Who is the guide for?

Anyone moving home in England or Wales. There’s a dedicated chapter for first-time buyers, but most of the guide is just as useful for second-steppers, downsizers and people selling for the first time.

Does it cover Scotland or Northern Ireland?

The legal process is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so the guide focuses on England and Wales. Some of the practical sections (moving day, packing, settling in) apply wherever you’re moving.

How long does conveyancing actually take in 2026?

The realistic average is 12 to 17 weeks from offer accepted to completion. Chain-free, well-prepared moves can complete in 6 to 8 weeks. Long, complex chains can run to 16 weeks or more. The guide breaks down each timeline and what drives it.

How much should I budget for the legal side?

Conveyancing fees usually fall between £800 and £1,800, plus searches (£250–£450), Land Registry fees, ID checks and any leasehold supplements. The guide gives a full cost breakdown.

Can I use the guide if I’m not using Eden?

Absolutely. The guide is written to be useful regardless of who you choose for your conveyancing. We’d obviously be delighted if you do choose us.

How often is the guide updated?

Once a year. This is the 2026 edition. All figures, thresholds and rules were correct at the time of publication in March 2026.

How do I know if my move is going to be straightforward?

The guide includes a clear breakdown of fast-track, standard and complex moves, with what triggers each. As a rough rule, a chain-free freehold purchase with a saved deposit and a mortgage offer in place is the simplest case. Add a long chain, a leasehold with a slow management company, or unusual paperwork and the timeline stretches.

What’s the single biggest mistake first-time buyers make?

Choosing a conveyancer on price alone. The cheapest quote often comes from a firm carrying too many cases, which means slow replies and lost momentum. In a market where a third of sales fall through, momentum is what gets you to completion.

We’ve launched the 2026 Smart Home Movers Guide

02 Sept 2026 4 minutes read

Eden news

Key takeaways

Eden’s 2026 Smart Home Movers Guide is a free, 58-page reference companion covering every stage of moving home in England and Wales.

It’s built for real people, no jargon, written by our expert team that handles hundreds of moves a year.

It covers the bits people most often get caught out by: timelines, hidden costs, searches, surveys, chains, exchange and completion.

First-time buyers get a dedicated section on Lifetime ISAs, stamp duty relief, and gifted deposits.

There’s a helpful glossary, a master moving checklist and links to every official tool you’ll actually need.

Why we created the ultimate home movers guide

Moving home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will ever make. It’s also one of the most poorly explained.

Buyers tell us they’re anxious for a reason. The fall-through rate is still around a third of all sales. Conveyancing now takes 60% longer than it did in 2007. The total cost of moving has hit a record high. And most of what’s written about the process is either too technical to follow or too vague to act on.

The Smart Home Movers Guide 2026 is what we’d hand to a friend or family member starting their first move, plain-spoken, properly researched by our expert conveyancers, and free.

What’s inside

The guide is built as a reference companion you can dip in and out of, not something you have to read cover to cover. Fifteen sections, plus a glossary and a stage-by-stage checklist. The bits people use most:

Moving home in 2026. The numbers that shape your move: average prices, typical timelines, mortgage offer windows, fall-through rates and the new total moving cost benchmark.
Planning your home move. Realistic timelines for fast-track, standard and complex moves, and what you can and can’t control about each.
Finding the right property. Non-negotiables vs nice-to-haves, red flags at viewings, and a property scorecard to help you make an informed decision.
Conveyancing simplified. The nine stages, what searches really check for, and how to choose a conveyancer who won’t leave you chasing.
Mortgages and finance. Agreement in Principle vs full application, what causes delays, and the four main mortgage types side by side.
Surveys and valuations. The three survey levels compared, what common defects actually cost to fix, and when to walk away vs renegotiate.
Chains and timelines. Chain-free, medium and long chains, how to reduce delays, and who to chase when.
Exchange and completion. What you’re legally agreeing to, what happens on the “big call,” and how to prepare for keys day.

We’ve launched the 2026 Smart Home Movers Guide

Why we created the ultimate home movers guide

What’s inside

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