21st May 2025
How long does the average property take to sell?
It’s not an understatement to say that in many cases, buying and selling a property can be a frustrating process. Especially when using the open market where you are subject to lengthy chains that make it difficult to know when you can complete. Of course, the amount of time taken to sell a property is dependent on many factors including method of selling, location, price, property features and type. To give you an idea of the average time it takes to sell a house, keep reading as we discuss these different factors and ways that you can minimise the length of the selling process.
How long does it take to sell a house?
Before you decide to sell your property, you should consider the different methods of sale available to you. Each of these methods has their own advantages and drawbacks, and you can read more about these in our ‘what is the best way to sell property?’ blog. If you’re looking at the speed factor only, then the below points will help to give you more clarification.
Selling on the open market
Also known as a private treaty sale, selling on the open market has no definitive time frames for completion. In fact, selling a property can take anywhere between 3-12 months due to the slow process and uncertainty surrounding this method of sale. This is because you’ll first need to advertise the property and attract potential buyers before going through a long legal process that is subject to unpredictable things like buying chains, negotiations, searches and conveyancing. A study done by The Advisory suggests that the current average time for selling a house is 4.2 months, but if you choose this method you should be prepared to wait longer, as this time could easily be doubled by factors outside of your, or your buyer’s, control.
To give a better indication of the process, these months can be broken down into days and categories as follows:
- Time spent on the market – ~ 5-14 weeks
- Accepting an offer – ~50 days
- Acceptance to exchange – ~65 days
- Exchange to completion – ~14 days
Average time to sell a house = 129 days (excluding time spent on the market, as this can vary widely depending on factors like location, price, and market conditions.)
However, you may notice that this doesn’t include the time the property has spent on the market. This is a factor that can considerably increase the time taken to sell, as properties remain on the market for an indefinite period until a potential buyer places an offer.
Selling by auction
Selling by auction is undoubtedly a quicker method as it provides a clear timeframe for completion. This time frame is typically between 30-60 days after the auction has taken place depending on whether it is a conditional or unconditional sale. You can read more about these types of sales in our dedicated guide. To help break this down further, you can usually expect the following time frames:
- Pre-auction marketing period (valuation, legal pack, viewings, bidder registration, catalogue and advertising)
- Exchange on the fall of the hammer
- Time to complete – from 30 days
There are other auction options where exchange isn’t immediate and a reservation agreement is signed instead, offering more time for the buyer to secure finance and is sometimes used by sellers not as motivated by speed but still wanting security of sale.
Average time to sell a property by auction = 42 days
Selling to cash buyer companies
Cash buying companies will usually be able to purchase your house within 6 weeks (though this can vary quite a lot). Quick buy companies typically have access to the necessary funds more readily available than individual homebuyers and investors which makes them able to move at a fast pace. However, this means that the prices offered do not always accurately reflect the market value – so whilst speed is a selling point, you may be getting less with this method. There isn’t a process as such to breakdown here, and since the process is more variable, you can expect the average time to sell a house with this method to take just a few weeks.
How long does it take to sell commercial property?
If you’re selling a commercial property, the times for selling won’t differ too much from selling a residential house. As such it can take between a few months to over a year to sell, unless using the auction method in which the same time frames apply. However, the overall duration for the sale will be influenced by market elements like local demand for the property type. This means that potential buyers can make an offer before the auction date if they wish, or they can go through negotiations with estate agents on the open market.
Do market factors affect house sale times?
In simple terms, yes. There are external factors that can contribute to the sale times of houses. Typically these tend to affect open market sales rather than auction sales because auction houses have a more diverse pool of buyers to snap up a range of properties and investment opportunities; the open market caters more towards individual buyers who will be influenced more by property type and hot and cold market environments.
Of course, whilst it is never a guarantee that properties will sell at auction, they are typically less susceptible to market volatility and, as such, are resistant to unnecessarily lengthening sale times. This is because the time frames are set, and listing processes remain unaffected by trying to time the market.
Sell your property quickly and transparently with SDL Property Auctions
If you want a quick and efficient sale, we can provide you with a free no obligation valuation to help you get started. If you need more information on the selling process you can contact a member of our team with your enquiry and we’ll do our best to help you. In the meantime, you can get a greater idea of the selling process by downloading our complete guide to selling.