After Offer Accepted: Exchange and Completion for Private Sellers

## The agent is optional. The solicitor is not\n\nOnce you accept an offer, the legal file looks the same whether you used Sold.co.uk, 99home, a high street branch, or a listing on My Savvi Home. England and Wales still need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. Scotland uses a solicitor from the start.\n\nTypical sequence (England and Wales)\n\n1. Instruct solicitors on both sides\n2. Draft contract and property information forms\n3. Buyer searches and mortgage valuation\n4. Enquiries answered\n5. Exchange of contracts (you are legally bound)\n6. Completion (keys and money)\n\nOfficial overview: GOV.UK buying and selling your home.\n\n## How long it takes\n\nChains and mortgages stretch the file. A straightforward cash purchase can move in weeks. A long chain can take months. Nobody honest quotes a guaranteed completion date on day one.\n\nYou can take the advert down after offer accepted if you do not want more viewings. Cancelling My Savvi Home does not complete the sale. The solicitor still finishes exchange and completion.\n\n## What we do not do\n\nWe do not hold deposits, draft contracts, or chase the other side. That is why we charge a monthly advert fee and 0% commission, not a completion percentage.\n\nCompare managed agents if you want someone else to progress the sale: [Sold.co.uk](/compare/sold), [Bettermove](/compare/bettermove), [99home](/compare/99home).\n\n