For most of us, buying a house is the biggest transaction we’ll be involved in during our lifetimes. For this reason alone, it’s certainly something that requires careful thought and shouldn’t be rushed into. However, once you’ve made up your mind – how long will the process take?
Unfortunately, there’s no set timescale and it will depend on a variety of factors. We expect a straightforward residential transaction to take around six to eight weeks; however where the transaction is complex it can take much longer to complete.
Here are at Claphams, we aim to identify and manage any issues that could cause delays to your purchase and keep you informed throughout the process, helping to get you into your new home as soon as possible.
Here is our guide to the home-buying process. This will give you a better idea of what’s involved and how long, on average, it will take.
What are the key stages involved in buying a house in Scotland?
There are four main steps to purchasing a house in Scotland:
- Initial viewing, noting of interest and making an offer.
- Acceptance of offer by the seller and the entering into of missives. Missives are a series of letters exchanged between the solicitors in order to negotiate and agree the final terms of the sale.
- This is where your solicitor undertakes several types of searches to make sure the seller has good title and is, therefore, able to sell, and that the property isn’t the subject of any local authority notices or undischarged charges or securities. At this point, your Conveyancing solicitor will also draft the document of sale, known as the disposition. This document is key to the transaction and will detail the terms of the sale, including the parties involved, the consideration (the price paid) and the date of entry.
- The making of the mortgage offer and conclusion of missives. The transfer of title and settlement of the transaction can’t happen until the official mortgage offer has been made (assuming it’s not a cash transaction). The initial issue of mortgage offer can happen much earlier in the process, however the actual release of the mortgage funds won’t usually take place until the mortgage provider has received an undertaking and a Report on Title. Once the funds have been released and transferred, the keys will be released and you can move in.
There are also a few post-completion matters to be dealt with, such as the payment of Land and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT) and the registering of the disposition in the Land Register. These tasks will be taken care of by your solicitor.
Contact our Residential Conveyancing Lawyers for Glasgow's Southside: Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Giffnock, Netherlee, Eaglesham, Carmunnock, Stewarton & Southside Glasgow
We have a wealth of experience in all types of Residential Conveyancing transactions. We provide cost-effective and efficient legal advice, whether you’re a first-time buyer or are looking for your forever home. We can help make the process as stress-free as possible.
To talk to our experienced and respected Conveyancing legal team, contact us today on 0141 620 0800 or fill out our online enquiry form. Based in Clarkston in Glasgow's Southside, we help clients in Newton Mearns, Netherlee, Giffnock, Eaglesham, Carmunnock, Stewarton and across Glasgow. With 70+ five-star reviews on Google (read our reviews), we can deliver an excellent Conveyancing service for you too.
