List by this date or miss a Christmas completion
Estate agents need to get moving if they want to help vendors sell their homes by Christmas, says the HomeOwners' Alliance's Paula Higgins.
Vendors and agents need to get properties on the market by 16th October to have the best chance of selling by Christmas, research suggests.
Analysis by the HomeOwners Alliance using data from its Best Estate Agent Finder reveals it currently takes an average of 68 days for a property to go under offer – 10 days slower than last year – meaning mid-October is the key cut-off point for a pre-Christmas sale.
There are regional differences though depending on the local market, ranging from 33 days in Northern Ireland to 85 in the South West of England.
This is the last day to list a property to have a chance of an agreed sale before the festive break.”
In city centres, homes in Glasgow sell fastest, taking just 25 days from listing to sold subject to contract, according to the research, while those in London take 76 days.
This, of course, won’t mean a seller be in their new home this year, as there will be paperwork and procedures along the way during the conveyancing process.
But the HomeOwners Alliance says having a secured sale will put buyers and sellers in a positive position to plan their relocation early in 2027.
Christmas countdown
Paula Higgins (pictured), Chief Executive of HomeOwners Alliance, says: “With the summer over and the evenings getting darker that bit quicker, it may feel a bit premature to mention Christmas.
“But 6th October is the last day to list a property to have a chance of an agreed sale before the festive break.”
Laura Catania, Partner and Head of Conveyancing at Attwells Solicitors, adds that buyers hoping to be settled in their new home before Christmas should ideally have instructed a conveyancer by mid-September.
She says: “Starting the process early gives you the best chance of completing before the festive period and provides some flexibility if unexpected delays arise.”
“While some delays are outside your control, buyers and sellers can help keep transactions moving by having all relevant property documents ready before a transaction starts, including warranties and guarantees., responding promptly to requests, whether from their solicitors, estate agents or financial advisors and returning paperwork quickly.”
