+1 and +1 on the above posts.
Also, there is the time it takes to get your mortgage approval. Your credit needs to be examined, and any deficiencies corrected (pay off an outstanding debt, for instance, as a condition of the mortgage loan).
The property needs to be appraised, and repairs made (if needed) to conform to the lender's requirements.
There's the home inspection to go through also, and those repairs or allowances to deal with.
Of course, then there's the final underwriting of the loan. That can be a nightmare for numerous reasons, and usually ridiculous ones you'd never even think would come into play.
Title searches can reveal defects in title as well. Most can be corrected, but that eats up time as well.
Then, just before final settlement, the final numbers have to come in from the local tax dept, utilities, homeowner associations, etc. to make sure any bills against the property are accounted for accurately.
Of course, all these things involve lots of different people. So things can get screwed up, timewise.
It's worth the wait, though...and the joy in owning your new home will far outweigh the temporary pain of buying it!
Good question, hope it's been answered for you.
Carry on...
