Act now for a Christmas move

Many people moving at this time of year would naturally prefer to be in their new home in time for the Christmas.

Not only does a house really become a home at that time of year, but with most people taking one or two weeks off work, there’s plenty of time to either enjoy your new surroundings, or put in some hard DIY home improvement graft between mince pies.

The year end is also a good time for children to start a new school if they weren’t able to join their peers in September. Additionally, many job-movers like to change employment during this time to maximise any accumulated holiday time and to make a fresh start in the new year.

However, if you plan to join these fortunate home movers you should act quickly. According to Rightmove, the average time between agreeing a sale and completion 13 weeks. That’s once you have found a buyer, which typically adds a further eight weeks to the timeline, although our average, at just 22 days, is much less than this.

It’s also worth pricing competitively at this time of year, as the effect of those competing against you is actually greater than any historic “sold price” you may have seen. Many sellers who came on the market in the spring, but who failed to attract a buyer, are now reducing the asking price of their property in the hope of attracting the autumn market. It is these properties that buyers will be comparing with your own, so price wisely.