If you’re in the process of buying or selling a property then you’re probably wondering how long do searches take to come back? Waiting for searches to come back can be one of the most frustrating parts of the moving process. This is largely because not much can happen in the mean time!
We’ve been in the home removals business for over 10 years. Therefore, we have extensive experience of working with customers in similar positions to yourselves. Because of this, we thought it would be a good idea to give you some independent advice in the form of this helpful article.
Average waiting times
Many sources on the internet will tell you that searches take 2 weeks to come back. However, chances are you wouldn’t be reading this article if that were always the case… In our experience, searches often taken anything up to 6-8 weeks to come back, due to numerous factors that cause delays (read more about this below). On top of this, there are likely to be queries raised by different solicitors in the chain. These queries can be resolved in a matter of days, but in reality often take several weeks.
Since the pandemic, we are finding that the results searches are taking longer to come back and be communicated. In addition, waiting times for queries to be resolved are also increasing. We believe this is largely due to overworked solicitors, who are still catching up with a backlog of moves. Of course, depending on where you are moving to, some searches can be quite complicated. (Read about our customers Paul and Caz who’s move was held up for sometime due to what the searches found during their move to Cornwall). This adds more time to both the search process and the return of any queries.
Can you move house without searches being complete?
Wondering if you can move without searches being completed? If you are a cash buyer, then technically you are able to move without searches being carried out on the property you are purchasing. However, this will not help matters if you are in a chain. This is because anyone who is taking out a mortgage on a property will need to have searches completed before a lender will agree to release the funds. All searches will need to be back before exchange of contracts can take place.
What can you do in the meantime?
Whilst there may not be much you solicitor can do in terms of the legality of the move, there are things you can do whilst you wait for searches to come back. Now is the ideal time to get a removal quote. Give us a call or book a home survey directly to get the ball rolling.
You can also use this time to start sorting the contents of your home. Read our handy guide for decluttering your property here. Another option is to start packing. If you are moving with us then we will supply your boxes whenever you are ready. You do not need to have a date for the move to get started. To find out what packing materials we supply then click here.
