If you are planning to sell your home, it's worth knowing how long it is really likely to take. The answer in 2026 is: longer than ever.
The 2026 timeline in numbers
Rightmove's analysis, published in July 2026, found that the average home takes 216 days from first listing to completion. That breaks down as:
- 62 days on average to find a buyer
- 154 days on average from agreeing a sale to completing it
That 154-day stretch between sale agreed and completion is 36 days longer than in 2019, an increase of about 31%. By September 2026, Rightmove was warning that sellers listing now may not complete until after Easter 2027.
The Government's own figures tell a similar story. Its Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap says transactions take around 120 days on average to complete, and that the journey is about 60% longer than it was in 2007.
154 days from sale agreed to completion, 36 days longer than in 2019 (Rightmove, July 2026)
Where does all that time go?
Most of the delay happens after an offer is accepted, and much of it comes down to information arriving late. Once a buyer is found, the process often waits on:
- The buyer's survey being booked, carried out and written up
- Questions and renegotiation when the survey finds problems
- Certificates such as an EPC, EICR or Gas Safe record being found or ordered
- Conveyancers chasing paperwork and answers to enquiries
Conveyancers we have spoken to tell us their biggest headache is paperwork delays. Some estate agents have told us that survey turnaround times have stretched to several weeks in busy periods. Each delay adds risk, because the longer a sale takes, the more chance there is of something going wrong.
Get the information ready before you list
You can't control your buyer's mortgage lender or the rest of the chain. But you can control how ready your own property is. The Snag It Ltd Pre-Sale Property Inspection Pack is designed to be done when your home goes on the market, or up to two weeks before, so the key information is ready from day one:
- An independent inspection report on the property's condition
- EPC, EICR and Gas Safe certificates where needed
- Works-completed inspections for anything you choose to fix before selling
- Introductions to trusted tradespeople if you need work done quickly
With that information in place, your buyer and their conveyancer have fewer questions to ask and fewer reasons to pause. Issues that would normally surface in week eight are already dealt with.
Faster sales help everyone
A quicker sale is good for you, but it helps everyone else in the process too. Your estate agent and conveyancer get paid sooner, your buyer moves in sooner and the chain above and below you is less likely to break. The Government has made speeding up transactions a key goal of its reforms, including plans for sales packs with a property condition report before listing.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a house in the UK in 2026?
Rightmove's July 2026 analysis found an average of 216 days from listing to completion: 62 days to find a buyer and 154 days from sale agreed to completion.
What slows a house sale down most?
Much of the delay comes after an offer is accepted: waiting for surveys, renegotiating over defects and chasing paperwork and certificates.
Can I speed up my sale before I've found a buyer?
Yes. Getting your inspection, EPC and any EICR or Gas Safe certificates ready before listing means there's less to wait for once a buyer is found.
Is your house good to go?
Planning to sell? Get ahead with a Pre-Sale Property Inspection Pack. Get in touch or call 0330 043 1363.
Sources
- Estate Agent Today: Rightmove data on listing-to-completion times (July 2026)
- Landlord Today: Rightmove market snapshot (September 2026)
- GOV.UK: Home buying and selling reform roadmap (19 June 2026)