Moving house - How long now?

[pc-med 10]

Well, draft contracts are drawn up and our solicitor is just waiting on the Local Authority Search results now, so how long before we get a completion date?

 

As I understand it, the next stage after the Local Authority Search is received is the signing of the paperwork. Typically how long after this will we be looking at moving?

 

No chain on either side btw.

 

Cheers.

[pc-med 10]

So of the 21 people that have viewed this thread so far, not one of you has bought or sold or even heard of someone who has?

[Edd 10]

"Depends" is the answer. In their entirety, the searches should take under a month - so youll know how long you have to go with that.

 

An important part of signing the paperwork ("Exchanging Contracts" its called) is setting a date for the transaction (sale/purchase/whatever) to take place. Normally the solicitors on both sides will want a min of about 1 week between signing and "completion" in order to sort out requesting money from banks, clearing deposit cheques etc.

 

Point is, when you go to sign your paperwork your solicitor should be able to tell you exactly when youre going to be able to move - they should be asking you when you want to move. But theyre not going to do any of this until the searches are finished, and theyve explained the results - after all, you might decide not to go ahead!

[pc-med 10]

Thanks Edd,

 

We have been told the searches nomally take about a week, and it's coming upto that now (maybe just passed). Obviously the valuation has taken place and as I say the draft contract are drawn up now so the next stage I was told was to visit the office and sign the mortgage offer acceptance and all other paperwork.

 

The solicitor hasn't yet gone into what happens next but looking at the 'conveyancing protocol' it seems there is a lot for the solicitors to do and after reading that you begin to get an idea of why some solicitors seem to take so long!

 

I expect to be discussing a completion date when we see the solicitor but I wasn't aware that we are the ones that get to say when we want to move. As I say, there is no chain on either side so we are hoping things will move pretty quickly now as all the hard work is now done and everything else is in place.

 

Guess we won't know much now until the solicitor contacts us, I was just wondering if the return of the searches marked the end of all the waiting.

 

Thanks again for taking the time.

[Liose 10]

I have been in a rush recently with a property (using excellent solicitor - Pauline Coates as I have recommended her in another thread)...My offer was accepted on 31st May - I am looking to complete on Wednesday 12th July - all in all roughly 6 weeks - no chain either side so similar to you. I have had everything ready - paperwork signed/sealed delivered. Hold up doesn't seem to be solicitor or even searches - but more often than not, actual estate agents forwarding relevent documents!!!

 

Good luck!

[pc-med 10]

Thanks Liose, at what stage were you told of your completion date? Did you choose this or did you go with what was recommended?

 

Cheers.

[pikey 10]

We were told when we moved house at the begining of the year that the AVERAGEtime it takes to compleate from makeing your original offer is 12 weeks although we moved in 9 weeks from start to finish inc xmas break

 

hope that helps somewhat

pike

[pc-med 10]

Yep, we were told a couple of months and it's not been that long yet - just wondered if I might get an idea as everything seems to have gone pretty quickly so far and having had confirmation that the draft contracts are drawn up, we are now just waiting on the searches and the solicitor.

 

Shouldn't be too long now ... we hope!

[Liose 10]

Thanks Liose, at what stage were you told of your completion date? Did you choose this or did you go with what was recommended?

 

Cheers.

 

Hi Muran,

 

I pretty much told the solicitor as soon as possible and as we exchanged last week, she suggested this wednesday (as the earliest time in which she could get the funds from the mortgage) as the bank requires about 5 working days to make the money transfer. However, everything will now be going through tomorrow, I have been to see solicitor this morning and I can go and pick up keys tomorrow - so yes, roughly 6 weeks! Not bad going. Good luck with yours Muran - just keep on at your solicitor/agents and make sure that there are no hold ups your side.

[pikey 10]

just keep on at your solicitor/agents and make sure that there are no hold ups your side.

 

Think thats the Most important thing, remember that your solicitor is working for you & answer any corispondance just as quick

[pc-med 10]

Well, all parties we have dealt with so far have been pretty good I have to say. Should be making an appointment to sign the contracts over the next week or so and I am hoping that we will be provided with a completion date at the same time ...

 

Thanks for your comments.

[JoBooth 10]

I am just over the two month mark in the buying process and its going at a snail's pace. I am not entirely sure what I am actually paying my solicitor for. She has done nothing at all. I signed the contracts over two weeks ago, have been billed for her work and it still hasn't happened!!