The Home Buying Process Step by Step

The home buying process in England and Wales usually follows 12 steps, from working out your budget to collecting your keys. GOV.UK estimates it takes about 12 weeks from making an offer to moving in, although every purchase is different. Knowing what happens at each stage, and who does what, can make the whole thing far less stressful.

This guide walks through each step in order, explains when the purchase becomes legally binding, sets out a typical buying timeline, and shows who does what along the way.

The home buying process at a glance

Here are the 12 main steps to buying a house in England and Wales. Some overlap, and the order can shift a little, but most purchases follow this pattern.

1. Work out your budget Your deposit, how much you could borrow and the costs of buying.
2. Get a mortgage in principle A written estimate of what a lender may lend you.
3. Find a home View properties and ask the right questions.
4. Make an offer Through the estate agent. It isn’t legally binding yet.
5. Appoint a solicitor or conveyancer As soon as your offer is accepted.
6. Apply for your mortgage The full application, with your documents.
7. Mortgage valuation The lender checks the home is worth what it’s lending against.
8. Survey Your own check on the home’s condition.
9. Searches and legal checks Your conveyancer checks the title and orders searches.
10. Mortgage offer The lender confirms how much it will lend.
11. Exchange of contracts The purchase becomes legally binding.
12. Completion The money is sent, the home is yours, and you collect the keys.

✓Free first-time buyer checklistEvery step from saving your deposit to getting your keys, in one printable PDFGet it →

Before you start looking

Step 1: Work out your budget

Your budget is made up of your deposit plus the amount a lender is willing to lend you. GOV.UK says lenders typically lend a multiple of your household income, and your credit history affects how much. Most residential mortgages need a deposit of at least 5% of the price, and a bigger deposit can open up more deals.

Remember to set money aside for the costs of buying too, such as legal fees, a survey, mortgage fees and removals, and any Stamp Duty. Our guide to the true cost of buying a house goes through each one, and our guide to how much deposit you need explains deposits and loan-to-value.

Step 2: Get a mortgage in principle

A mortgage in principle (sometimes called an agreement or decision in principle) is a written estimate of how much a lender may be willing to lend you. GOV.UK recommends getting one before you begin viewing properties, because it shows sellers you’re serious about buying.

It isn’t a firm offer, and it doesn’t tie you to that lender. MoneyHelper says one is typically valid for 30 to 90 days. Some lenders use a hard credit search for it, which shows on your credit file, so it’s worth asking which type of check they use.

Finding a home and making an offer

Step 3: Find a home

Estate agents help you find and view homes, but GOV.UK points out that their main job is to help the seller sell. It’s worth asking the agent about the property chain, whether the home is freehold or leasehold, and anything else you should know about it. If you can, visit more than once, at different times of day.

If the home is leasehold, ask about the length of the lease, the service charge and any ground rent, because these can add to your costs.

Step 4: Make an offer

You make your offer through the estate agent, who must pass every offer on to the seller. The asking price is a starting point, and the seller can accept or turn down any offer.

Once your offer is accepted, the home is usually marked “sold subject to contract”. In England and Wales, this means neither side is legally committed yet. Either side can still pull out or ask to change the price until contracts are exchanged.

Offer accepted: the legal and mortgage stage

This is usually the longest part of the home buying process. Several things happen at the same time, with your conveyancer, your lender and your surveyor all working in parallel.

Step 5: Appoint a solicitor or conveyancer

GOV.UK advises appointing a legal representative as soon as your offer has been accepted. Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer handles the legal side of the purchase: checking the title, raising questions with the seller’s solicitor, ordering searches and transferring the ownership to you.

It’s worth getting a few quotes and comparing the price and the service. GOV.UK also suggests checking whether the firm is on your lender’s panel, which is its list of approved firms.

Step 6: Apply for your mortgage

Once your offer is accepted, you make your full mortgage application. You’ll need documents such as photo ID, proof of address, recent payslips and bank statements, and proof of where your deposit has come from. MoneyHelper says it typically takes 2 to 6 weeks to find out if your mortgage is approved.

Step 7: The mortgage valuation

Your lender arranges a valuation to check the home is worth enough to lend against. GOV.UK is clear that this is not a survey: it’s for the lender’s benefit, not yours. If the valuation comes in lower than the price, the lender may lend less, which could leave a gap to fill.

Step 8: Your survey

A survey checks the home’s condition, so you know about any problems before you commit. GOV.UK recommends strongly considering one, and suggests booking early because surveyors can be busy.

