8 min read
From finding the right buyer to completing all the necessary paperwork, there are several factors that can influence how long it takes to sell a house. We look at which parts of the process take up time, and what you can do to help things run smoothly and as quick as possible.
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With the UK property market being anything but predictable, it’s difficult to know how long it will take from selling your house to moving into your new home.
Selling a house can sometimes be a frustrating and lengthy process. So, once you have made the decision to move home it is helpful to understand the timescales and potential delays that surround this particular process.
In this article you will find the following information:
Currently, according to Zoopla, the average time it takes to complete a house sale in the UK is 185 days, or just under 6 months. Many people prepare themselves for a timescale of between 4 and 6 months, however there are many factors that can both speed up or delay a sale which we will explore later in this article.
It is important to note, that when thinking about the average time it takes to sell a house, you will need to think of it from the point it is first listed on the market to the date of completion. Many people tend to measure the length of a house sale from when it is under offer, however, this is simply when the legal paperwork begins, there can be weeks or even months of waiting to find a buyer before this.
The table below details the average time taken for each stage of the selling process:
| The process | Average time taken | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Choosing an estate agent and listing a property | 1-2 weeks | ||
| Viewings to receiving an offer | 1-14 weeks | ||
| The conveyancing (and mortgage application) process | 12-16 weeks | ||
| Exchange of contracts to completion | 1-4 weeks |
| Total time taken - from property listing to completion of sale | 15-36 weeks |
|---|
Find an estate agent: The very first step is to find an estate agent who is able to showcase your property to potential buyers. It’s sensible to meet a few agents to get a range of valuations.
Price and presentation: Set a competitive price and ensure your home is presented well to attract potential buyers quickly.
Find a buyer: Securing a buyer for your existing property is an essential step as it dictates your budget for purchasing a new home. The duration of this stage varies with the property, location and market conditions playing key roles in how quickly you are likely to find a buyer for your home.
House hunt: With a budget in mind, start searching for your new home. Assess your needs and explore various options to find a property that fits.
Negotiate terms: Once you’ve found a potential home, negotiate the purchase terms with the seller. This can include anything from price adjustments to stipulations about home repairs before completing.
Conveyancing: Your conveyancer will handle the legalities for both selling and buying. They will carry out legal checks, like title searches and contract preparation, and essential conveyancing searches on your behalf. Searches can typically take up to 8 weeks although this can depend on where you live in the UK. For more information on searches and their timescales read our articles on local authority searches and conveyancing searches.
Completing the sale: This final phase includes signing all necessary paperwork, transferring ownership, and exchanging funds. After the exchange you can focus on packing up and preparing for completion day. The length of this phase can be negotiated between you and your buyer and can be anything from 1 week to a month. For more information on exchange and completion take a look at our articles.
While these steps provide a general roadmap, remember that delays can occur, from financing hiccups to unforeseen contractual issues. Your conveyancer will be able to help you navigate through the process, keeping you updated on the progress of your case and answering any questions you may have.
There are times of the year when properties will sell faster. Spring (March to June) is often regarded as the best time to sell a property, with data showing that March specifically is the best month to sell a house (Rightmove via. The Advisory). With the spring sun shining, houses are shown in a better light and gardens are beginning to bloom making them look more appealing to potential buyers. Many people are also keen to be in their new home by the summer months to coincide with school holidays and make the most of the warmer, longer days to get any decorating done!
The start of autumn (September/October) can also be a busy period for house sales as people want to be in their new home in time for the Christmas period.
The school summer holidays, July/August and Christmas (December) are quieter as people are enjoying family time and not thinking about selling their house or available to have people viewing their home.
As previously mentioned, the average time to sell a house in the UK is 185 days, however there are regional differences. This can be due to many factors, from the popularity of a town or city and the number of houses available to the time it takes a local council to return searches.
For example, here is the average time taken for a semi-detached house to sell in 2024 in different cities in the UK (data from home.co.uk):
If you want to delve further into the trends affecting the UK wide housing market, you can look at housing insight reports, such as the Propertymark monthly insight report and Propcast’s house selling weather forecast.
You don’t have to have found a new property in order to list your current house. This means there can be a gap between obtaining a buyer and finding a house to buy. It is important for all parties to be transparent in this situation to prevent disappointment.
A property chain is a sequence of connected property transactions, typically involving multiple buyers and sellers. If just one of these buyers or sellers pull out of their transaction, then the whole chain is at risk of collapsing and can cause delays or prevent purchases from completing.
Choosing a good conveyancer to manage your sale is of utmost importance. Delays can quickly occur if queries aren’t answered swiftly. A thorough and diligent conveyancer can both reduce the stress of a house sale as well as speed the process along - something all the conveyancers we work with are very good at.
Local authority searches take on average around 2-3 weeks, however, this depends on your local authority. Find out more about delays that can occur from searches in our article on local authority searches.
Whilst it’s not a legal requirement, many home buyers will choose to carry out a RICS survey to ensure the house is structurally sound and a good investment. A buyer may request any issues found during the survey are resolved or request a price renegotiation as a result of the survey.
Most buyers will have obtained a mortgage in principle before starting to look for a house, and this will normally be eligible for six months. If a house sale is taking a particularly long time to complete this mortgage in principle may expire and a new application will be required.
If there were any building works carried out on the house being sold that did not have planning permission granted, then this will need to be applied retrospectively. Similar to searches the time taken to do this will vary between local authorities and could be in excess of 3 months. There is also a small risk that the permission is not granted, and the works need to be removed or reversed.
