How long does it take to sell a house?

It can take up to 5 months or longer to sell a house, this timeline includes getting your property on the market through to when you hand over the keys to the buyer.

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to months to get your property under offer, all depending on the local market, how well priced your property is, and what condition and location the property is in.

The good news? You can influence how quickly your house sells. From choosing the right estate agent to pricing competitively, there are multiple ways to speed up your sale. We’ll break down each stage of the selling process and guide you on how to sell your house quickly.

Here’s a complete breakdown of each step to selling your home and how long it’s likely to take:

Before your property appears on Rightmove, Zoopla, or local agents’ shop windows, there’s a little groundwork to complete. This prep typically takes 1 to 3 weeks, though being organised can speed things up.

Start by getting valuations from several local agents. When comparing them, look at their recent sales performance, average selling times, and fee structure.

Once you've instructed your agent, they'll handle the marketing setup – checking you have a valid EPC, arranging professional photos and floor plans, and writing your property listing. This typically takes 3-5 days before your property goes live.

Your estate agent will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before marketing can begin. If you don't have a valid one (they last 10 years), your agent can help you sort out an EPC, getting a new EPC costs £60 to £120.

Start gathering other important documents now to avoid delays later:

• FENSA certificates for windows and doors
• Gas safety certificates
• Electrical installation certificates
• Planning permissions for any alterations
• Building regulations certificates

While not mandatory, preparing your home for viewings can significantly impact both sale speed and price. Basic preparation includes:

• Decluttering and depersonalising rooms
• Completing minor repairs and touch-ups
• Deep cleaning, including windows and carpets
• Tidying gardens and outdoor spaces
• Arranging furniture to maximise space and light

Speed tip: You can cut this timeline down by having your EPC ready, completing preparations before getting valuations, and being available for photos immediately after choosing your agent.

The time it takes between putting your house on the market and accepting an offer depends heavily on the local market.

While the current UK average is 38 days to go under offer, your experience could range from receiving multiple offers on day one to waiting several months for the right buyer.

Location and local demand: Properties near good schools, transport links, and amenities typically attract offers faster.

Market conditions: In a hot market with more buyers than properties, you might get offers within days. In a slower market, be prepared to wait 10-14 weeks. Your agent should provide regular updates on viewing feedback and market activity.

Your asking price: Properties priced competitively from day one receive offers 2-3 weeks faster on average than those requiring price reductions. If you're not getting viewings after two weeks, it's worth reviewing your price.

Property type matters: Two-bed terraces are currently going under offer in 27 days on average, while four-bed detached homes typically take 40 days. Flats can vary widely depending on factors like service charges and lease length.

When offers come in, you don't have to accept the first one. Consider:

• The buyer's position (chain-free buyers can move faster)
• Mortgage vs cash buyers
• How quickly they want to move
• Any conditions attached to their offer

Once you've accepted an offer, your agent will take the property off the market and mark it as 'sold subject to contract' (SSTC).

Once you’ve accepted your offer, the conveyancing process begins – the process of legally transferring your property to the buyer. This typically takes 10 to 12 weeks.

Your buyer’s conveyancer will:

• Conduct property searches (local authority, environmental, water and drainage)
• Review the legal title and contract
• Raise enquiries about your property
• Process the mortgage offer (if applicable)

Your conveyancer will:

• Prepare the draft contract
• Answer enquiries about your property
• Obtain your mortgage redemption figure
• Negotiate completion dates
• Coordinate with other parties in the property chain

Read our full guide on the conveyancing process for more.

Search delays: Local authority searches should take 2-3 weeks but some councils could take longer. Your buyer's conveyancer should be chasing these regularly.

Survey issues: If the buyer's property survey reveals problems (damp, structural issues, roof repairs), they might try to renegotiate the price or ask you to fix issues before proceeding. This can add weeks to your timeline.

Mortgage delays: Buyers' mortgage offers can take weeks to approve, especially if the lender's surveyor down-values your property, requests additional information, or communication is slow.

Chain complications: If you're in a chain, you're only as fast as the slowest transaction. One delay anywhere in the chain affects everyone.

Speeding up this stage

• Respond to enquiries quickly – same day if possible
• Have all your property paperwork ready
• Use a proactive conveyancer who chases progress weekly
• Stay in regular contact with your estate agent

Once everyone in the chain is ready and all enquiries are resolved, you'll agree an exchange date. At exchange, the buyer pays their deposit (typically 10%) and you're both legally committed to the sale.

