How long does it take to sell a house is one of the questions we’re frequently asked. Whether people are moving for a job, a new baby, a school application or because they’re desperate for extra space, keeping the process as quick, simple and streamlined as possible is always a priority for buyers.
The answer to how long it takes to sell in east London isn’t simple. There are two timescales to consider – the time to find a buyer, and how long the conveyancing process takes once a sale is agreed upon.
The time it takes to get an acceptable offer on your property will vary tremendously based on factors such as location, condition, whether there’s a chain and how hot or cold the east London property market is. Not to mention, different areas of London have different selling times, and we can explain how long properties are staying on the market in Redbridge, Barking, Dagenham and Ilford if you are looking to sell a property locally.
The time it takes to complete will also depend on how proactive your conveyancer and estate agent are, how many people are in your chain and the level of demand in the system.
While we can’t tell you exactly how long it will take to sell your home, we can give you a few averages. We can also answer some of the questions we often get asked around this topic to help you decide whether now is the right time for selling your home.
Buying and selling at the same time?
Here are 10 things that could go wrong, and often do go wrong, and what, if anything, you can do to avoid them.
Buying and selling at the same time?
Here are 10 things that could go wrong, and often do go wrong, and what, if anything, you can do to avoid them.
The average time it takes to find a buyer is usually quoted as between five weeks and 14 weeks, depending on how hot or cold the market is. There is still reasonably high demand for properties in most areas of the UK, but local market trends vary significantly – and east London properties are generally in demand at the moment.
OnTheMarket’s Under Offer Index ranks Havering as the fastest London market, with properties selling in around 6 weeks on average, while Barking and Dagenham properties often sell in around 7 weeks. How quickly you can sell a house also depends on the property itself, and sensible pricing is key to achieving a faster property sale.
In normal circumstances, the average time to sell a home, from accepting an offer to exchange of contracts, is 65 days – or just over two months. The time taken to sell a house after an offer is accepted will be impacted by how long it takes to complete surveys and all the legal aspects of the house sale process. The process could take longer if there’s a long chain versus no chain, you’re selling a leasehold property, or if it’s in a conservation area such as Forest Gate Town Centre or Stratford St John’s in Newham, or Wanstead Grove or Woodford Village in Redbridge.
Most buyers set a period of two weeks from exchange of contracts to completion. The time between exchange and completion can be reduced if you need a quick sale – or lengthened, which sometimes happens in long property chains to build in extra time in case issues occur.
If you’re in the lucky position of having a buyer without a place to sell, and you’re not buying right now either, things will go considerably faster. The sale will move even more quickly if you have a cash buyer who doesn’t need to arrange a mortgage.
It should take no longer than ten weeks to complete a sale to a first-time buyer with a mortgage.
Where there is no chain and you have a cash buyer, you should be looking at no more than eight weeks or even four weeks if you have an experienced buyer and a good, proactive conveyancer. In some circumstances, it can all happen in two weeks or less, but usually only where professional property-buying services are involved.
This will depend on how quickly you mean, the state of the local housing market in your area, and how desirable a prospect it is. If you need to sell in a few weeks and there isn’t substantial demand for your type of property, you may need to look at property-buying firms or consider going to auction.
You can speed up the home selling process if you choose your estate agent wisely – don’t necessarily go for the cheapest or the one who values your home most highly. Make sure your home is priced competitively and that it is staged to sell. Choose the right conveyancer too – shop around and read reviews. You need someone who will be very proactive to help speed up the sales process.
Deciding when to instruct a solicitor can make a difference too – instructing them early in the process could avoid delays. You can also arrange the energy performance certificate promptly, and while you can sell a house without an EICR, prospective buyers may request one so you’ll save time if you obtain it in advance.
You will also need to be selective about offers. If speed is of the essence, go for chain-free, or, ideally, cash buyers. You should also be very organised; keep in close contact with your conveyancer and be around – don’t book a holiday during the home sale period.
