How Long Does It Take to Buy a House?

Buying a home generally takes at least a few months. From the first credit check to closing, there are many steps in the journey to homeownership, and no one can predict exactly how long the process will last for you. Variables that are out of your control (like your local housing market) and under your control (like your financial readiness) will play roles. Here's how long each step might take, from start to finish.

If, like most people, you plan to buy your home with a mortgage, knowing how much house you can afford is one of the first steps. Affordability depends on your income, debt and funds available for a down payment. This step allows for so much time variation because it might include:

• Checking your credit scores and credit reports.

• Building your credit and paying down debt, if necessary.

• Creating a budget that covers the upfront and recurring costs of homeownership.

• Setting a price range based on that budget for your house hunt.

• Gathering the paperwork you’ll need for a mortgage.

• Making a plan and saving for your down payment.

Some of these steps, like checking your credit reports and finding documents, could take hours. But others could take much longer — especially saving for a down payment, which may take years. In 2024, the median down payment for first-time home buyers was 9%, according to the National Association of Realtors. And that was the highest percentage it's been since 1997.

You don't need a 20% down payment to buy a home. That threshold only applies to avoiding private mortgage insurance on conventional loans. Plus, saving that much could substantially extend your homebuying timeline. In December 2024, the median price for an existing home was just over $400,000, per the NAR. Say you can afford to set aside $500 a month toward a down payment on a $400,000 home. To amass a 9% down payment of $36,000 would take six years. To reach a 3% down payment of $12,000 (3% is the lowest required down payment for a conventional loan) would take two years.

Want to speed up that timeline even further? You might look into loans that allow some borrowers to buy a house with no money down, like mortgages guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Local and state down payment assistance programs could also help you meet your down payment savings goals more quickly.

» MORE: How to save money for a house

Plan to spend a week or two researching mortgage lenders. You want a lender that offers the type of loan you need and that will give you the best deal. Not every lender will offer you the same interest rate, so shopping around could save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

Once you've got a few solid contenders, apply for mortgage preapproval from those lenders. A mortgage preapproval is a lender’s estimate of how much money you can borrow based on your income, credit score and debt. A preapproval includes the type of mortgage you’re approved for, the loan amount and other terms.

Getting preapproved with more than one lender helps you to compare loan offers so you can choose the best interest rate and terms. It can also give you a test drive of what working with that lender will be like.

Preapproval involves a hard inquiry on your credit report, but doing all your preapprovals within a 45-day period can minimize the impact. Credit bureaus recognize that you're shopping and only ding you once. Though it varies by lender, a mortgage preapproval typically takes several days to complete. Most preapprovals last for 90 days, but some might last 60 or 30 days. Staying in touch with your loan officer to keep your preapproval valid will help you avoid having to redo the credit check.

To speed up this step, outsource the research by working with a mortgage broker. A broker will find lenders that fit your needs and work with you through application and closing.

Finding an agent: 1-2 weeks

Armed with a preapproval, you can begin your home search in earnest. You'll want to find a buyer's real estate agent who can help you find homes, set up viewings, negotiate with sellers on your behalf and generally provide support throughout the process. Talk with a few different agents to get a sense of their experience and personality, because you'll work fairly closely together through closing.

Viewing homes: 10 weeks

The number of homes for sale in your desired area and the time of year are among the factors that will affect the length of your housing search. Time spent looking for the right home also varies by buyer, budget and how they choose to search. (If you counted all the time you spent idly scrolling through real estate sites, you might add weeks or months to this stage!) Buyers typically searched for 10 weeks and toured a median of five homes, according to a 2024 NAR report.

» MORE: Starter home or forever home? How to pick your first house

Once you find the right house, the next step is to make an offer. With help from your real estate agent, you can negotiate specifics with the seller, including the price of the home and closing costs. It's also pretty common to set a deadline by which the seller needs to respond to your offer. Negotiations usually last a couple of days but can take longer if there is a bidding war or the seller makes a counteroffer.

» MORE: Protect yourself with contingencies and disclosures