How to Sell Your House Quickly

Selling your house quickly is difficult.

But there are ways to improve the chances of it on the open market.

And there are ways to guarantee it via alternative channels.

Read on to find out more about both options.

How long does it take to sell a house on average in the UK?

According to Rightmove data from 2023, the average UK property sells in about 22 weeks. The timeframe includes:

4-8 weeks achieving a sale agreed
10-12 weeks conveyancing process
2 weeks exchanging contracts then completing.

What factors impact selling time

An above average time encompasses many different factors. Each of these will influence the time it takes for you to sell:

What type of house (detached, semi-detached, bungalow, etc.)
Price category of your house (and how you have priced it)
The area house is in
Current property market conditions
The time of year you sell your house

And more.

‘Selling a house faster’ vs. ‘selling a house very fast’

There is an important distinction between:

Selling your house faster via traditional selling channels. Steps that might increase the likelihood of your house selling faster on the open market
Selling your house very fast via alternative selling channels. Alternative selling channels for selling faster than via traditional channels

Below, we have broken down these two options further.

Selling your house faster via traditional selling channels

how to sell your house quickly steps to take

‘A traditional channel’ refers to an estate agent using the open market.

This is by far the most common and popular way to sell a property.

Below are our top tips for increasing the chances of making a fast sale this way.

1. Get all your documentation sorted

Paperwork is essential for selling a home.

There are several documents you need to organise before you can your house. These include the following documents:

Evidence of ownership
Mortgage details
Lease documents for flats
Any planning consents or guarantees for home improvements
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Gas Safety Record (if applicable)
A fixture and fittings form detailing removable items excluded from the sale.

Aim to have paperwork ready to send within 24 hours of receiving the initial sales enquiry. This gets legal proceedings underway without delay between solicitors.

Check if you should extend the lease before you sell.

When selling a leasehold house or flat, first check the lease term. If it’s too short, it might put many buyers off.

Mortgage lenders often object to terms with 80 years or less outstanding. Although extendable, doing so can delay transactions.

To avoid this, extend the lease as soon as you decide to sell. This may involve paying the freeholder several thousand pounds. Or, you could try to negotiate with a new buyer to sort out any extension.

2. Find a good estate agent

Selecting the right estate agent is one of the most critical choices when selling your home.

They will market your property, manage viewings and offers, and negotiate for you. So, it’s crucial to find someone qualified, experienced and trustworthy.

Start your research by viewing local agents’ listings and sales histories. This information can is on websites like Rightmove and Zoopla.

Look out for the following points:

How long are their properties on the market?
How close to the asking price do they usually sell for?
Look into individual agents’ websites and social media pages
Look for consistent, high-quality photos, detailed listing descriptions, and proactive marketing techniques
Read reviews of estate agents.

Shortlist three agents who make the best impression online. Then, set up in-person consultations.

Gauge their knowledge of recent area sales and current market conditions. Ask about their fees and fee structures.

3. Price your house well

Correct pricing is essential to selling quickly.

If you over-price, few buyers will view it, wasting precious time. Yet underpricing means losing money.

Research the sold prices of comparable local homes before deciding on yours.

Online portals detailing property values, like Zoopla, provide helpful data. You could check sale prices registered with HM Land Registry or hire a valuer to assess your home.

Remember to factor in any home improvements you have made, too. Adjust as needed until your price is fair yet competitive. This encourages fast viewings and the best offers.

Local property prices

With several expert opinions on market value, you can price your property. Getting independent valuations from different estate agents and surveyors is useful for this.

Consider similar houses. Being in the same location and condition are important. And having the same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, living areas and garden space helps. Adjust for any significant finish or amenity issues your home has.

Price below the upper end of estimated value to attract motivated buyers. These tend to have mortgages pre-approved, making for swifter sales.

Resist the temptation to accept early offers or concessions that seem ‘good enough’.

Unless market factors change, stick to your well-researched asking price.

If you get no good offers after four to six weeks, consider adjusting the price.

4. Be honest about any issues with the house

You should not hide existing property flaws from potential buyers. In fact, there are issues you must declare before selling.

House surveys will uncover most issues either way. If they uncover problems, buyers can renegotiate or even withdraw their offer…

Even if you feel flaws are minor, disclose them. Otherwise, buyers may delay transactions while they investigate concerns.