Many factors, from a slow or overworked solicitor to overpricing, can derail your sale and make it take longer. You can’t do much about some of these, like a buyer pulling out somewhere in your chain. But there are things you can do to avoid other factors affecting the time to sell.
These include choosing the right solicitor and estate agent and keeping in touch – calling them weekly for updates on home selling progress. Issues on the home inspection may also delay a home sale.
Getting to know your buyer can help too. Make sure you have all the paperwork, such as guarantees and certificates, to hand before you get an offer and sign everything immediately. Instruct your conveyancer early on too. And if you are buying and selling a home, do your research and decide on your mortgage options as soon as you can.
Traditionally, spring and early summer are considered the best time to sell properties, when more buyers are looking, and you’re more likely to get interest in your property. Early autumn is an excellent time to sell too, with the summer holiday season (August) and Christmas is often considered the worst time of year to sell, when you’ll struggle to make a quick sale.
Market conditions significantly impact how long it takes to sell, unless you are selling your home in a sought-after area where few properties ever go on the housing market.
Current economic factors will impact the property market. For example, high mortgage interest rates slow the market down and make achieving a higher asking price more challenging. This is because there will be fewer buyers, and buyers will be cautious about paying high interest rates. When there are lower interest rates, this will usually result in a hot market. As of May 2025, interest rates have started coming down and are expected to fall further, though there are other factors to consider.
The average time a property is on the market in Ilford is 186 days, 11% faster than last year. The average time that property stays on the market in Redbridge is 169 days, 5% faster than in 2024. The type of property can also have a bearing on how long it takes to sell, with flats selling in 204 days and terraced houses in just 131 days, according to Home.co.uk analysis.
There is no legal restriction on selling your house soon after buying it, but there are a few practical considerations. You must pay stamp duty on two house purchases for one – quite a steep tax bill. Buyers may wonder why the property is on the housing market again and suspect the worst. If there is an issue, concealing it may be considered misrepresentation and you are liable for 6 years after you sell the house.
You may also struggle to get a new mortgage six or even 12 months after your previous one was granted.
Leasehold properties can take longer because the transactions are more complex and involve dealing with management companies, so expect the process to take about 12 weeks. The conveyancer will need to check the Leasehold Information Pack, establish the length of the lease, and look into service charges and other attached costs. may be further delays if there’s an absent freeholder. Help speed things up by instructing a conveyancer with experience in leasehold sales, and making sure you have copies of your lease and other documentation available.
It can take longer to sell an inherited house because you can’t actually sell until receiving the Grant of Probate. The probate process can take a relatively long time, currently around 4 months. If you market it before probate is granted, you must disclose this to potential buyers when listing the property. You must also pay the appropriate inheritance tax, and potentially capital gains tax if it’s your second home.
Whether you are in Enfield, Dagenham, Wanstead or the surrounding areas, if you’re considering putting your house on the market in London, contact us. If you’re looking for a quick sale in London, we are a local estate agent who can help you develop the marketing strategy to help you find the right buyer. Talk to us today.
For anyone looking to avoid a property chain, selling your house first, before buying a new home is a key consideration.
Selling your house can be a complicated process, but breaking it down can make it less intimidating. That’s why we have compiled this step-by-step guide to the process of selling a house in east London. Whether you’re selling for the first time, are buying at the same time, or just aren’t sure what the current advice is in 2026, read on for tips on how to sell your house. We’ll talk you through everything from mortgage matters to professional photography. We also answer your frequently asked questions about the selling process. Find out more.
When you inherit a property, there will be decisions to make regarding whether to sell the property, live in it yourself or rent it out, and there will be legal processes to follow.
If you are wondering what the next steps are then this guide explains how the probate process works, what tax obligations you may have and which documents you will need if you decide to sell the property.
We also cover the different options you have for selling an inherited property and answer some of the most common questions about inheriting a property.
