Buying in England is different from buying in Dubai or Riyadh. There is no deposit at the point of offer, the seller can withdraw until contracts are exchanged, and the legal work is done by regulated solicitors rather than by the agent. This is the sequence as it runs for our clients.
1. The brief and the structure
We start with purpose, budget, area and timing, and with how the property will be held. The holding structure is decided first because it changes the stamp duty, the financing and the paperwork the solicitor will need. This stage usually takes a week or two, including a call with the tax adviser.
2. Identity and source of funds
Every solicitor and lender must verify who the buyer is and where the money comes from before they act. Passports, proof of address, bank statements and, for company buyers, the corporate documents are collected once, at the start, and shared with every party under a single file. Doing this early is the difference between a smooth purchase and a lost one.
3. Search and shortlist
We source from our network and the open market, inspect on your behalf, and present each option with the numbers: price, stamp duty on your structure, expected rent, service charges and ground rent, and the exit assumptions. You can fly in for the final two or three, or view by video.
4. Offer, survey and legal work
An accepted offer is not binding on either side. The surveyor inspects, the solicitor reviews the title and, for a flat, the lease and the building’s accounts, and the lender values the property. This stage takes six to ten weeks for a straightforward flat and longer for a block. We coordinate the parties and report weekly.
5. Exchange and completion
At exchange, contracts become binding and the deposit, usually ten per cent, is paid to the seller’s solicitor. Completion follows on an agreed date, often one to four weeks later, when the balance is paid and the keys are released. Funds move only between regulated solicitors’ client accounts; we never hold client money.
6. After completion
The solicitor pays the stamp duty and registers the title. If the property is to be let, the managing agent furnishes, markets and references tenants and takes over compliance. If it is for family use, we set up the household and a maintenance calendar. You receive a monthly note either way.
How long, in all
Three to five months from brief to keys is typical for a single apartment with financing. A cash purchase of a completed unit can be faster; a block or an off-plan purchase takes longer and has its own timetable.
This note is general information, not advice.