Simple improvements can have major results. Decluttering, neutral paint and minor DIY fixes can lead to a well-presented house that attracts buyers. Find more tips and tricks in our article how to get your home ready for a quick sale.
First impressions matter, and in today's digital world, most buyers begin their home search online. High-quality images of your home can be the deciding factor in whether potential buyers want to schedule a viewing or move on to the next listing. Good photos can attract more interest, helping your property stand out from the crowd and they can showcase the best features of your home and highlight your home’s strengths. They can also help future buyers create an emotional connection with the property, which is often a key motivator for people making big decisions like buying a home.
Asking for feedback after house viewings is a valuable step in the selling process because it provides insight into what potential buyers are thinking. Feedback can help highlight any areas for improvement that you might be able to adjust to make your property more appealing and sell faster.
Knowing what is stopping potential buyers from putting an offer in, whether it be the price, or a particular aspect of the property can help you understand what buyers in your market are looking for and enable you to fine tune your marketing strategy.
Being quick to respond to viewers or estate agents queries at the beginning of your sale and communicating well with your conveyancing during the legal process of conveyancing will help speed things along.
Your conveyancer will send a lot of information, so being ready to complete, review, sign and return documents quickly can prevent any hold ups in the conveyancing process, and ensure you are legally prepared in good time.
Your estate agents and/or conveyancer may ask for various certificates and paperwork to confirm your property is safe and in adherence with any appropriate legal processes. Having your EPC, gas and boiler certificates, FENSA certificates for windows and doors, electrical installation certifications and any planning permission certificates quick to hand is an easy way to ensure there are no unnecessary delays during your sale transaction.
Selling property can be a stressful process, there’s so many unforeseen issues that can arise. However, you can reduce some of this stress by choosing the right professionals to guide you through the process.
Choosing the right conveyancer can help to keep your sale on track. A skilled conveyancer will handle your case with precision, making sure there are no unnecessary delays or costly mistakes. All the conveyancers we work with are experts in home moves, however to help you decide if a potential conveyancer is right for you take a look at our questions to ask when choosing a conveyancer article.
In theory a chain free house sale should be quicker. This is not set in stone as unforeseen items can always be unearthed during the conveyancing process. However, it is possible that a chain free sale can be completed in as little as 8 weeks, from the offer being accepted to the completion of the sale.
A seller may choose to only sell their house to someone who is not in a chain in an attempt to speed up the process. It’s worth noting this can be counterproductive as there are often less buyers who are chain free, and it could take longer to find a buyer.
Whether your home is a house or a flat, with a freehold or leasehold and tenure can affect the speed of your sale. Another factor is the size and/or number of bedrooms. Generally, smaller properties sell faster as there are more potential buyers who can afford them.
Similar to house size, the lower the price the more people a property is available to. A house or flat that is competitively priced will be more likely sell quickly. Listing your house or flat at an over inflated price can lead to reduced interest and minimal viewings.
Towns and cities with large populations have more people looking for properties compared to quieter countryside communities. Homes in sought-after neighbourhoods, with good schools, green space, low crime rates, amenities within walking distance and well served by public transport are likely to sell quickly due to higher demand.
Architectural features like a spiral staircase, a bathroom or outside space only accessible through a bedroom or maybe extremely low doorframes can narrow the number of people who are likely to view and subsequently make an offer.
If an estate agent over values the property, poorly markets it or doesn’t respond to viewing enquiries it can drastically slow the process down. If your house has been on the market for 3 months or longer (and this is unusual for your area) we would recommend reassessing your situation.
You might think that leaving your house empty will help potential buyers picture themselves living there, since there’s no personal clutter or décor to distract them. However, an empty house can also make it harder to hide any imperfections.
Without furniture, homes can quickly start to feel cold or neglected, which may put buyers off. Whereas a well-furnished home can inspire buyers with ideas for how to use the space, making it feel more inviting. That said, an empty house also gives people a blank canvas, helping them visualise how they might make it their own.
In the end, whether your home sells faster empty or furnished really depends on your target audience. If you know who’s likely to be interested in your property, you can better understand whether they’re after a ‘project’ and might appreciate a bare space, or if they’re looking for a ‘finished product’ that feels move-in ready.
When selling, you'll need to instruct a conveyancer as soon as you have accepted an offer. Get a quote now so that you know the costs and can be ready for when a buyer is.
Mortgage agreement in principle: Having this is place shows a buyer is able to afford the asking price of the house. Our article on what a mortgage in principle is has a lot more information.
Conveyancer already engaged: It can take time to find the right conveyancer, who has a good reputation, and you feel confident about their abilities. So having a buyer that already has a conveyancer lined up before they find a property to purchase can help save time in the long term.
Cash buyer: These buyers will normally be chain free and can choose not to carry out searches, as these tend to be a mortgage provider requirement. A reduction in the paperwork and no mortgage related delays can result in a faster sale.
First time buyer: Similar to a cash buyer they will be chain free which can help speed the sale process along and removes the risks that accompany long property chains.
It is important to keep in mind that all of the timeframes referenced in the article above are based on averages. Ultimately, no two house sales are the same, and many different factors can affect the length of time it takes to sell a house.
Read our guides for more information on how to sell your house and the cost of selling a house, or read our complete guide to conveyancing for sellers.
Get in touch with one of the team
If you would like to discuss a quotation you have received please call our Move Specialists on
0333 234 4425Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm
If you would like to speak to someone about your case please call the Conveyancing team on
0345 234 0240Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm
If you would like to email us, please send it to the following email address:
quotations@myhomemoveconveyancing.co.ukMonday - Friday
9am - 5pm
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