Research carried out by property market data specialists TwentyEA, shows the average number of days to sell a home in the UK now stands at 205 – the first time the 200-day mark has been broken.
The longest time to sell is in inner London and the South-East at 222 days, closely followed by outer London at 221 days. The North-East is the best performing region in England and Wales at 177 days while Scotland records the shortest time at an average of 145 days.
The 205-day average breaks down as 80 days from instructing an agent to achieving Sold Subject to Contract (SSTC) and a further 125 days from SSTC to completion. This is an increase of 10 days when comparing January to May 2025 with the same timeframe in 2024.
David Adams, managing director of Cavendish Estate Agents, who commissioned the research, said “Based on an average time of 205 days, most people hoping to give themselves a present of a new home by Christmas will probably have to think again”.
For those sellers needing a faster alternative, selling by auction can provide the solution. The average time in 2025 clients of Robinson and Hall Auctions was just 52 days from instruction to exchange of contracts!