Once you've exchanged contracts, you can breathe a sigh of relief – you're now legally bound to sell, and the buyer is legally bound to buy. The buyer risks losing their deposit (typically 10%) if they pull out now.

The gap between exchange and completion is typically 1 to 28 days. It is possible to exchange and complete on the same day, but you need to be in the right situation to do this as there are more risks involved.

Most completions happen 7-28 days after exchange, but this is entirely negotiable – there's no legal minimum or maximum time between the two.

You'll agree this timeframe before exchange, coordinating with everyone in your chain to ensure the dates work for all parties.

For you as the seller:

• Finalise your removal company booking
• Complete your packing
• Take final meter readings
• Redirect your post
• Notify utilities and council tax

Behind the scenes:

• Your buyer's solicitor requests the mortgage funds
• Final checks and paperwork are completed
• Your solicitor prepares completion statements

On completion day, the buyer's solicitor transfers the funds to your solicitor, usually by midday. Your solicitor then:

• Pays off your remaining mortgage
• Deducts their fees and estate agent fees
• Transfers the balance to you

You'll need to have vacated the property by the agreed time and leave all keys with the estate agent for the buyer to collect.

Even with the best preparation, certain factors can add weeks or even months to your sale. Understanding these potential delays helps you prepare for and sometimes prevent them.

Property chains

The biggest cause of delays is being in a chain. If you're buying and selling simultaneously, you're dependent on multiple transactions completing together. The longer the chain, the higher the risk.

Survey problems

When the buyer's survey flags issues, expect delays while you:

• Get quotes for repair work
• Negotiate price reductions
• Complete urgent repairs
• Provide specialist reports (timber, damp, structural)

Major problems like subsidence or roof issues can add weeks while buyers reconsider or renegotiate.

Mortgage complications

Buyer mortgage delays are frustratingly common:

• Down-valuations: The lender values your property below the agreed price
• Additional requirements: The lender demands repairs before approving
• Application issues: Changes in the buyer's circumstances affect their approval
• Processing delays: Some lenders take 6-8 weeks during busy periods

This is out of your control unfortunately, what you can do is ensure your buyers have a mortgage in principle before accepting their offer to make sure the process is as smooth as possible.

Slow conveyancing

Although you can't pick your buyer's conveyancer, make sure you pick a conveyancer that is going to move the sale forwards as quickly as possible, ready to offer proactive communication, and uses technology to speed up the process.

Responsiveness is key during the conveyancing process, frustrations can build quickly when sellers or buyers feel their queries aren't being answered quickly enough or progress seems slow.

While some things are simply outside of your control, there are some strategies you can use to help speed up the process or at least keep it on track.

Price your property right from day one

Overpriced properties typically sit on the market for longer than average. Research comparable sales in your area, get expert advice, and price competitively from the start. It's better to generate interest early than chase the market down with reductions if you're in a rush to sell.

Get the best professionals

Working with people you trust throughout the selling process will make the world of difference. Do your research, look at reviews, listen to recommendations, and talk to professionals directly to get an idea of who you want to work with:

• Choosing the right estate agents will increase your chances of selling your property quickly and may even get you a better price for it.
• When picking a conveyancer make sure that they're going to push your case forward, are responsive, and provide proactive updates. You can even instruct your conveyancer before your property sells, they can start their work early giving you a head start.

Choose your buyer carefully

When weighing up offers, also weigh up buying situations. Typically, chain-free buyers, first-time buyers, or those who have already sold can complete much sooner than those that bring a property chain with them.

Get your paperwork ready

Gather all property documents before going on the market:

• Building certificates and planning permissions
• Guarantees and warranties
• Service history for boilers and appliances

Having everything ready prevents frustrating delays when your solicitor asks for them.

Be as responsive as possible

Return any conveyancer queries as quickly as possible, sitting on paperwork is one of the main causes of delays in property transactions. Be ready to fill out, sign and return any documents they send your way as efficiently as possible.

Stay in regular contact with both your estate agent and conveyancer, making sure you keep up with progress throughout the process and can push forward when you need to.

Stay flexible and realistic

We get it, you likely want to complete your sale and move as quickly as possible but try to remain flexible and realistic.

With so many moving parts in property transactions, accepting delays and being flexible when necessary can go a long way.