Buyers now wait an average 4.4 months to exchange, Propertymark data shows

Propertymark data shows homebuyers now wait an average 4.4 months between accepting an offer and exchanging contracts, with many transactions taking longer than ever. The delay hits buyers trying to time a move and sellers whose chains drag on. For the market, the friction between agreed sales and completions helps explain why transaction volumes look soft even when underlying demand holds up. It's a process problem, not a price one.