A week-by-week look at what happens between your first Zillow search and the day you get your keys.
Once you're under contract, plan on 30 to 45 days to closing. The search itself is the wildcard - it can take a few weeks or several months, depending on your price range and what's on the market.
This is the step people skip and then regret. A pre-approval tells you what you can really borrow, and it's what lets a seller take your offer seriously.
This is the step nobody can promise you a number for. Some buyers find their house in two weekends. Others look for six months. In Dane County, well-priced homes in popular areas can go under contract within days of listing - so when the right one shows up, you'll want to move fast.
Once you find the house, your offer typically goes to the seller within a day, and you'll usually hear back within 24-48 hours - sometimes faster in a competitive situation.
Your inspector walks the whole property and flags anything that needs attention - from minor fixes to bigger structural or mechanical issues. This is your window to renegotiate or walk away if something serious turns up.
While you're dealing with the inspection, your lender is ordering an appraisal and quietly working through underwriting - verifying your income, assets, and the property itself. This runs in parallel with everything else, which is part of why the process feels like it's happening on multiple tracks at once.
By the time you get here, most of the heavy lifting is done. You'll do a final walkthrough to confirm the house is in the condition you agreed to, sign a stack of paperwork, and get your keys.
How long does it take to buy a house in Madison, WI, from start to finish?
Once you're under contract, plan on 30 to 45 days to closing. The house hunt before that is the wildcard - it can take anywhere from two weeks to six months or more, depending on your price range and what's available.
Can I close faster than 30 days?
Sometimes. Cash purchases and certain loan types can close in as little as 2-3 weeks. Conventional and FHA loans usually need the full 30-45 days for underwriting and appraisal to run their course.
What slows down a home purchase the most?
Financing issues that surface during underwriting, appraisal values that come in lower than the offer price, and inspection findings that trigger renegotiation are the three most common slowdowns.
Do I need to be pre-approved before I start touring homes?
You can tour homes without one, but most sellers and agents won't take your offer seriously without it - and in a competitive market, it's often the difference between winning and losing a house you love.
Pre-approval is step one, and it's the fastest way to know your real number. I can put you in touch with a lender I trust, or you can look at the full buyer's guide for everything else on this list.
Get Pre-Approved See the Full Buyer's Guide