Complete Guide

The house selling process - step by step

Selling a house involves multiple steps, from initial valuation to handing over the keys. Understanding the process helps you make informed decisions and avoid common pitfalls.

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The traditional selling process

Get a valuation

Week 1

Invite 2 to 3 estate agents to value your property. They will assess the local market and suggest an asking price. Get an EPC certificate if you do not already have one (legally required before marketing).

Instruct an estate agent

Week 1-2

Choose an agent, sign their terms of engagement, and agree on the asking price. The agent will photograph the property, write a description, create floor plans, and list it on Rightmove and Zoopla.

Instruct a solicitor

Week 1-2

Find a conveyancing solicitor to handle the legal side. They will prepare the contract pack including the title information, property information form (TA6), and fittings form (TA10).

Market and conduct viewings

Week 2-10

Buyers view the property through the estate agent. Keep the house tidy and presentable. The number of viewings needed varies - some properties sell after a handful, others need dozens.

Accept an offer

Week 4-12

When you receive an offer you are happy with, accept it through the estate agent. The agent will verify the buyer has a mortgage agreement in principle or proof of cash funds.

Conveyancing

Week 8-20

Your solicitor and the buyer's solicitor exchange information. The buyer's solicitor carries out searches (local authority, environmental, water), the buyer arranges a survey, and the mortgage lender carries out a valuation.

Exchange contracts

Week 12-22

When all legal checks are complete and both parties are satisfied, contracts are exchanged. At this point the sale becomes legally binding. The buyer pays a deposit (usually 10%).

Completion

Week 14-24

On the agreed completion date, the buyer's solicitor transfers the remaining funds. Your mortgage is repaid, your solicitor deducts costs, and the equity is transferred to you. You hand over the keys.

The cash buyer alternative

The traditional process works, but it is slow and uncertain. Around 30% of house sales fall through before completion, wasting months of time and hundreds of pounds in fees. A cash buyer compresses the entire process into 7 to 28 days by eliminating the need for marketing, viewings, mortgage approval, and chain management.

With HouseBought4Cash, the process is: get an offer (day 1), accept and instruct solicitors (day 2 to 3), legal work and survey (day 4 to 6), exchange and complete (day 7 onwards). The trade-off is price - cash buyers typically offer 75% to 85% of market value for the speed and certainty. For many sellers, the time, money, and stress saved makes this a worthwhile exchange.

Skip the process - get a cash offer

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Frequently Asked Questions

House selling process - your questions answered

The average house sale in the UK takes 4 to 6 months from listing to completion. This breaks down as approximately 4 to 8 weeks to find a buyer, 8 to 12 weeks for the conveyancing process (legal work, searches, surveys, mortgage approval), and then completion on an agreed date. However, chains, mortgage delays, and survey issues can extend this significantly. Some properties take 6 to 12 months or longer to sell. A cash sale with no chain can complete in 7 to 28 days, bypassing most of these delays.

You need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - this must be in place before marketing the property. You also need the title deeds or Land Registry details, the Property Information Form (TA6) covering boundaries, disputes, planning, and services, the Fittings and Contents Form (TA10) listing what is and is not included in the sale, any building regulation certificates or planning permissions, guarantees for work carried out (double glazing, damp proofing, roof work), your mortgage details, and any relevant leasehold information if applicable. Your solicitor will prepare most of the legal documents.

Technically, you are not legally required to use a solicitor, but it is very strongly recommended. The legal process of transferring property ownership (conveyancing) is complex and involves preparing contracts, reviewing title, handling searches, managing the chain, and transferring funds. Mistakes can be costly and legally dangerous. A licensed conveyancer or solicitor typically charges 500 to 1,500 pounds for a standard sale. If you sell to a cash buyer like HouseBought4Cash, we cover our own legal costs, though you will still need your own solicitor to represent your interests.

On completion day, the buyer's solicitor transfers the purchase funds to your solicitor. Your solicitor uses these funds to repay any outstanding mortgage, deducts their fees and any other costs, and transfers the remaining equity to your bank account. You are expected to have moved out and cleared the property by the agreed time (usually 1pm). You hand over the keys, typically through the estate agent. The buyer's solicitor registers the change of ownership with the Land Registry. The sale is now legally complete.

Common problems include the buyer's mortgage being declined, survey results causing the buyer to renegotiate or withdraw, a chain link breaking and causing the entire chain to collapse, buyer or seller changing their mind, gazumping (a higher offer being accepted), gazundering (the buyer reducing their offer at the last minute), delays in local authority searches, title defects discovered during conveyancing, and disputes over fixtures and fittings. Around 30% of house sales fall through before completion. Selling to a cash buyer eliminates most of these risks.

We Understand This Is a Difficult Time

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