THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
Homes now take an average of 68 days to reach an agreed sale, 10 days slower than a year ago, so the pre-Christmas listing cut-off fell on 16 October.
The opportunity window: sellers who listed after the cut-off face a winter on the market, and that can mean more room to negotiate.
If you plan to sell in 2027, consider counting back from your target date using your local average, not the national one, and instructing a conveyancer before you list.
The average time to sell a home has stretched to 68 days, according to the HomeOwners Alliance's analysis of 1 October 2026. That is 10 days slower than this time last year. It set Friday 16 October as the last day to list with a chance of an agreed sale before Christmas. Here's the angle: a slower market moves the calendar for every seller, and for every buyer sitting opposite them.
Why did the pre-Christmas cut-off move a week earlier?
Because the average sale got slower. The HomeOwners Alliance draws on data from its Best Estate Agent Finder service. Count 68 days forward from 16 October and you land on 23 December. Last year the same organisation put the cut-off at 23 October, as Mortgage Solutions reported in October 2025. So the window closed a full week earlier in 2026.
An agreed sale is not a completed one, though. Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, said a listing by 16 October "won't mean you'll be in your new home this year". She said a secured sale puts sellers in a position to plan their move early in 2027. That means anything agreed now still has conveyancing (the legal work to transfer ownership) ahead of it.
The local spread is wide. The HomeOwners Alliance says the time to sell ranges from 33 to 85 days, depending on the local market. PropertyWire's report on the research puts Northern Ireland fastest at 33 days and the South West of England slowest at 85 days.
Where is the opportunity for investors?
Watch the slow regions. In October 2025 the HomeOwners Alliance put the South West at 71 days and London at 65 days (Mortgage Solutions, October 2025). PropertyWire now reports 85 days for the South West and 76 days for London in its major-city ranking. The London figure runs from listing to sold subject to contract (an accepted offer that is not yet legally binding).
Every home listed after the cut-off now carries into winter. A seller who needed to be moved by the new year has fewer options, and that is the kind of motivated seller a sourcing investor looks for. Our deal sourcing guides cover how to approach those conversations without overpaying for the privilege.
You may wish to look first at listings that have sat longest in your target postcodes. Property Filter's deal sourcing software can filter for motivated-seller signals such as price reductions.
What does a 68-day average mean if you sell in 2027?
Run the timeline forwards. At today's 68-day average, a property listed on Monday 4 January 2027 would reach an agreed sale around 13 March 2027. In the South West, at 85 days, the same listing would run to around 30 March. Those dates assume the current averages hold into the new year, which nobody can promise.
Then add the legal work. Laura Catania, Partner and Head of Conveyancing at Attwells Solicitors, told PropertyWire that buyers aiming to complete before Christmas should have instructed a conveyancer by mid-September. Her advice was to prepare documents such as warranties and guarantees in advance, and to answer requests from solicitors and agents promptly.
For investors planning an exit, the takeaway is pricing as much as timing. The HomeOwners Alliance advises inviting three local estate agents to value a home and setting a realistic asking price. Our property investment strategies hub covers how a slower sale fits into a wider portfolio plan, and our free property resources can help you prepare.
Key takeaways
Homes take an average of 68 days to reach an agreed sale, 10 days slower than this time last year (HomeOwners Alliance, 1 October 2026).
The last day to list with a chance of an agreed sale before Christmas was Friday 16 October 2026, a week earlier than the 23 October cut-off in 2025.
Local averages range from 33 days in Northern Ireland to 85 days in the South West of England, as reported by PropertyWire.
A home listed on 4 January 2027 would reach an agreed sale around 13 March 2027 if the 68-day average holds.
An agreed sale is not a completion: conveyancing still has to follow.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a house in the UK in 2026?
What was the last day to list a property to sell before Christmas 2026?
Does an agreed sale before Christmas mean completing before Christmas?
Which areas sell fastest and slowest?
