Published: 04/07/2024
By Faye Wilcox
Dreaming of a Christmas Move? Here's What You Need to Do Now!
While visions of Christmas dinner and Christmas trees might be your first thought of Christmas, for some homeowners, thoughts are turning towards a different kind of holiday magic - a Christmas move! But before you pack up the ornaments, new research from My Home Move Conveyancing suggests acting fast is key to a festive fresh start.
Research by My Home Move Conveyancing reports that sellers are facing an average whopping timescale of 146 days from a property being put on the market up to completion! This means a potential seller’s property must be listed by or before July 18th in order to be moved into their new property by the 11th December. Just in time for Christmas!
The Key Facts & Figures
It is taking 69 days on average for a buyers offer to be accepted and then a further 77 days to reach the final milestone, completion! Where the keys to your new home are handed over and you can finally start moving those boxes in. It is suggested buyers should aim to be moving in at least 2 weeks before the holiday season in order to get settled and in plenty of time for hosting those cozy, festive gatherings.
Across the UK the time to sell a property does vary with Wales having the longest average timescale of 167 days. This would mean that seller would’ve needed to be listed by the 27th June. Properties in the East midlands should go up by the 3rd July, London should’ve been listed by the 1st July. Whereas, homes in the South and South East need to be on the market by 7th July. The North East appear to be the lucky ones, having a 132 day process meaning they have until August
Scotland currently benefits from the shortest selling time of just 94 days meaning properties here have until the 8th September.
Alistair Singer's Key Takeaway
Alistair Singer, director of My Home Move Conveyancing, reminds us: "Selling a home takes longer than it should and this is due to a number of factors – how long searches take, completing a survey, getting your mortgage offer in, for example – all of these impact the time it takes to move from accepting an offer to completion"
So, what can you do?
Get Listed Early: Prioritize listing your property to meet the Christmas deadline.
Prepare for the Process: Have key documents readily available to avoid delays.
Embrace Open Communication: Stay in touch with your solicitor and estate agent throughout the process.
With a little planning and some festive spirit, you can be celebrating Christmas in your new home!