How Quickly Can I Sell My House?

Selling your house quickly is almost always an ideal scenario.

There are many ways to offload your property – some faster than others.

We’ve outlined all your options below.

Read on to find out how quickly you can sell your house in the UK.

How long does it usually take to sell a house?

Many factors contribute to the final answer to how long it takes to sell a property.

The two main categories of factors for selling property quickly are:

Ways to make a house sell faster on the open market. These include asking price listing strategies, decoration and renovation, curb appeal, etc.
Channels for selling a house. Ultimately, this is the most significant category. This includes what are sometimes referred to as ‘alternative ways to sell property’

Selling through estate agents: 10 – 25 weeks

Selling on the market with an estate agent takes an average time of between 10 weeks to six months.

Many factors influence this figure, meaning it could sometimes even take about a year. Some of these factors include:

Negotiation over price
Your solicitor’s responsiveness
Market conditions
How accurately you have priced the house
The attractiveness of your property – e.g., does it have ‘curb appeal’

Estate agents’ costs

Estate agents usually offer free valuations. But they charge a range of fees for their other services.

These include conveyancing costs and other administrative tasks, commission for sales, and more.

Types and conditions of house

What type of property you are selling has a big impact on its sale time.

There are many different property types on the market, and some sell faster than others.

For example, retirement flats often take a long time to sell due to low demand.

There are also issues about each property to consider, too, such as:

The condition of your house. ‘Fixer-upper properties’ usually sell for less, for example. And derelict properties are even more complex to deal with.
Whether or not it is furnished. In some circumstances, selling a house with furniture can add value to it. In others, it can reduce it.
Whether house is empty or occupied. An unoccupied house is an advantage in some situations, but neutral in others – it all depends on the buyer.

And of course, market conditions play a large role, too.

In a buyer’s market, getting the full value for your house becomes harder. And in a slow market, it takes longer (on average) to sell.

The importance of which estate agent you choose

You should choose your estate agent carefully. Their ability to move the transaction forward will have a significant impact.

Likewise, if they already have a long list of potential buyers in the area. They can contact these on day one.

Of course, there are also ways to sell your house without an estate agent. Let’s take a look at them.

Selling through auction houses: 7 – 8 weeks

Property auction houses are a popular alternative to selling through estate agents.

This method enables bidders to place an offer on the property being sold. The highest bid at the end of the session wins. The auction house then takes a percentage of the sale.

There are only a few hundred dedicated property auction houses across the UK. So, you may have to wait several weeks for the official auction day.

Potential bidders can view the property beforehand to determine its worth. This usually involves completing a survey.

Selling to cash house buyers: 1 – 2 weeks

The fastest way to sell a house is by going directly to a reliable cash-buying company.

These organisations will offer slightly below the market value for your house.

In return, they can often complete house sales in as little as one week. And they can reduce other costs, such as conveyancing and estate agent’s commission.

Cash buying companies also make offers within a few days. This is much quicker than the drawn-out process of auction houses and estate agents.

The offer you receive is often ‘take it or leave it’, too. This means you can walk away without penalty if you don’t want to accept it.

You should thoroughly research any cash buying company that makes you an offer. After all, not every company is totally trustworthy.

Why can cash house buyers purchase a property so quickly?

Cash house buying companies can complete purchases quickly. This is because they do not rely on anyone else to complete deals.

All their funds are immediately available in-house (excuse the pun…)

Cash house buyers will offer you below the typical market rate (typically 75 – 85% lower). They often do this so they can ‘fix up’ your property and sell it for a profit.

They use these profits to buy more houses. Over time, they can build up financial resources to complete further purchases.

How can I make sure my house is attractive to potential buyers?

Selling property on a budget doesn’t require professionals to improve its appearance.

There are plenty of tasks you can carry out yourself.

Improve ‘curb appeal’

Firstly, you can clean the exterior of your property, including:

Minor repair work
Painting doors
Cleaning cars outside of the property
Cleaning windows all help.

And more.

You may also want to focus on your front and back garden (if applicable). You can do this by:

Mowing the grass
Trimming the hedges
Removing weeds.
Planting attractive plants

Pricing of property

Consider your list price – a fair number will entice more potential buyers.

What difference does a conveyancer make to my selling time?

Your conveyancer’s promptness will significantly affect your sale completion time.

Legal processes and documentation are typically the main reason a sale takes a long time. These include:

Completing the three main property searches
Organising property surveys
Transferring funds

According to several independent online sources, conveyancing usually takes around 12 weeks.

This process may go faster – at around 8 weeks – if everything is according to plan. Or it may take longer with more complicated deals, at around 16 weeks.

Therefore, your conveyancers’ time can influence sale completion times by several weeks.

Can I sell my house immediately after buying it?

Yes, once you own a property and your name is on the title deeds, you can sell it in whatever timeframe you choose. This includes selling straightaway.

You are only limited by what selling channel and provider you use for this service!

Does the time of year impact how long it takes to sell?

As expected, the market conditions influence how long you complete a sale.

Part of this is the number of ‘active buyers’ in the market at any time – which often varies with the time of year.

Spring is generally considered the most active month for property transactions. This is followed by early Summer.

During this time, more buyers will usually be in the market, and sales can move more quickly.

By contrast, the Christmas period and school summer holidays (August) are usually quieter. This is because people are less responsive.

Can I sell my house quickly while still getting market value?

It is difficult to receive a full market value offer and complete the transaction within a few days.

Some estate agents are faster than others. But you cannot sell your property within a few days or a couple of weeks on the open market.

If you go to a cash buying company, you will receive an offer below the market rate.

If you find a property developer, they may be willing to pay the same amount your house would be listed on the market.

However, this is likely because the property is less attractive to regular buyers. For example, sitting tenants, a faulty structure, or a very short lease.

How do I make sure my house is accurately priced?

You should get several independent valuations on your property. This is better than than relying on the opinion of the first estate agent you speak to.

Estate agents may exaggerate the value so you are more attracted to selling with them. Many will then decrease the asking price further down the line.

The more independent, non-biased experts you can speak to, the better.