The average, and why it varies
GOV.UK's guide to selling a home says the process takes about five months on average and can take longer if you're part of a chain. Some sales are much quicker, some much slower; what matters is what's in the way of yours.
Source: Selling a home (GOV.UK)
The stages of a sale
| Stage | What happens | What decides how long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing | Valuation, choosing an agent, EPC, photos | How ready the house and paperwork are |
| Marketing | Viewings and offers | Price, condition, season, local demand |
| Offer to exchange | Solicitors, searches, mortgage, survey, enquiries | Chains, lenders, surveys, missing documents |
| Exchange to completion | Final checks and moving date | Usually agreed: often one to four weeks |
What most often slows a sale down
- Chains: each link has its own mortgage, survey and solicitor.
- Mortgage valuations that come in low, or lenders who want repairs first.
- Survey findings that lead to renegotiation.
- Missing paperwork: building control certificates, guarantees, planning permissions.
- Leasehold flats: waiting for the management pack and lease details.
- Probate: no completion until the grant arrives.
How to speed yours up
- Instruct a solicitor when you put the house on the market, not when you accept an offer.
- Fill in the property information forms early and gather certificates and guarantees.
- Get a valid EPC before marketing.
- Price realistically, so the buyer's valuation doesn't undermine the deal.
- Choose buyers carefully: chain-free and with a mortgage agreed in principle, or cash.
Source: How to sell a home (GOV.UK)
Exchange and completion don't have to be close together. If you want certainty but aren't ready to move, you can exchange now and complete later. See chain-free sales and delayed completion.
How long a cash sale takes
With no mortgage, survey condition or chain, a cash sale is mainly the legal work. We've completed on a Victorian house in Christchurch in four days at Grove Road East, on a tenanted house in Oakdale within two weeks at Dorchester Road, and on a house in Wallisdown in 10 days at Hillside Road. Those were fast because the sellers needed speed; we're just as happy to fit a later date.
A typical timeline, week by week
| Weeks | Typical open-market sale | Typical cash sale |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Valuations, choose an agent, EPC, photos | Call, viewing and offer |
| 2–8 | Viewings and offers | Solicitors instructed, title checked |
| 8–16 | Buyer's mortgage, survey, searches, enquiries | Exchange, if the paperwork is ready |
| 16–20 | Exchange, then completion | Completion, or a later date that suits you |
These are illustrations, not promises: a busy market, a good price and a short chain can make an open-market sale much quicker; probate, leasehold paperwork or missing certificates can slow any sale.
Seasonal and local factors
- Time of year. Many sellers list in spring and early autumn; the weeks around Christmas tend to be slower.
- Type of home. Family houses in good condition usually sell faster than flats or homes needing work, which rely on fewer buyers.
- Price. Pricing above the local evidence often means a long listing and a later reduction.
- Market conditions. The official UK House Price Index for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole showed small year-on-year falls through 2026, with flats weakest, so realistic pricing matters.
See our autumn 2026 market update for the latest figures.
Source: Housing prices in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (ONS)
What the solicitors are doing
The legal stage often feels slow because so much of it happens out of sight. Your solicitor checks the title, prepares the contract and answers the buyer's enquiries. The buyer's solicitor orders searches from the council and other bodies, reviews the title and forms, raises questions and reports to the buyer's lender. Every question that needs your input pauses the process until you reply.
The quickest sales are the ones where the seller replies to questions within a day or two and has the paperwork ready.
Leasehold and probate add time
- Leasehold flats need a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent, which can take weeks.
- Probate sales can't complete until the grant arrives; GOV.UK says it's usually within 12 weeks of applying.
- Unregistered land needs extra checks on the title deeds.
- Tenanted property needs tenancy and deposit paperwork checked.
When speed matters
If you have a deadline, such as a new job, an onward purchase or Inheritance Tax to pay, tell everyone involved at the start and choose a buyer who can work to it. A chain-free cash buyer removes most of the steps that cause delay.
Typical delays and how to avoid them
| Delay | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Waiting for the seller's forms | Complete them as soon as you instruct a solicitor |
| Missing certificates for past work | Find them early, or ask the council for copies |
| Down-valuation by the buyer's lender | Price on recent sold evidence |
| Survey finds a problem | Get quotes or reports for known issues in advance |
| Chain hold-ups | Prefer chain-free buyers, or exchange now and complete later |
| Leasehold management pack | Order it when you list the flat |
What to do next
If you need to sell to a timetable, tell us the date and we'll tell you honestly whether we can meet it. See how selling your property to us works, or compare cash buyers and estate agents.
