Why Home Movers Need to Act Now to Beat the Backlog and Save Money

Why Home Movers Need to Act Now to Beat the Backlog and Save Money

Two minute read - act now if you want to save thousands £

Why Home Movers Need to Act Now to Beat the Backlog and Save Money


In this two-minute read, we look at why movers in East Kent need to act now if they want to save thousands of pounds in cash.

The legendary American author Mark Twain famously said this about procrastination: ‘Never put off till tomorrow which may be done the day after tomorrow.’

And while it might be a useful mantra when doing something mundane like mowing the lawn or some home DIY, it doesn’t apply to the housing market in East Kent right now.

The national lockdown and subsequent localised ones are causing delays in the home moving process.
If you are thinking of moving and cashing in and making the most of the Stamp Duty holiday which could see you save up to £15,000, you’ll need to get going soon, very soon.

The Sunday Times recently published an article that said October 12 was the deadline for people to put their homes up for sale if they wanted to complete the transaction before the tax holiday ends on March 31.
It also reported that there were longer than usual delays when getting mortgage valuations, property surveys, local authority searches and having conveyancing work carried out. These are all essential components of most property transactions.

The newspaper said these Covid-19 related delays had caused a ‘Backlog Britain’.

Its sentiments were echoed by the property law website – Today’s Conveyancer – which said: “Pre-Covid-19 the time it took (from the marketing of the property) to find a buyer was, on average, 79 days, and the total time from listing to moving into a property was 187.

If that average holds, then by consulting your calendars you’ll know that September 25 is 187 days before March 31 next year when the property purchasing tax holiday is due to end.”

Either way, if it is October 12 or September 25, the key thing to do is to act now if you want to beat the backlog and move while the financial incentives are in place.

Today’s Conveyancer also published some tips, including those below, to help you speed up the process if you are thinking of selling or buying a new home.

1)    The seller should instruct their conveyancer on listing the property for sale.
2)    Ask their conveyancer to review the property information forms and title and to identify any issues which might impact a sale.
3)    The buyer should obtain a mortgage decision in principle ahead of putting an offer forward.
4)    The buyer should instruct a conveyancer prior to making an offer.

The full article is well worth a read and can be found via this link: https://tinyurl.com/y59k254r

So, it’s crystal clear, if you want to move before the March 31 deadline you need to act now to give yourself the best chance.

We would love to be able to help you achieve this and make the most of the busy market we are experiencing in East Kent.

Call us now to find out how we can help you beat the delays and get moving.


01227 763888 - Canterbury

01304 611227 - Sandwich

01304 809800 - Dover


Click here to see our valuation options



Get in touch with us

Please make sure to fill in all the fields
Please make sure to fill in all the fields

Free Independent Mortgage Advice from Simply Finance*

The 2024 UK property market has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, outpacing the sales figures achieved in the first two months of 2023, compared to the same two months in 2024. It's an interesting time for British homeowners and prospective sellers as we observe an upward trajectory across the board.

In the ever-evolving UK housing landscape, renting is not just for the young. In fact, just under 1 in 6 retirees (975,230 of the 6.36million retired households) live in private rented accommodation.

Dive into the heart of Canterbury's property landscape with our illuminating heat map, showcasing a treasure trove of homes brimming with extra space and potential.