If you are selling this September, there is probably one question already sitting somewhere in the back of your mind: could we still be moved in by Christmas?
It is a question estate agents hear every year as the summer holidays end, the school run returns and thoughts turn towards the final few months of the year.
The answer is yes, it can be possible. But the window is tight, and what you do at the very beginning of your sale can make an enormous difference.
Why does September matter so much for sellers?
Something changes in the property market during the first couple of weeks of September.
The summer holidays are over, routines return and buyers who spent August casually browsing properties begin booking viewings and making decisions.
September traditionally brings a renewed burst of buyer activity after the summer. Importantly, people still looking at this point in the year often have a genuine reason to move. They may want to be settled before Christmas, relocate for work, move closer to family or complete before the new year.
That can mean fewer casual browsers and more motivated buyers.
If you are selling this September, that renewed activity can work in your favour. The challenge is the calendar.
How long does selling a home actually take?
There are two timelines involved in selling a house, and sellers often focus on only one of them.
The first is the time it takes to find a buyer. Rightmove reported a national average of 62 days in June 2026.
The second begins once you accept an offer. According to the HomeOwners Alliance, conveyancing typically takes around 12 to 16 weeks from offer acceptance to completion.
Put those together and a typical sale could take around five to six months from first listing your property to collecting the keys to your next home.
Start in early September and, based on those averages, you could be looking at a February move.
However, averages do not tell the whole story.
Can you still move before Christmas?
Potentially, yes. But you need to move considerably faster than the average seller during the first stage of the process.
One of the biggest factors is getting the asking price right from the beginning.
Rightmove’s July 2026 House Price Index found that properties which sold without requiring an asking price reduction took an average of 36 days to find a buyer. Those which needed a price reduction took an average of 127 days.
That is a significant difference: just over five weeks compared with more than four months.
A home listed in early September that finds a buyer within 36 days could have an offer agreed by mid-October. Allowing around 12 weeks for conveyancing makes a Christmas completion tight, but potentially achievable.
Take 127 days to find a buyer and you are already into January before the conveyancing process begins.
The encouraging news is that Rightmove also found 74% of homes that sold and completed during 2026 had done so without requiring an asking price reduction.
What can you do to improve your chances?
If moving before Christmas matters to you, preparation needs to begin before the property goes live.
Price for today’s market. Look at current local evidence rather than what similar properties may have achieved a year or two ago. An ambitious asking price can feel like it gives you room to negotiate, but it can also cost you valuable weeks of early interest.
Get your paperwork together. Find guarantees, building regulations certificates, planning permissions, boiler information and any other relevant documents before they are requested. Time spent searching for paperwork later can create unnecessary delays.
Instruct a solicitor early. You do not need to wait until you have accepted an offer to choose your conveyancer and begin getting organised. Having the right people ready can help keep things moving when a buyer is found.
Think realistically about your onward move. If you also need to buy another property, you have another timeline to consider. Longer chains introduce more people, paperwork and potential delays.
Be flexible with viewings. Evening and weekend appointments might not always be convenient, but motivated buyers may have limited availability. If you are working towards a Christmas deadline, making your home accessible for viewings matters.
What if you do not complete before Christmas?
It is not necessarily a problem.
A sale agreed in November that completes in January or February is still a successful sale. Buyers searching around the new year can also be highly motivated.
What sellers should try to avoid is losing the strongest period of initial interest because their property entered the market at an unrealistic price, then reducing it several months later after momentum has been lost.
Getting the asking price right in September is not about selling your home cheaply. It is about giving your property the best opportunity to attract serious buyers while your listing is fresh and interest is at its highest.
Thinking of selling this autumn?
If you are selling this September and would like to understand what your home could realistically achieve, as well as whether a move before Christmas is achievable, speak to our team.
We can give you an honest assessment of your property’s value, current buyer demand and the likely timeline based on your individual circumstances.
Planning properly in September could make all the difference to where you are spending Christmas.
Frequently asked questions
Is September a good time to sell a house?
September can be a good time to sell, with buyers returning to the property market after the summer holidays and many motivated to make progress before the end of the year. Preparation, presentation and accurate pricing remain important to securing early interest.
How long does it take to sell a house?
Rightmove reported an average of 62 days to find a buyer in June 2026. The HomeOwners Alliance advises that conveyancing typically takes around 12 to 16 weeks after an offer has been accepted. Around five to six months from listing to completion is therefore a reasonable planning assumption, although individual sales can be considerably faster or slower.
Can I still move before Christmas if I list in October?
It is possible, but the available window becomes much tighter. If you have not agreed a sale by the end of October, completing before Christmas is likely to depend on a particularly straightforward transaction. A completion in January or February may be a more realistic target.
Does reducing the asking price later work?
A price reduction can generate renewed interest, but pricing correctly from the outset may help you find a buyer sooner. Rightmove reported that homes requiring a price reduction took an average of 127 days to find a buyer, compared with 36 days for those that sold without one.
How can I avoid delays when selling my home?
Preparation can help. Gather relevant property paperwork early, instruct a conveyancer promptly, respond quickly to enquiries and make sure everyone involved understands your preferred timescale. Not every delay is within a seller’s control, particularly when there is a chain, but being organised can help prevent avoidable hold-ups.
If you know someone thinking about moving this autumn, please share this article with them.
About the Ethical Agent Network
We are proud members of the Ethical Agent Network (EAN), a national group of independent agents who have been independently assessed against strict standards of honesty, service and community care.
Membership cannot simply be bought. Agents must meet the network’s required standards. When you see the EAN logo, it shows that the agency has been independently assessed against those standards.
If you would like to know more about the Ethical Agent Network, please get in touch or visit their website.
Sources: Rightmove House Price Index, 20 July 2026. HomeOwners Alliance, conveyancing guidance, 2026.
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