As the end of the year approaches, many of us turn our thoughts to what we have been putting off over the last 12 months with Christmas a common deadline for getting niggly tasks out of the way.

If starting the ball rolling on a house move is on your list, you may want to take action sooner rather than later to get a sale agreed before 25 December. 

A leading property website has said that sellers need to get their home on the market this week if they want to have a sale agreed before 25 December.

Christmas is coming: So those looking to get a sale agreed on their home need to move fast

According to The Homeowners Alliance, Friday 27 October, is the last day homeowners could list their property and still get it sold subject to contract by Christmas.

That is because the average time it takes to get to that stage, which is when an offer has been accepted but the contracts have not been exchanged, is 60 days. 

This is based on the property advice website’s analysis of sales over the past eight years.

During that time, average annual figures for how long it takes to sell a property have fluctuated between 39 days at the quickest and 73 days.

In 2023, the time it takes to sell has stretched from 44 days in January, to 53 days in March, and 60 days as of October, according to the Homeowners Alliance.

Buyers have been holding back as higher mortgage rates and the increased cost of living have combined to make buying a new home less affordable.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of Homeowners Alliance, said: ‘The speed of sale in 2023 has been slower than in recent years, showing that the relentless interest rate rises has done its job by dampening the housing market and curbing inflation.

‘So, to agree a sale by Christmas, you need to list your home by the end of October at the latest.’

Property market experts have reported that potential buyers are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach, leading some sellers to reduce their asking prices in order to make a sale.

If you are in the process of selling your home, these are the nine questions to ask an estate agent before appointing them, and these are the reasons a property might not be selling.

Slower process: Homes are remaining on the market for longer before they sell than they were at  the beginning of the year, according to the Homeowners Alliance 

Tips for selling your home before Christmas 

The Homeowners Alliance has these three tips for getting your house sold before 25 December. 

Make it look cosy and autumnal 

Getting your house ready for sale as the days get crisper means embracing soft furnishings like sumptuous throws and sheepskin rugs. As the nights draw in, use lighting to prettify dark corners. 

Candles and fairy lights are inexpensive but can really warm up a room. And of course, light the fire if you have one or put the heating on if necessary before a viewing. 

Kerb appeal can be enhanced with an on-trend autumnal door wreath. And while we’re outside, make sure hedges are neat, leaves swept up and wheelie bins hidden away.

Kerb appeal: A door wreath can make your home more inviting to buyers

Get the price right

Working out what price to sell for in the current market isn’t easy. So go to a good local estate agent for advice. 

Homeowners Alliance’s Find the Best Estate Agent tool ranks your local estate agents by how successful they are at selling quickly and securing the asking price, to select the best three agents. 

Invite them round to give you a free no-obligation valuation. 

While they need to impress you with their local knowledge, don’t fall for the flattery of an overly ambitious valuation – estate agents do this to win your business only to reduce the price a month later, after you’ve lost time languishing on the market with no viewings.

Don’t wait to set up your solicitor 

After the excitement of putting your house on the market some sellers sit back and wait for the sale. 

But now is the time to get ahead of the game. Shop around and compare quotes from conveyancing solicitors early on and start pulling paperwork together now if you want a slick sale. At the very least, dig out the essential documents.

A three-bedroom house packed with rubbish has been dubbed ‘Britain’s saddest’ after hitting the market for £180,000.

The unloved property in Gosport, Hampshire, has mould-ridden walls, stained cabinets, filthy floors and rubbish in every corner.

The terrace house looks as if it’s been lived in by a hoarder with piles of clothes and boxes stacked to the ceiling, providing few clear walkways.

The kitchen is a disgusting mess with cat litter trays and spills covering the surfaces, while the living room is dirty with no space to walk and one bedroom is no better with boxes obscuring parts of the window. 

A three-bedroom house in Gosport, Hampshire, has been dubbed ‘Britain’s saddest’ after it launched onto the market filled with rubbish

One room is completely crammed with boxes, clothes, bags, books and other items that almost touch the ceiling 

The living room is dirty with barely any space to walk around. Despite the mess, the property hit the market for £180,000 and will be ‘sold as is’ 

The garden is also swamped with overgrown weeds, plants and bushes along with plastic waste discarded on the ground. 

Despite the mess, the property has been described as ‘spacious’ and will be ‘sold as seen’. There’s also a cellar, off-road parking and a downstairs loo.

Sadly one of the few tidy rooms appears to be a child’s bedroom with toys on the bed and a tree on the damp wall.

Sadly one of the few tidy rooms appears to be a child’s bedroom with toys on the bed and the picture of a tree on the damp wall

The kitchen is a disgusting mess with cat litter trays and spills covering the surfaces

The person who buys the property will have a big job on their hands clearing all the mess

The only room in the house that’s somewhat tidy with a clear space to walk is the bathroom, but there’s still an overflowing bookshelf, dirt on the walls and stains on the bathtub. 

The person who buys the property will have a big job on their hands clearing all the mess. 

The Reddit thread quickly caught the attention from many who became saddened after seeing the images. 

The only room in the house that’s somewhat tidy with a clear space to walk is the bathroom, but there’s still an overflowing bookshelf, dirt on the walls and stains on the bathtub

Despite the mess, the property has been described as ‘spacious’ and will be ‘sold as seen’. There’s also a cellar, off road parking and a downstairs loo

The garden is also swamped with overgrown weeds, plants and bushes along with plastic waste discarded on the ground

The Reddit thread quickly caught the attention from many who became saddened after seeing the images. ‘This might be Britain’s saddest house. I hope the people inside get the help they need,’ one wrote

‘This might be Britain’s saddest house. I hope the people inside get the help they need,’ one Redditor said.

Another added: ‘It’s very sad when someone clearly isn’t coping, and hasn’t been for quite some time.’

‘This is a life that’s spiralled out of control,’ another chipped in.

And one said: ‘Hope they are ok.’

The cause of hoarding is unknown, but it has been linked to trauma, painful feelings and childhood experiences such as losing a loved one or living in poverty.