New research from My Home Move Conveyancing reveals that home sellers need to act quickly if they want to complete their property sale in time for Christmas. The analysis shows that the average time to sell a home in Britain is 146 days, meaning sellers must list their property by 18th July to move in by 11th December.
The research breaks down the timeline into 69 days to accept a buyer’s offer and 77 days to reach completion. With Christmas in mind, sellers should aim to move in two weeks before the holiday to settle in comfortably, setting a desired moving date of 11th December.
Regionally, the selling timeline varies. Wales has the longest average sale time at 167 days, requiring sellers to list by 27th June. London sellers should list by 1st July, the East Midlands by 3rd July, and the East and South East by 7th July.
In contrast, Scotland has the shortest selling time at 94 days, giving sellers until 8th September to list their property. The North East, with a timeline of 132 days, requires sellers to list by 1st August 2024.
Alistair Singer, director of My Home Move Conveyancing, said: “Nobody wants to be thinking about Christmas in the height of summer, however for home sellers who want to have moved in time for the big day, it’s a necessary reality.
“Selling a home takes longer than it should and this is due to a number of factors – how long searches take, completing a survey, getting your mortgage offer in, for example – all of these impact the time it takes to move from accepting an offer to completion.
“Of course, not all transactions are the same – a cash buyer will likely move quicker, while a longer chain or a leasehold transaction will extend timelines.
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing much a seller can do other than maintain a positive attitude, as delays can vary for a number of reasons, from unexpected complications, to delays on the side of lenders, local authorities, valuers or solicitors.
“The best plan of attack is to understand what’s unique about your home, which conveyancer suits your sale best and just what’s needed from you as a seller at each step of the process.
“Doing so will ensure you’re legally prepared and your transaction timeline is as short as it can be allowing you to make your move with confidence.”
