recommended by them. That day (October 28th ish) I received a fair bit of progress and a load of docs came through signed and dated on the 28th sept and it had gone through probate in March/ April. I think it’s sadly a fairly normal thing but not always something you have control over- especially if it’s the sellers solicitor. The only way I’ve been getting progress is by chasing things up every other day.

 

[FlyingGirl4]

Viewed the house on the 5th of October last year, got the keys 29th of January this year we were first time buyers and the property was already vacant which probably helped a lot! So just over three months from start to finish x

 

[Ilando]

4 months

 

[Inforapenny]

I accepted an offer on my flat on the 16th of july and completed and exchanged the last day of September.
It was tricky as I was selling the flat as a landlord with tenants in situ to another land lord. They were cash buyers so made it easier in that respect

We put in an offer for a house right at the end of October this year. Niether parties are in a chain but it still takes time. We are waiting on the mortgage valuation people/buyers guide to say the house we're buying is worth the money.
I hope we'll be in by mid Feb

 

[Be More Pacific]

Our solicitor seems really good. Really prompt responses. Recommended to us by the estate agent things are moving along. One question .. we have out survey booked for a couple of weeks time. Did you wait to go ahead with your mortgage application until after your survey was done?

Some of the mortgage booking fees are £1.5k and non refundable if we choose not to proceed so hesitant to do this before survey is complete.

The lender's survey is usually done as part of your mortgage application. Application is submitted, approved in principle by the underwriters and survey instructed.

So I assume you are talking about having your own survey done. If so, I would absolutely say it would be prudent to wait especially with those kinds of non refundable booking fees.

 

[rlouisep9]

Offer accepted 28th July, exchanged and completed same day on 22nd October. No chain either side.