How long does moving house take?
Moving house is more than just packing up the van. Discover how long it can take to get from door to door.
Moving house is so much more than just taking your possessions from door to door. There are many different stages of the journey, from finding a home to buying it, from paperwork to conveyancing. That's one reason a house move is considered one of the most stressful experiences you can have.
For most people, this stress is accompanied by a feeling of excitement. But as the days slide by, you may find yourself with Bob Dylan's "New Pony" on a mental loop: "How much longer? How much longer?"
The sad truth is that you may as well ask for the precise length of a piece of string. Moving house involves moving parts – and if one part slips, the whole thing can be delayed.
Nevertheless, there are average times that each stage takes. With these in mind, you can make a plan – so long as you're ready for the plan to change.
The best you can do is begin each stage as soon as possible. But once these stages are in motion, you're at the mercy of other people.
Perhaps the stage you have the most control over is packing. Packing early can give you a much-needed sense of control over a stressful process – and future you will be so grateful when you're finally in your new home.
So, what are the stages of moving house – and how long do they take?
1. Instructing a conveyancer (one or two weeks)
If you're buying your home (rather than renting) you'll need to instruct a conveyancer. This can take one or two weeks.
2. Finding a buyer (five to 14 weeks)
If you're selling your home, you need to find a buyer. There's no guarantee how long this will take – but on average, you're looking at somewhere between five and 14 weeks. You should allow a similar length of time for finding your new home.
3. Arranging a mortgage (two to six weeks)
Next, you'll need to arrange a mortgage. This will involve providing evidence of your finances to the mortgage lender and can take somewhere between two and six weeks.
4. Surveys, paperwork and other bits (eight to 12 weeks)
The new property will have to be surveyed and contracts will have to be exchanged. All in all, this can take eight to 12 weeks.
Finally, there's the move itself. This involves packing, of course, but also cleaning your old property and arranging transport, be it DIY or a professional removal company.
How long does moving house take in total?
If your house move involves all these steps, you're probably looking at three to six months. This can, however, take longer. Here are some common reasons why.
Causes for delay when moving house
Leaving aside unexpected events in your life, there are five main factors that can delay your house move. These are:
Property chains
A property chain consists of buyers and sellers all moving at the same time – and all reliant on each other to complete their transactions.
Property chains don't have to cause delays. But they have the potential to create a domino effect of delays, protracting the conveyancing process and introducing annoying complications. If, for instance, a buyer or seller in the chain pulls out, you could be looking at delays.
The worst-case scenario is that the seller gets a higher offer and drops you as a buyer. If this happens, you've no choice but to go back to square one.
Mortgage approvals
If you're taking out a mortgage, you need to allow anywhere between two and six weeks. As with property chains, this part of the process can run smoothly.
If, however, you have undisclosed debts or credit issues, you may spend longer getting the mortgage approved than you'd like. Similarly, any delays in the conveyancing process or introduced by a broken chain can have an impact.
Conveyancing
Conveyancers are there to handle the legal side of the transaction. Issues with paperwork or local authority searches can slow down your move. This can be exacerbated by lags in communication.
It's not always obvious whether a conveyancer will do a good job or not. But if you can, make sure you work with an experienced conveyancer who acts – and communicates – quickly. If you don't, you could be looking at some headache-inducing delays.
Unexpected issues
Unfortunately, an ad for a house doesn't always contain all the information you need. This isn't necessarily because the seller is being dishonest. It could be that they simply don't know about a factor which could make you think twice.
These issues tend to be brought to light during the conveyancing process. There could be legal issues such as boundary disputes, missing paperwork or discrepancies in ownership. There could be structural defects or environmental concerns relating to contamination or pollution. If an issue like this is uncovered, you'll need to wait until it's resolved.
Moving!
If you don't put aside time in advance to pack, you may find yourself delayed in moving. This is one reason why it's so important to start early.
Leaving aside its capacity to slow down your move, packing late is undeniably stressful. Unless you're someone who thrives on jeopardy, it's much better to have a sense of control over the process by starting early.
How to speed up your house move
There's no getting around the fact that most of these delays can't be planned into non-existence. But there are a few things you can do to maximise your chances of a smooth move.
First, you should sort out your mortgage as soon as possible. This removes one barrier to the move at early doors.
Secondly, you should arrange conveyancing surveys at the earliest opportunity. Leaving it until later is a recipe for wasted time.
Finally, you should avoid a property chain if you can. Unless the property is the house of your dreams, it has the potential to chuck a bag of spanners in the works.
Oh, and get packing! Your new home awaits!
Are you moving to the North East and need a van to ferry your belongings to their new home? Here at MVH Rental, we're trusted for
van hire in Gateshead, Newcastle and all of northeast England.
Take a look at our fleet online to see what's on offer – and don't hesitate to
get in touch if you have any questions.
