{"id":169,"date":"2017-03-12T16:06:34","date_gmt":"2017-03-12T16:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/springbokproperties.co.uk\/blog\/?p=169"},"modified":"2024-05-22T07:26:32","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T07:26:32","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springbokproperties.co.uk\/blog\/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-house","title":{"rendered":"How long does it take to sell a house? Dan Green\u2019s guide to all you need to know about the speed of property sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

As someone who\u2019s experienced property sales from both sides of the desk \u2013 and written articles about the UK property market \u2013 I can tell you, selling a house is no less nerve-racking than watching your team take a last-minute penalty shot. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Just before putting their home on the market, almost every homeowner will turn to Google and put in something like \u2018how long will a house take to sell?\u2019 or \u2018how quickly are houses selling?\u2019 <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Frankly, those can be tricky to answer and you might want to put into Google, \u2018How long is a piece of string?\u2019 You see, the speed of house sales depends upon a multitude of factors.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Let’s dive in and unpack the secrets of speeding up your house sale…<\/span>
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Timeframes<\/h2>\n


\n<\/span>Accepted statistics do differ but selling your home generally, takes anywhere between 6-12 weeks. There are several ways that homeowners can choose to sell their home; each of which should be carefully considered and matched to homeowners selling aspirations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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When you list your home with a high-street estate agent, you can expect to wait at least three months. Most estate agents inform homeowners that selling their homes within this timeframe is rare; however, Rightmove\u2019s House Price Index from March 2024 states that the average time to find a buyer on the open market is 71 days. Keep in mind that\u2019s the average time, so it could be longer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And if you adopt a private sales approach, you won\u2019t have the expertise of property professionals, so unless you know how and where to market your home, you may find the process takes frustratingly longer than you anticipated. Then there\u2019s all the paperwork to sort out if you secure a sale. Without intricate knowledge of the process, it\u2019s likely to take a long time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Now, if you use the services of a reputable fast sale specialist like us, your sale could take a matter of days. Springbok takes a proactive approach to selling homes, as opposed to a reactive approach. This means we can sell your property far quicker by appealing to buyers that are able to make an immediate purchase. That\u2019s why we can buy any property in any condition; we have investors on our books that are ready to jump and pay cash.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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With those selling methods covered, let\u2019s now look at factors that can affect the speed of your sale if you\u2019re going to sell on the open market with an estate agent. <\/span>
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The listing price<\/h2>\n

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Getting the listing price right is critical to selling a house \u2013 even more so when you\u2019re looking to sell a property quickly. The listing price must serve to tantalise prospective buyers and grab their attention. An overpriced home will immediately force buyers to consider other options; even if your place has all that they\u2019re looking for. In the modern world where people are browsing online, buyers will keep scrolling past and won\u2019t give your property a look. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Now, vendors that are intent on securing a quick sale will have considered the \u2018how long does it take to sell a house?\u2019 question very carefully. You see, for a quick sale to be achieved, vendors need to make a compromise because having a fast sale, for above the asking price, simply isn\u2019t realistic.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A smart homeowner, meanwhile, will know that to achieve that quick sale, they may have to accept an offer from a cash buying company that\u2019s a little bit lower than the property\u2019s market value. But in doing so, they\u2019re likely to be getting a guaranteed sale that could take around 30 days or less. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The location<\/h2>\n

Location isn’t just a buzzword; it’s critical in determining how quickly your house sells, if you\u2019re going to be selling on the open market. And it\u2019s not a simple case of some parts of the UK being more desirable than others. It\u2019s about factors such as proximity to a school with an excellent Ofsted rating, transport links, parks and green spaces, and shops. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>I\u2019ve even seen the so-called \u2018Deliveroo effect\u2019 where living in an area with lots of food options on Deliveroo can add thousands to the value of your property. Ideal Home reported that having the family friendly Wagamama close to where you live can add as much as \u00a330,887 to your home\u2019s value, whilst being near to a KFC adds about \u00a313,000.\u00a0 <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Remember though that every buyer is different. Not everyone wants a home so tranquil could can hear a pin drop, and equally, not everyone wants to be a short bus ride from a city centre and the nightlife that offers. And for some people, having a KFC on their doorstep could be perceived as a negative.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The buoyancy of the property market<\/h2>\n

In a buoyant market \u2013 one where the demand for properties outstrips the supply \u2013 the speed of the sale is undoubtedly going to be affected. The increased number of buyers will create competition for properties, allowing vendors or choose which offer is the most attractive to them. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>And it isn\u2019t just which offer is the highest, but which offer allows them to move quickly. A slightly lower offer with no chain is going to more attractive than an offer that comes with a long chain behind it and a possibility of the sale falling through. <\/span><\/p>\n

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However, this is only an issue if you\u2019re going to be selling on the open market. Even in times when supply outstrips demand and properties stay on the open market, cash buying companies will buy any property, in any condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How to speed up your house sale<\/h2>\n

As I mentioned before, while the average selling time on the open market can range from anywhere between 6-12 weeks, there are ways to make the process faster:<\/span><\/p>\n

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