Move by Christmas? It’s Possible... but read this first

The average sale in the UK now takes 205 days from instruction to completion.

But with the right preparation, you can still beat the odds.

Top tips to speed things up:

Price logically, not emotionally – properties that reduce their asking price take three times longer to sell.

Stage your home – staged homes achieve up to 8% more.

Get legally ready – line up your solicitor and all the paperwork before listing. Speed to sell matters more than speed to market.

Pick the right agent – only half of homes actually sell; a strong track record matters.

So if you’re looking to be sat around that dining table in a new home by the middle of December, when most conveyancers down tools and the winding-up for the Christmas break begins, you need to be working backwards from around 13th-15th December. Subtract the average 125 days for the legal process, and you’re already back to roughly the end of August to early September for your sale to be marked as Sold STC, meaning you need your buyer secured within the next few weeks. Factor in the time to actually go live with your listing , staging, photos, descriptions, EPCs and launching to marke, and you can see how tight the window becomes.

Leaving it until mid-October or November to “just see how things go” could mean you end up stuck in limbo, with chains pausing over Christmas and momentum lost until the New Year market wakes up again, meaning your dream Christmas move becomes an Easter one instead.

So the real question is… how serious are you about sitting in that new living room this December? Because if the answer is “very”, then your next priority should be booking a professional valuation today. That way you can understand the exact timescales needed in your local area, for your type of property, and make informed decisions accordingly. Every house is different, and so is every journey, but taking action now gives you the best possible oxygen of time.

Our team are on hand to give you a frank, data-backed view on what your move would look like and where your timelines currently sit. Whether you’re upgrading for more space, downsizing for convenience, or simply craving a fresh start, we’ll guide you through the steps with precision and pace.