Completion can be possible in as little as 7 days in some cases, but only when everything lines up: a cash buyer with the money ready, a clean registered title, searches that come back quickly, and solicitors on both sides ready to move. Most quick sales take longer. When the Office of Fair Trading studied the sector in 2013, it found that firms advertised the fastest possible times, such as seven days, while three to four weeks was more typical.
That is still far quicker than an ordinary sale. GOV.UK says selling a home takes about five months on average. But if speed is the main reason you are considering a cash buyer, it helps to know exactly what drives the timetable.
What has to be true for a 7-day completion?
A sale that completes within a week usually has all of the following in place.
- A genuine cash buyer with funds ready. No mortgage, no need to sell another property first, and proof of funds available. The OFT noted that a genuine cash buyer will be able to provide proof.
- A clean, registered title. Your ownership is registered at HM Land Registry, the details are correct, and there are no restrictions or disputes to resolve.
- Quick searches, or no wait for them. Council search times vary. Some cash buyers choose to rely on search indemnity insurance instead of waiting, but that is their decision to make with their own solicitor.
- Your solicitor ready to act. Identity checks done, the property forms (TA6, and TA7 if leasehold) completed, and quick replies to the buyer’s enquiries.
- A straightforward mortgage position. Your lender can provide a redemption figure promptly and the sale price comfortably covers what you owe.
- No probate or leasehold delays. Executors already have the grant of probate, and any leasehold management information has arrived from the landlord or managing agent.
- Agreement on the dates. Both sides are willing to exchange and complete close together, or on the same day.
If any one of these is missing, the timetable stretches.
Why do most quick sales take longer?
Most delays come from things neither you nor the buyer fully control.
Probate. GOV.UK advises not to put a property on the market until probate has been granted, where it is needed. Our guide to selling an inherited house covers this.
Leasehold information. For a flat or leasehold house, the buyer’s solicitor needs information from the landlord or managing agent as well as from you. That pack can take time to arrive.
Title problems. GOV.UK notes that some properties owned since before 1990 without a later mortgage may never have been registered. Old paper deeds, missing documents or errors on the register all need sorting out.
The buyer’s own checks. Even without a lender, most buyers want a survey and full answers to their enquiries before they commit.
Your side of the paperwork. Unanswered questions, missing certificates for building work or an unexpected secured loan can all hold things up. Our guide to the documents you need to sell lists what to gather.
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Cash buyers usually offer less than full market value in return for speed and certainty. You are free to turn down any offer.
How long does a quick sale realistically take?
These are the most reliable published timescales we could find. Your own sale could be quicker or slower.
| Route or stage | Typical timescale | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Selling a home, from start to finish | About 5 months on average | GOV.UK |
| Sale to a quick sale company | 3 to 4 weeks was typical, though 7 days was often advertised | OFT, 2013 |
| Exchange to completion | Typically 7 to 28 days; same day is possible | MoneyHelper |
| Traditional auction, hammer to completion | Balance usually due within 28 days | Which? |
| Buying a home in Northern Ireland | Usually around 2 to 3 months | nidirect |
MoneyHelper puts it simply: selling usually takes a few months, while quick house sale companies can offer to sell your home in a week.
What should you ask a buyer who offers a very fast completion?
A short timescale is only useful if it is realistic. MoneyHelper suggests asking any quick sale buyer how long the sale will take and whether anything could cause a delay. It is also worth asking:
- Can you show proof of funds? A genuine cash buyer should be able to.
- Will you wait for searches, or rely on search indemnity insurance?
- Is the offer subject to survey, and when will the survey happen?
- What could change the price, and at what stage?
- Who pays the legal fees, and what happens to those costs if the sale does not go ahead?
Ask for the answers in writing. If a buyer cannot explain how they will hit the date they have given you, treat the date as a hope rather than a plan.
How can you help a quick sale move faster?
You cannot control the buyer’s side, but you can remove most of the delays on yours.
- Instruct a solicitor or conveyancer early. Which? notes that having one in place before you accept an offer helps speed things up.
- Gather your paperwork now. Proof of identity, your title, any lease, planning permissions, building regulations and competent person certificates, guarantees and warranties.
- Ask your lender for a redemption figure, and check for early repayment charges.
- Have an Energy Performance Certificate ready. GOV.UK says you must have one when selling and must order it before marketing the property.
- Answer the forms fully and honestly. The Law Society’s guidance on the TA6 form says incomplete answers can delay a sale or cause the buyer to withdraw.
- Reply to enquiries quickly, and tell your solicitor about any holidays or dates you cannot do.
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Should speed be the only thing you weigh up?
No. A quick sale to a cash buyer usually means accepting less than the open market price in exchange for speed and certainty. That can be the right trade for someone facing repossession, a broken chain or the cost of an empty home, but it is a trade all the same. Our guide to how quick house sales work walks through each step.
Be wary of anything that undermines the speed you are paying for. The OFT questioned why any quick sale agreement should last much longer than four weeks and was concerned about long exclusivity agreements. Our guide to spotting rogue quick sale companies explains what to look out for.
Is it the same in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
In Scotland the sale becomes binding when missives are concluded between the solicitors, and most sellers need a Home Report before marketing. A quick sale is possible there too, but the steps are different. Northern Ireland’s process is closer to England’s, with the sale binding on exchange of contracts.
If your timescale is tight, you can get offers for my home and ask each buyer how quickly they could realistically complete, and what might hold that up. It is free, and there is no obligation to accept.
Common questions
Can anyone promise a 7-day sale?
No one can promise it before the legal work has started, because the timetable depends on the buyer's checks, the searches, your title, your solicitor and any mortgage or probate issues. Treat any firm that promises a fixed timescale at the outset with caution, and ask what could make it take longer.
What slows a quick sale down the most?
Usually something outside the buyer's control: waiting for a grant of probate, a leasehold management pack, problems with the title, slow searches or delays in answering enquiries. Getting documents together and instructing a solicitor early helps.
Can I exchange and complete on the same day?
Yes, it is possible. MoneyHelper notes that completion typically happens between 7 and 28 days after exchange, but exchanging and completing on the same day can be done if both sides and their solicitors are ready.
Can I sell quickly if I'm waiting for probate?
You can start preparing, but GOV.UK advises not to put a property on the market or make financial plans until probate has been granted, where it is needed. The sale cannot complete until the executors have the legal authority to sell.
Related guides
- How a quick house sale works, step by step Every step of a quick sale, from first enquiry to completion day.
- Documents you need to sell a house A checklist of the paperwork for a sale, and where to find it.
- Selling an inherited or probate property quickly Grants of probate, confirmation, council tax, tax and executor duties.
- Are quick house sale companies legit? How to spot a rogue firm Warning signs, simple checks and how to complain.