For example, a noisy central heating system may represent an easy fix for you but worry new owners.

5. Stage your property well

First impressions matter when selling a home.

There are several things you should do before photos or viewings, including:

Cleaning. You should aim remove limescale, dust, and dirt in your property. Carpets and curtains should be clean and odours removed
Tidying. De-cluttering furniture and possessions can transform how a room looks. Consider buying storage boxes to help with this
Painting walls or floors. Neutral tones and high-quality paint can make this more effective
Fixing all fittings, fixtures, and appliances. This includes replacing light bulbs, painting banisters, cleaning guttering, reinforcing walls, and more
Gardening. A well-kept garden can improve the appeal of any house

Curb appeal

Curb appeal is a term used to describe how your house looks from outside on street level.

The exterior is, after all, the first thing potential buyers see when judging if they like your home.

Ensure your front garden looks good. Have well-kept flowers, trimmed bushes and a mown lawn. Repaint your front door, clean your windows and brush down exterior walls.

And, if possible, leave your parking spaces empty, too.

Furnished vs. unfurnished

Unfurnished ones can still be appealing with proper presentation. But furnishing a home can improve its chances of selling.

This likely comes how it makes homes look more inviting and liveable.

Sellers without the right furnishing have several options, including:

Shopping on cheap online platforms, such as Facebook marketplace or eBay
Shopping at cheap stores, car boot sales, or recycling centres
Borrowing from relatives or friends

6. Depersonalise

Depersonalising your home can give it a broader (or more ‘universal’) appeal. This enables a wider range of potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves living there.

Some ways to achieve depersonalisation include:

Take down family photos, paintings, and other ornamental or decorative items
Using neutral colours and tones for painted surfaces, furniture, and lighting
Use popular air fresheners, i.e., avoid incense, homemade scented candles, etc.

These tasks can also contribute to making rooms easier to assess for buyers. The general de-cluttering effect increases the sense of space. This reduces distractions to buyer’s imagining living there.

Define each room

Over time, you might find that certain rooms take on another use that suits your lifestyle.

For example, your dining room might have become a children’s playroom. Or the spare bedroom might have become an office.

But you should aim to put these rooms back to their original purpose. This is because homes with dining rooms or second bedrooms are as more valuable than homes that don’t.

You should try to remove or store all items that don’t fit the original function. So, tidy children’s toys away and remove any furniture that isn’t appropriate.

This will help to maximise the value of your home. It will also help to remove clutter and make the rooms look bigger.

7. Communicate with all parties

Clear communication cements successful sales. This can include:

Communicating with all parties as often as possible
Ensure your estate agent promotes the listing online and in-branch, if applicable
Chase buyers for feedback after viewings
Immediately alert your solicitor to any questions from the buyer’s solicitor
When buyers make offers, aim to respond within 24 hours

Fast reactions make buyers feel valued, keeping them engaged in negotiations.

Finally, if compromising on price or requests, explain your reasoning politely. This helps buyers understand whilst not feeling offended.

Selling your house fast via alternative selling channels

Alternative channels for selling house quickly infographic

1. Sell to a cash house buyer

For the fastest house sale, consider selling to a cash house buyer.

Cash house buyers buy properties without needing mortgages or chains. And they often have conveyancers and solicitors on standby, too.

This all helps them bypass bottlenecks associated with:

Viewings
Negotiations
Fall-throughs
Waiting for other buyers’ mortgages or surveys

etc.

They can often buy a house within seven days.

The downside to this, from a seller’s viewpoint, is that cash house buyers buy for below market value.

But if a seller needs to sell a house fast, the speed and efficiency of the sale makes up for it.

Check companies’ credentials first and read reviews to find a good cash buyer. (Unfortunately, there are deceptive non-genuine cash-buying companies to avoid).

Selling this way puts you in control of timescales while releasing equity from your home.

Account for their under asking price offers when calculating your financial benefits.

2. Use a property auction

Consider selling your house through a property auction. These can take place at auction houses or online. They are overseen by specialized agents or companies.

Buyers can submit bids for properties listed for sale. When they reach the reserve price, the property is sold. The winning bidder then makes a deposit.

If it finds a bidder, a property at auction should sell fast – sometimes within two months.

Many people associate property auctions with selling derelict houses. But there are ones that sell regular properties, too.