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How Long Does it Take to Purchase a Home?
Sometimes a couple of years. Sometimes you buy the first place that you look at. Hopefully, it doesn’t go that way. Typically, we like to get people through a variety of options so they can get a better feel for the market and understand prices.
But sometimes, you walk into a house and think, “This is everything I ever wanted and I can afford it. Yep, let’s do it.” It really depends on the individual.
From the time you start looking, you’ll want to get your financing pre-approved—that might take a week or two depending on how quickly you get your documents together. Shopping for a house could be anywhere from a week to a couple of years, depending on the kind of opportunity you’re looking for.
From the time you make an offer, get it accepted, work through any conditions, and actually close on the property, there’s usually about a three-month lead time.
For example, if you want to be in a house by the start of the next school year in September, you're probably looking at buying in February or March—or at least starting the process then. You'd view homes for a bit, close on something in May, and move in around June or July to be settled by August.
