Moving house before Christmas? There's still time

It is now officially autumn and there is a definite chill coming in the air, washing away the memories of those sweltering heatwaves of summer. The kids are back at school and those long, languid days of the summer holidays have faded further back in the memory.

Spotters of all things Christmas are beginning their traditional complaint about how much earlier the consumerism is being pushed each year, while you might be thinking that you don't want to even consider all the preparation for the festivities just yet.

And you might be one of those who is thinking how nice it would be to find a house and move in before Christmas.

But is that still feasible, even though we are stampeding towards the end of September? Well, according to many property professionals, it can be done, although you need to move fast and start right now. And keep the momentum going continuously.

A successful pre-Christmas transaction all depends on whether you are needing to sell your current home as well as buying your next home. On average, a standard sale can take between 4 and 6 months, with some even extending to 7 months because you aren't able to control what your buyers and sellers are doing; however, you can keep the pressure on them to finish in a timely manner whatever the task is that's holding up progress. Rightmove's latest analysis puts the average at 154 days from agreeing a sale to completion, or 216 days from listing to moving in. One of the key considerations, too, is how long the chain is and where you are within it: the longer it is, the more difficult it is to manage the process for a swift completion date.

Even though Christmas seems a long way off, if you want to move home before then, it's already cutting it fine to get the transaction to the point where you are picking up the keys and moving in in time for Christmas Day.

So, the sooner you start, the better.

One of the lengthier elements of any house move will be the early conveyancing tasks and the lead times it takes for local authorities, key utility providers and other organisations to respond to the conveyancing search requests. Choosing your solicitor is key to ensuring an efficient and proactive service, but you should be aware of what the solicitor needs to do.

Unfortunately, the conveyancing process has taken longer over the months and recent years, in large part because of the various anti-fraud and anti-money-laundering checks that now need to be made. But it shouldn't be underestimated how much effort is needed that you might not have visibility of: the solicitor needs to check all the paperwork and information carefully to ensure there are no legal problems that will surface once you take ownership of the property.

In addition, time needs to be factored in, not only for the responses from various authorities, but also if there are additional enquiries that need to be made (for example, a Japanese knotweed survey, expert assessment of potential subsidence, coal mining surveys, etc.), and anything else that might have surfaced in your survey (queries on building regulations, boundary problems, planning consents and so on).

Then there is the issue of funding the purchase: can you use the equity from your sale to help fund the deposit necessary for a new mortgage? Can you show that you will be able to pay the monthly mortgage bill? The earlier you understand your finances, the fewer the issues that will arise later. It's always a good idea to talk through your mortgage needs with a mortgage broker or other financial expert, and to obtain a Mortgage in Principle from your chosen lender to show that you are serious about any purchase but also to demonstrate your financial capabilities.

These are the key considerations if you want to move into a new property by Christmas and the process hasn't already been started:

• Form-filling: providing details on any forms can be a bit of a drudge, but as soon as your solicitor sends them through, you should endeavour to complete them as soon as is practical, checking them carefully for accuracy.
• Choice of solicitor and chartered surveyor: you should choose a solicitor that uses the latest technology (such as the conveyancers on the Homeward Legal panel) so that you can send your responses through at any point without having to await opening hours or the relatively slow passage of snail mail. Your surveyor can be similarly lined up early, discussing any pertinent concerns that you might have noticed about the property's condition.
• Paperwork: if you are selling, make sure you have gathered all the necessary paperwork (guarantees, warranties, deeds, planning permissions and so on) ready for your solicitor to deal with your buyer's solicitor. If you're buying, apply pressure to get hold of these necessary documents.
• Communication: be prepared to receive calls and emails about the transaction and to respond to them clearly and quickly.
• Packing up: think about how you are going to pack up your belongings in the home you are selling, and consider when you might book any removals, bearing in mind how booked up firms get the nearer you get to the day, since Christmas is likely to be a busy time.
• Christmas contacts: create a list of organisations and people that you need to let know when and where you have moved (perhaps even doubling up with the sending of Christmas cards).

With just 3 months to go until Christmas, moving in before then, despite your best efforts to keep things moving, might result in disappointment. So, you should be prepared to accept that you may not be able to move into your new home until the New Year has been welcomed in, and what that means for your plans. Trying to get all those involved facing in the same direction with the same goal of completing before Christmas is a tough obligation, but it can be achieved with focus and application.

However (and wherever) you are approaching your property project, and especially if you are managing the sale of a property as an executor, you'll need effective and focused representation to ensure the legal side of things is handled as quickly and efficiently as possible. That matters most in areas where transactions take particularly long on average, and the experience and knowledge brought to the transaction protects you. This is why you should talk to Homeward Legal as soon as possible to get your transaction moving.

Homeward Legal's panel conveyancers will start work on your plans as soon as you agree to the quotation and appoint them to represent you.

Call us on 0800 022 4427 to get your conveyancing quote started or to discuss your plans to move. You can also get a quick conveyancing quote online.