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

“How long will it take?” is the first question most sellers ask, and the honest answer is: it depends. But the process breaks down into clear stages, and knowing them helps you see where the time actually goes — and where you can save it.

The short answer

From the day you list to the day you complete, selling a house in the UK typically takes around five to six months. Roughly speaking, that’s a few weeks to several months to find a buyer, then another two to three months of conveyancing once an offer is accepted. Some sales move much faster; chains and complications can make others drag on.

Stage 1: Listing to offer accepted

This stage is the most variable. A well-priced home in a popular area can attract an offer within days. An overpriced one, or one in a slow market, can sit for months.

What you can control here is significant: pricing it correctly from day one, presenting it well with professional photography, and being ready for viewings. We cover this in detail in our guide on how to sell your house fast.

Stage 2: Offer accepted to exchange

This is usually the longest stage — typically eight to twelve weeks, and often longer. Once you accept an offer, the legal and financial machinery starts: the buyer’s solicitor orders searches, raises enquiries, and reviews the contract; the buyer’s mortgage is formally approved; and a survey is carried out.

Nothing is binding during this period. It ends at exchange of contracts, the point where the sale becomes legally committed on both sides.

Stage 3: Exchange to completion

The home stretch. Exchange and completion are usually set one to four weeks apart, giving everyone time to arrange removals, final mortgage drawdown, and the practicalities of moving. On completion day, the money transfers, the keys are handed over, and the home is officially sold.

What slows a sale down

• Chains. The single biggest variable. If you or your buyer is in a property chain, your timeline depends on everyone else’s. A delay anywhere ripples through the whole chain.
• Slow searches. Some local authorities take weeks to return their searches.
• Mortgage delays or down-valuations. If a lender values the property below the agreed price, it can stall or unravel a deal.
• Unresponsive solicitors. The most common avoidable cause. A conveyancer who takes days to reply adds up fast.

What speeds it up

• Price it right from the start. This shortens stage one more than anything else.
• Get your paperwork ready before you list. EPC, title deeds, guarantees, and — for leasehold — the lease and service charge history.
• Instruct your conveyancer early. They can prepare the draft contract before you even have a buyer.
• Choose a proceedable buyer. A chain-free buyer with a mortgage in principle is far quicker than one who still has their own place to sell.

The bottom line

Five to six months is a useful rule of thumb, but the spread is wide. The sellers who complete fastest aren’t lucky — they price realistically, prepare early, and keep the process moving. Control what you can, and the timeline tends to look after itself.