The Process of Selling a House

How long will it take to sell a house?

The time from you acceptance of the offer to the date you hand over the keys in depends on a number of factors. The average process takes between 10 and 12 weeks to sell a house but it can be quicker or slower depending on the number of parties in the chain and their circumstances: e.g. whether all parties have a mortgage approved in principle; the time taken for them to obtain information for local authorities or management companies.

The house selling process and how we help you

(Please note: the steps and order in which the following happen can vary in each purchase):

• We take your detailed instructions and advise according to your own circumstances
• We carry out the necessary identification checks
• We send you various questionnaires about the property and we collate all the information we expect the buyer to request
• Flats and leasehold houses – we obtain standard information from the Landlord or Management Company about the management; maintenance and additional costs. Obtaining this early in the transaction helps avoid delays later
• We obtain a redemption figure from your mortgage lender (if any) to work out the net proceeds expected
• We prepare the sale contract and send to the buyer’s conveyancer
• We deal with any enquiries raised by the buyer’s conveyancer; answering from our own knowledge where possible and liaising with you where we need your input
• Where necessary, we obtain further planning documentation or copies of deeds
• We communicate regularly with the buyer’s conveyancer to check on their progress and ensure both parties are working towards the same timescale
• We arrange signature of the documents
• We ensure the completion date (i.e. date when you hand over the keys and receive the sale price) is agreed
• We exchange contracts on your behalf: this is the stage at which the agreement becomes legally binding on both you and the seller
• We complete the sale
• We repay your mortgage lender and settle the estate agent’s bill
• We deduct our legal fees and transfer the balance to your account