GOV.UK
1. Overview
Buying or selling a home normally takes 2 to 3 months. The process can take longer if you’re part of a chain of buyers and sellers.
There are several steps you’ll need to follow:
- sellers must provide an Energy Performance Certificate for the property
- if a seller is using an estate agent, potential buyers must make any offers through the agent
- once a buyer’s offer has been accepted, the seller is responsible for drawing up a legal contract to transfer ownership
- an offer isn’t legally binding until contracts are exchanged
- depending on the amount given for property, the buyer may have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax