Overview: how long does moving home take?
For a straightforward purchase in England and Wales, the average time from offer acceptance to completion is 8–12 weeks. A tricky chain, a leasehold property, or problems that surface during searches can stretch that to 16 weeks or more.
Week-by-week breakdown
This is a typical timeline for a moving home purchase, assuming a reasonably straightforward chain.
- 01
Week 1–2: Offer accepted and mortgage application
Instruct your solicitor straight away. Put in your full mortgage application with every supporting document. The lender starts processing it and orders a valuation.
- 02
Week 2–3: Valuation and initial searches
The lender’s surveyor values the property. Your solicitor orders the local authority, environmental, and water and drainage searches. It is a good point to book your own survey too.
- 03
Week 3–4: Mortgage offer issued
If the valuation is fine and your application is approved, the lender issues a formal mortgage offer. This is a big milestone, because it confirms the lender is committed.
- 04
Week 4–6: Searches returned and enquiries raised
Search results come back, and local authority searches alone can take 2–4 weeks. Your solicitor reviews them and raises any queries with the seller’s solicitor. This stage is often where delays creep in.
- 05
Week 6–8: Contract pack finalised
The queries are settled, the contract is agreed, and both sides get ready to exchange. Your solicitor sends you the contract to sign and asks for your deposit funds.
- 06
Week 8–10: Exchange of contracts
Both sides sign and swap contracts. This is the point of no return, since the sale is now legally binding. A completion date is set, usually 1–2 weeks after exchange.
- 07
Week 10–12: Completion and move in
On completion day the mortgage funds are transferred, the seller’s mortgage is repaid, and the keys are yours. Book your removal company for this date.
What causes delays?
Knowing the usual hold-ups helps you prepare for them, and sometimes head them off.
Slow local authority searches
- Some councils take 4–6 weeks to return search results
- Your solicitor can ask for expedited searches, though they cost extra
- Personal searches from private firms are quicker, but not every lender accepts them
Mortgage underwriting delays
- Less standard income, such as self-employed or contractor earnings, takes longer to verify
- A missing document can stall things for weeks
- Having every piece of paperwork ready upfront is the single biggest time-saver
Survey or valuation issues
- A down-valuation means the lender offers less than you were counting on
- Structural problems flagged by a survey may call for specialist reports
- Renegotiating the purchase price can set things back
Chain problems
- Anyone in the chain can cause a delay, or bring it down
- A buyer’s mortgage falling through affects everyone above them
- The longer the chain, the greater the risk of something going wrong
How to speed up the process
Some delays are out of your hands, but there is plenty you can do to keep your side moving quickly.
Before making an offer
- Have your mortgage DIP in place
- Pick a solicitor and have them ready to instruct at a moment’s notice
- Gather all your mortgage documents in advance
During the process
- Reply to solicitor and lender requests within 24 hours
- Chase your solicitor each week for an update
- Ask your broker to follow up with the lender for you
- Sign and return documents the same day they arrive
If buying leasehold
- Ask the freeholder for the leasehold management pack early
- It can take 2–4 weeks and is a common bottleneck
- Your solicitor can get on with other work while it is awaited
What costs arise at each stage?
The costs land at different points rather than all in one go.
When costs typically fall due
Exchange vs completion explained
These are two separate legal milestones, and they often trip up first-time movers.
Exchange of contracts is the point where you and the seller are legally committed. Up to exchange, either side can walk away without penalty, though you may lose what you have spent on the survey and legal work. After exchange, pulling out means losing your deposit and possibly being sued for breach of contract.
Completion is when the money changes hands and the keys are yours. It is usually set for one to two weeks after exchange, though exchange and completion can happen on the same day in some cases.
What to do if your chain breaks
Chains break for all sorts of reasons: a buyer’s mortgage is declined, a survey turns up something serious, or someone simply gets cold feet before exchange.
If it does happen, try not to panic. Your property is still on the market and your mortgage DIP still stands. Most of your solicitor’s work can be reused for a new buyer or a different property. The main costs at risk are your survey fee and any search fees that might need refreshing.
A good broker will keep your mortgage application warm and help you switch quickly when a new buyer or property comes along.
It is worth considering home buyer’s protection insurance, which covers your legal and survey costs if the purchase collapses. It typically runs £30–£70 and can save you hundreds if the worst happens.
Keep your move on track with Clearview
At Clearview Mortgage Solutions we do more than find you a mortgage. We manage the process from application through to completion, chasing the lender, liaising with your solicitor, and keeping you posted at every stage so nothing slips through the cracks.
Get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat about your move, or read the full moving home mortgage guide first.