Timeline of Buying a House

12 September, 2025

How Long Does It Take to Buy a House? 

Buying a home is exciting, but it can also feel slow if you are not sure what to expect. While every purchase is different, most house sales in the UK follow a fairly similar path. Knowing the typical timescales can help you plan ahead and stay calm throughout the 

Getting Your Finances Ready (2 to 4 Weeks)

Before you start viewing properties you will need to get your finances in order. This means:

• Saving a deposit

• Checking your credit score

• Speaking to a mortgage adviser

• Getting a mortgage agreement in principle (AIP)
  
  

An AIP shows sellers you are serious and helps speed things up later. This stage can take a few weeks, depending on how organised you are and how quickly your lender responds.

Finding a Property and Making an Offer 

How long this takes depends on how quickly you find somewhere you like. Some buyers find the right place in a week, others take months.
Once you find the one, you make an offer through the estate agent. The seller may accept straight away, or there could be a bit of negotiation. This part often takes a few days to a couple of weeks.

Starting the Conveyancing Process (1 Week to Get Going)

Once your offer is accepted, you will:

• Instruct a solicitor or conveyancer

• Apply for your mortgage

• Pay for the searches and survey
  
  

Getting all this moving usually takes about a week, though it can be quicker if you already have a solicitor lined up.

Conveyancing and Mortgage Process (8 to 12 Weeks)

This is usually the longest stage. Your solicitor will:

• Review the property title and legal documents

• Carry out local searches

• Deal with the seller’s solicitor

• Raise enquiries about anything unclear
  
  

Meanwhile, your mortgage lender will carry out their checks and issue a formal mortgage offer.

If everything goes smoothly, this part takes about 8 to 12 weeks, though it can be shorter or longer depending on how many people are in the chain and how quickly everyone responds.

Exchanging Contracts (1 Week)

Once your solicitor is happy with everything and your mortgage offer is in place, you will agree on a completion date. You then sign the contracts and pay your deposit.

At the point of exchange, the sale becomes legally binding. This usually happens about a week before moving day, though sometimes it can be the same day as completion.

Completion (Moving Day)

On the agreed completion date, your solicitor sends the rest of the money to the seller’s solicitor. Once the money clears, you get the keys and can move in. This is usually about 2 to 4 months after your offer was accepted.


How Long It Usually Takes Overall

Finances ready: 2 to 4 weeks

Finding a property and getting an offer accepted: 2 to 8 weeks

Legal and mortgage process: 8 to 12 weeks

Exchange to completion: 1 to 2 weeks

Typical total time: 12 to 20 weeks (around 3 to 5 months)

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If you are unsure about any part of the buying process or feel stuck at any stage, just give us a call. At Get An Offer, we are here to guide you through each step and answer any questions you might have. You do not need to figure it all out on your own, our team has your back.