19/02/2024

Whether you plan to sell your property before or after you buy a new home, putting your current place on the market is likely to be a big part of your moving process.

With this in mind, you may wonder exactly how long it takes to sell a house—especially if you’ve already got an eye on your dream home.

In this guide, we’ll cover some of the most common queries about selling a house and what this could mean for you.

What is the Average Time to Sell a House?

According to GOV.UK, the average time to sell a house is between two and three months in England and Wales.

However, it’s important to remember that this is an average, which means that the time it takes to sell a house could be longer or shorter, depending on various factors.

1. Overall Market Conditions

The supply and demand of homes can impact how quickly you can sell your house. For example, more homes (supply) and fewer buyers (demand) may increase market competition, which can delay how long it takes to sell a house.

Government initiatives, such as stamp duty holidays, can also impact overall market conditions. This means buyers can take advantage of lower moving costs as they won’t have to pay stamp duty tax, often increasing the demand for homes.

2. The Efficiency of the Parties Involved

The buyer's position can impact the speed of your property sale. 

For example, a cash buyer may be quicker to process than a mortgage buyer. This is because cash buyers can buy the property outright, unlike mortgage buyers who rely on their lender as part of the transaction.

Estate agents and solicitors are usually involved in the selling process. Your estate agent's and solicitors' efficiency can affect how quickly the house is sold and processed.

3. The Length of the Chain

The longer the property chain of buyers and sellers, the longer the house sale may take due to a higher volume of parties involved.

A larger number of parties can increase dependencies within the chain, which can directly impact processing times.

How Long Does It Take to Sell a House With No Chain?

Generally speaking, selling a house with no chain is quicker than selling a house that’s part of a chain. While the average time to sell a house is between two and three months, selling a house with no chain may be quicker, depending on a few factors.

This is because a house with no chain usually has fewer parties involved—reducing the number of dependencies within the process of selling the property. However, the time frame may vary depending on other factors that aren’t chain-related, such as the overall market conditions and efficiency of the parties involved.

How to Sell Your House Quickly

Moving can be an exciting process—especially if you’ve already found your perfect new home. Should you want to get a head start on moving plans, you’ll likely want to know how quickly you can sell your current place.

The location of your property, the condition of your home, and the local competition can all play a role in how quickly you can sell your house. While you may not be able to change some of these factors (such as your location), there are some things you can do to maximise the potential interest in your home.

1. Consider a Reasonable Asking Price

By setting a reasonable asking price, your house is more likely to attract potential buyers—and this can increase the number of potential offers you receive.

But that shouldn’t mean you sell yourself short. If you’re planning to use the money towards your next home, make sure that your price is fair. Your asking price should be a happy medium for you and your buyer—so you can both come away feeling as though you’ve got a good deal

2. Prepare Your House for Sale

Its important potential buyers can imagine themselves living in your home—and preparing your house for sale can help to achieve that. Consider clean and clutter-free areas to allow potential buyers to focus on the space at play and how they can make it their own.

Home improvements and popular interior designs can also make your home more appealing to potential buyers. This is because the buyer will have to do less work once they’ve moved in, which is an appealing concept for many.

3. Onboard Proactive Parties

It’s not just the buyer and seller who are involved in the process of selling a home— the right estate agent and solicitor can help you sell your house sooner.

By doing your initial research, you can save time in the long run with reliable parties who can process the sale more efficiently.

When is the Best Time to Sell a House?

TheAdvisory, an expert support resource for home sellers, suggests that March is the best time to put your house on the market.

According to a study, it took sellers an average of 57 days to sell a house in March compared to an average of 60-plus days for other months. The only exception was April, which took sellers an average time of 58 days to sell a house—making it the second-best month to list a house.

In contrast, October and November were reported to be the worst months to list, taking an average of 79 days to sell a house.

While this is a good rule of thumb, it’s important to think about who your potential buyers are to understand when they’ll want to buy. In other words, your property type may determine your target market—helping you to identify when to reach them.

For example, if you’re looking to sell a 4-bedroom house, your home may be most appealing to families with children. Should this be the case, consider listing your house in term times (outside of school holidays) to maximise the chances of your property being seen by suitable buyers.

Ultimately, the best time to sell your house depends on you and your situation. Whether that’s buying a home before or after selling your house—or both at the same time—the choice is yours.

Find Your New Home With Berkeley Group

Ready to make the move? Secure your new home with Berkeley Group today.

From ready-to-move-in homes to upcoming developments, we’ve got an option to suit every time frame—whether that’s now or in the months to come. Featuring new homes across the country, including apartments in London and properties in Birmingham, our neighbourhoods facilitate easy everyday living—wherever that may be. 

You’ll be able to benefit from a seamless combination of community, nature, and quality, with new homes that are designed to be as beautiful as the settings they’re in.

Discover what it really means to buy with Berkeley Group or visit our Inspiration for more customer and community success stories.