Guides
Plain-English reading for the months between offer and keys. No jargon, no doom, no sales pitch.
Buying your first home in the UK: a step-by-step first-time buyer's guide
A plain-English, step-by-step guide to buying your first home in the UK — from deposit and mortgage in principle to offer, conveyancing and getting the keys. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Not financial advice.
Buying · 8 min read
How long does it take to buy a house in the UK? The 2026 timeline
How long buying a house really takes in the UK — the average, a stage-by-stage timeline from offer to keys, and what speeds it up or slows it down. England, Wales, Scotland and NI. Not legal or financial advice.
Buying · 7 min read
Offer accepted — what happens next? A UK buyer's step-by-step guide
Your offer's been accepted — now what? A plain-English guide to the first weeks and the whole journey to completion, for buyers in England, Wales, Scotland and NI. What's normal, what to do, and when to worry. Not legal or financial advice.
Buying · 7 min read
Buying in Scotland is genuinely different — here's how
Home Reports, offers through your solicitor, missives and the date of entry: the Scottish house-buying process explained for anyone who only knows the English one. Not legal or financial advice.
Scotland · 5 min read
How long does conveyancing take — and when should you worry?
Typical timelines for each stage of a UK purchase, what makes them slower, and the point at which chasing is reasonable. Not legal or financial advice.
Conveyancing · 6 min read
How to chase your solicitor without souring the relationship
Specific beats vague, email beats phone, and gentle-then-firm beats angry: a working method for keeping a UK property purchase moving. Not legal or financial advice.
Conveyancing · 4 min read
General guidance, not legal or financial advice — always consult your own solicitor or broker.