housebuying timeline - after mortgage offer

peppapig14

I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" scenario but hoping for a bit more clarification/experiences☺
13/2 mortgage application submitted
18/2 paid solictor for initial fees.provided deposit and id.they had recieved contract pack from sellers 
20/2 survey and homebuyer report completed. mortgage offer recieved
the sellers are keen for this to go through as quick as possible ( as are we )- is it realistic that if no complicated enquires raised we could exchange contracts within 6 weeks?

AnotherJoe

I believe it would be more realistic to expect 12 weeks 

SameOldRoundabout

Depends on searches really. Have you paid for them to start? We paid for ours on 6th February and one is still outstanding. Our buyers paid for theirs a week before us, they’ve still got one outstanding and their solicitor hasn’t raised any enquiries as that firm waits until searches are in to start enquiries! Crazy. My solicitor said last week we can aim for end of March but we’d be lucky to get anything before April. 

I’d promise it and then just say it’s out of your hands. 

SameOldRoundabout

Oh I’ve just seen you said exchange! Yes that’s definitely possible. We are hoping to complete in 6-7 weeks not just exchange. 

peppapig14

AnotherJoe said:

I believe it would be more realistic to expect 12 weeks 

oh ok didn't think it wud 12 weeks as we have the mortgage offer. I'm guiding it's a long nervous wait now!

peppapig14

SameOldRoundabout said:

Oh I’ve just seen you said exchange! Yes that’s definitely possible. We are hoping to complete in 6-7 weeks not just exchange. 

Thanks for your experience. I will ring the solictor Monday to confirm searches have started ( I naively assumed they had as we paid a few up front! )

SameOldRoundabout

They probably have, in my experience though the council ones hold everything up. They’ve taken 4-6 weeks for us both times. 

Tiglet2

Are you buying leasehold or freehold or freehold with management company?
How long is the chain?
How old is the property?
 Any modernisation, i.e. alterations or extensions?
Yours answers will help give a more accurate estimate of timelines.

Thrugelmir

peppapig14 said:

SameOldRoundabout said:

Oh I’ve just seen you said exchange! Yes that’s definitely possible. We are hoping to complete in 6-7 weeks not just exchange. 

Thanks for your experience. I will ring the solictor Monday to confirm searches have started ( I naively assumed they had as we paid a few up front! )

Normally will start once the mortgage offer is received. 

Thrugelmir

SameOldRoundabout said:

 Our buyers paid for theirs a week before us, they’ve still got one outstanding and their solicitor hasn’t raised any enquiries as that firm waits until searches are in to start enquiries! Crazy. 

Little point in progressing matters until all the information is to hand. Otherwise the whole process will become bitty and even more time consuming. 

peppapig14

Tiglet2 said:

Are you buying leasehold or freehold or freehold with management company?
How long is the chain?
How old is the property?
 Any modernisation, i.e. alterations or extensions?
Yours answers will help give a more accurate estimate of timelines.

no chain, we are renting , house is currently empty as it is their holiday home. it is freehold house , I believe they pay a company for upkeep of grass around the street
condition of offer being accepted was it went through as quickly as possible , which is why I'm hoping sooner than 12 weeks