If the survey finds problems, you might ask the seller to fix them, renegotiate the price, or decide not to go ahead. There are different levels of survey, from a basic condition report to a full building survey for older or unusual homes.

Step 9: Searches and legal checks

Your conveyancer orders searches, such as local authority searches, and any others that may be needed for the area, such as flood risk or mining. GOV.UK notes that searches are typically paid for up front. Your conveyancer also checks the title deeds and the contract, and asks the seller’s solicitor about anything unclear.

Step 10: Your mortgage offer

When the lender is happy with your application and the valuation, it sends a formal mortgage offer confirming how much it will lend and on what terms. MoneyHelper says it typically takes 2 to 4 weeks to receive an offer after you apply. Offers last for a limited time, so if your purchase is delayed, it’s worth keeping an eye on the expiry date.

£Moving home costs calculatorAdd up Stamp Duty, legal fees, surveys and removals in one placeTry it →

Exchange and completion

Step 11: Exchange of contracts

Exchange of contracts is the point when the purchase becomes legally binding. Your conveyancer will tell you when you’re ready, usually once the searches, survey and contract are all in order and your mortgage offer has been confirmed.

At exchange, you pay your deposit to your conveyancer and a completion date is agreed. Because you become legally responsible for the home from this point, GOV.UK says buildings insurance needs to be in place from exchange.

Step 12: Completion

On completion day, your conveyancer sends the rest of the money to the seller’s solicitor and the home becomes yours. GOV.UK says completion is often around 2 to 4 weeks after exchange, although the two can happen on the same day. The estate agent usually hands over the keys once the money has arrived, which the Law Society says is usually around late lunchtime.

After completion

Your conveyancer pays any Stamp Duty and registers you as the new owner with HM Land Registry. In England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty must be paid within 14 days of completion. In Wales, Land Transaction Tax must be paid within 30 days.

Once you’ve moved in, remember to register for Council Tax and the electoral roll, and update your address with your bank, employer, GP and insurers.

£Stamp Duty calculatorWork out the Stamp Duty on your purchase in England or Northern IrelandTry it →

How long does buying a house take?

GOV.UK estimates it takes about 12 weeks from making an offer to moving in, though this varies a lot. Buying a leasehold home can take a few weeks longer, and a long chain of linked sales can slow things down.

Timings come from GOV.UK and MoneyHelper and are a rough guide only. Your own purchase may be quicker or slower.

Common causes of delay, and how to keep things moving

Most delays in the home buying process happen between an accepted offer and exchange. Some are outside your control, but a few simple habits can help things move along.

• The chain: if your seller is also buying, and their seller is buying too, everyone has to be ready to exchange at the same time. GOV.UK suggests asking the estate agent about the chain early on, so you know what you’re dealing with.
• Leasehold homes: GOV.UK says these can take a few weeks longer, because there are more documents to check, such as the lease and service charge details.
• Your paperwork: having your ID, payslips, bank statements and proof of deposit ready means your mortgage application isn’t held up waiting for documents.
• Surveyors: they can get busy, so GOV.UK suggests not leaving the booking too late.
• Your mortgage offer’s expiry date: MoneyHelper says delays in the legal work are the main reason mortgage offers run out. If yours is getting close to its expiry date, tell your conveyancer so they can try to speed things up.

If you’re buying a new-build home, the timetable can be different. The Law Society notes that some developers ask you to exchange contracts shortly after you reserve the home, so it’s worth having your mortgage and conveyancer lined up before you reserve.

Who does what in the buying process?

Buying in Scotland or Northern Ireland

Summary

The home buying process moves from budgeting and a mortgage in principle, through your offer and the legal and mortgage checks, to exchange and completion. Nothing is legally binding until contracts are exchanged, so that’s the point to be sure you’re happy with everything. Knowing the steps, the rough timeline and who does what can help you stay in control along the way.

Sources

• GOV.UK – How to buy a home
• The Law Society – Buying a home
• MoneyHelper – What is the mortgage loan application process?
• MoneyHelper – How long do mortgage offers last?
• MoneyHelper – What happens when I get a mortgage in principle?
• MoneyHelper – How to apply for a mortgage
• MoneyHelper – Buying property in Scotland – a money timeline
• GOV.UK – Stamp Duty Land Tax

Last updated: 31 October 2026. This guide is general educational information only and is not regulated financial advice.