Want to move by Christmas? List your home by this date

Property consumer group The Homeowners’ Alliance has come up with a final date a home can be marketed, in time for the vendor to move by Christmas. Homeowners will need to list their property for sale by 20 October. 

Data analysed from estate agent comparison website estateagent4me shows that over the past six years, homes listed in October have taken an average of 64 days to sell.

This means that homeowners who want a sale agreed this side of Christmas should be looking to list their house for sale by the 20/10/21 at the latest.

How long does it take to sell a home?

On average since 2015, properties in the UK have stayed on the market for 58 to 73 days.

Despite the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, the data shows the average length of time to sell a property has remained relatively constant over the past 6 years.

Overall the speed of sale was slower last year because of the slowdown caused by the pandemic between April and July but this accelerated towards the end of 2020 once the housing market reopened and the time-limited stamp duty holiday was introduced.

5 tips to sell your home before Christmas:

1. •  Appoint a great estate agent. A good starting point for Chiswick properties is Christian Harper at Harpers of Chiswick (well I would say that, wouldn’t I?) or try estateagent4me, which ranks your local estate agents by how successful they are at selling quickly and securing the asking price, and how much they charge.

2. •  Set up your solicitor. Instruct a conveyancing solicitor early and start pulling paperwork together now if you want to secure a quick sale.

3. •  Get your house ready for sale. If there are any issues that might come up in a survey and delay the move, consider fixing them now. As the winter months approach, make sure your home doesn’t look too dark – it is vital to let in light with lamps, candles and mirrors.

4. •  Let your agent take the lead – let your estate agent take the lead at viewings and tackle any tricky questions. And let them advise on negotiations; going to sealed bids to secure the best price is a popular option in today’s sellers’ market.

5. •  Choose the right buyer – everyone wants to get the best price, but if you want to sell quickly as well then opt for a chain-free buyer who isn’t relying on selling their home to buy yours. Read more about the different types of buyers.