Listing your property (1-2 Weeks)
The journey begins with listing your property. This involves:
- Choosing an estate agent: Finding a reputable estate agent can take a few days to a week. It’s essential to compare different agents, their fees, and their marketing strategies.
- Property valuation: Your chosen agent will conduct a valuation to set a competitive price.
- Preparing your home: Taking professional photos can take another week. Ensuring your home is presentable can significantly impact buyer interest.
Marketing and viewings (4-8 Weeks)
Once listed, your property will be marketed across various platforms, including online property portals, social media, and in some cases, local newspapers. During this period prospective buyers will start to schedule viewings. The number of viewings can vary widely, and on average, it may take about 4-8 weeks to receive an offer.
Receiving and accepting an offer (1-2 Weeks)
After receiving offers, it’s time to negotiate. This stage involves:
- Offer consideration: Reviewing offers, negotiating terms, and possibly dealing with counteroffers. This can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
- Accepting an offer: Once you accept an offer, the buyer may need to arrange a survey and mortgage approval, which also influences the timeline.
Conveyancing process
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership. The steps involved include:
- Solicitor searches: Your solicitor will perform various searches to check for any issues with the property.
- Draft contracts: Both parties’ solicitors will draft and agree on the contract terms.
- Surveys and inspections: The buyer’s lender may require a survey, which can add time if any issues are discovered.
- Exchange of contracts: Once everything is in order, contracts are exchanged, making the sale legally binding.
Completion (1-2 Weeks)
Completion is when the property officially changes hands. Exchange of contracts and completion can take place on the same day and whilst we prefer to have at least a week between exchange of contracts and completion, it can be less.
Total time from listing to completion
Combining all stages, selling a house in England and Wales typically takes between 14 and 24 weeks, roughly 3 to 6 months. This timeline can vary based on market conditions, the property’s location, and other factors.
