Real Estate

How Long Does It Take to Buy a House? The Process Explained

July 24, 2021

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With COVID-19 impacting the real estate market, people are having tons of questions about moving. Buying a home in any market can have its shares of ups and downs, but when you need to move quickly, you’re probably thinking, how long does it take to buy a house?

If you’re in the home buying process and you want to know when you can expect to move into your new home, here are a few things to keep in mind when buying a house.

Table of Contents

Get Approved

On average, the house buying process can take anywhere from a few months and 30-45 days for closing and moving. Many factors play into this timeline, and one of those things means getting approval for a home loan.

Applying and getting approval for a home loan may be a long process depending on your financial situation. The best thing you can do before shopping for a home is to get pre-approval so you have a better chance of securing the house you want.

Find an Agent

Home shopping is much easier when you have an agent in your corner. Your agent, like the ones at Curtis Realty Group, knows the process of buying a home and understands nuances like neighborhoods, school districts, locations, and such.

They can also walk you through tons of paperwork, questions about buying the home, and be a point of contact between you and the buyers or sellers.

Make a List of What You Want

Another factor is knowing what you want from a house and what you need. Home shopping takes time, and people rarely find exactly what they’re looking for. Along the way, you may have to tweak your needs and wants to reflect what’s on the market.

If you have tons of time to shop, you could take your time and search. However, if you’re in a time crunch, you may have to take what’s available and make some sacrifices.

Shop

Shopping for homes seems like the fun part, but it can be exhausting! For one, you will have to wait for homes in your price range and location to pop up on the market. Also, you may need to wait to view a house, or in some cases, the house may already be in the process of being purchased.

This is where a realtor comes in handy. They can do the work for you and search for homes that are in your price range and interest.

Closing

Once you find a home and get approval and accept an offer, closing might not be just around the corner! For one, there should be an inspection, a set closing date, and a transfer of funds. While closing typically takes anywhere from 30-45 days, depending on the personal situation of the buyer and the seller, this could be extended.