What to Expect When Selling Your Home: A Complete Timeline
Selling a property involves more steps than many people expect - and more parties, timescales, and potential complications than the straightforward transaction it can appear to be from the outside. Whether you are selling for the first time or have done it before, this timeline walks you through the entire process from the decision to sell through to completion day. Timescales below are typical ranges, not guarantees - your own sale may move faster or slower depending on the market, the chain, and your conveyancer.
Stage 1: Prepare to Sell (Before Listing)
Before your property goes on the market, there are practical steps worth taking. Instruct a solicitor early - ideally before or at the same time as you list - so they can begin preparing the legal pack and you are not scrambling once an offer arrives. Your solicitor will need your title deeds (or will obtain office copies from Land Registry), your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), and any relevant paperwork for building work, planning permissions, or guarantees.
An EPC is a legal requirement before you market the property: gov.uk states you must order one for potential buyers before you put the property up for sale (gov.uk: EPCs when selling your home). If you do not already have a valid one, you will need to commission one. An EPC is valid for 10 years. Prices vary between accredited assessors, so compare quotes before you order one.
Consider what cosmetic improvements are worth making. Decluttering, fresh neutral paint, and tidying the garden cost little but can meaningfully affect buyer first impressions and the offers you receive.
Stage 2: Choosing an Estate Agent and Listing
Research local estate agents - look at their sold listings, local market knowledge, and fee structures. Fee models vary: high-street agents commonly charge a percentage of the sale price plus VAT, while online agents often charge a lower fixed fee but may provide less support through the negotiation and conveyancing process. Some operate on a no-sale no-fee basis; others charge upfront. Always confirm the exact fee, what it includes, and the VAT position in writing before instructing.
Once you have agreed terms with an agent, they will arrange professional photos, write the listing, and market the property on portals. A good set of photos and an accurate, well-written description significantly affects the level of interest you receive. Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 your agent, as a trader, must not leave material information out of the listing: a priced listing that leaves out key information such as the property's main characteristics or total price is automatically an unfair commercial practice, and other omissions are unfair if they are likely to change a buyer's decision. If the listing breaks these rules because of something you told your agent or held back, you can be liable too, so give them complete and accurate information (legislation.gov.uk: DMCC Act 2024), which replaced the earlier consumer-protection rules. Work with your agent and solicitor to make sure the listing and the legal pack are accurate and complete.
Stage 3: Viewings and Offers
Viewings may be accompanied (with the agent present) or unaccompanied (buyers let themselves in with a code or key). In a busy market, offers can come quickly; in a quieter market, you may need several weeks and multiple viewings before an acceptable offer arrives. This phase is the hardest to predict and varies enormously by location and market conditions.
Offers are not legally binding at this stage - either party can withdraw without penalty until exchange of contracts. When you receive an offer you want to accept, ask the agent to confirm the buyer's status: are they chain-free? Do they have a mortgage in principle? Have they sold their existing property? A buyer in a better position is often worth accepting a slightly lower offer for.
Stage 4: Sale Agreed and Conveyancing Begins
Once an offer is agreed, your agent will issue a memorandum of sale to all parties. Your solicitor will send the draft contract and supporting documents to the buyer's solicitor. You will be asked to complete standard property information forms (such as the TA6 and TA10) disclosing known issues with the property and what fixtures and fittings are included in the sale. Fill these in carefully and accurately: a false or misleading answer can give the buyer a claim against you for misrepresentation, and if the listing breaks the consumer-protection rules because of what you told your agent or held back, you can be liable under the DMCC Act too (legislation.gov.uk: DMCC Act 2024).
Expect enquiries from the buyer's solicitor - questions about boundaries, planning history, guarantees, building works, and the like. Responding to these promptly keeps the transaction moving.
Stage 5: Searches and Survey
The buyer's solicitor will order property searches (local authority, drainage, environmental). These commonly take a few weeks, varying by local council. The buyer will also likely commission their own survey. If the survey flags issues, expect the buyer to raise them - either requesting remedial work or attempting to renegotiate the price. You are not obliged to agree, but intransigence on genuine defects can cause a sale to collapse.
Stage 6: Exchange of Contracts
Once the buyer's solicitor is satisfied with searches and enquiries, and the buyer's mortgage offer is in place, both parties sign contracts and exchange. At this point the sale is legally binding. The buyer pays their deposit (the amount is agreed between you and set out in the contract) and a completion date is fixed. Sales falling through after exchange are rare but do happen - if the buyer defaults, the deposit and any further remedies are a matter for your solicitor to advise on.
Stage 7: Completion
On completion day, the buyer's solicitor transfers the purchase funds. Your solicitor receives the money, deducts their fees and any outstanding mortgage balance, and transfers the net proceeds to you. You hand over the keys (usually via the estate agent) and vacate the property. Any remaining mortgage on the property is redeemed by your solicitor as part of the completion process.
How Long Does the Whole Process Take?
From listing to completion, gov.uk says selling a home takes about 5 months on average (gov.uk), but this is a rough guide rather than a rule. The listing-to-offer phase varies enormously by location and market conditions, and conveyancing from offer to completion commonly runs to several weeks or a few months. Chains add complexity and time - a longer chain can take considerably longer from end to end.
What Does Selling Cost?
The figures below are typical ranges to help you budget, not fixed prices - get written quotes for your own circumstances before relying on any number.
- Estate agent fee: commonly a percentage of the sale price + VAT (or a fixed fee for some online agents) - confirm in writing
- Solicitor / conveyancer fees: set by each firm and varying with the price and tenure, plus VAT (often higher for leasehold) - get an itemised quote
- EPC: prices vary between accredited assessors - compare quotes
- Mortgage early repayment charge: varies by mortgage product - check your lender's terms
- Removal costs: vary widely by distance and volume - get quotes
This article reflects the selling process in England and Wales as of early 2026. The process differs in Scotland. Always seek advice from a qualified solicitor for your specific circumstances.
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice - always check the current gov.uk guidance.