When’s the best time to move?
Is there a best time of year to move house? Like so many questions in life, there’s no single answer. The best time for you will depend on a mixture of personal circumstances and priorities. Let’s look at the question from a few different angles.
How long does it take to move home?
Moving house takes time, especially when there’s a chain involved. The average house sale in the UK takes between 4 to 6 monthsfrom initial marketing to completion. So if you want to complete by August, you should start the process no later than February.
If there’s no chain and no unexpected complications, you might manage to complete sooner (but there are no guarantees).
When’s the best time of year to move?
There’s no best time of year to move as such, but here are some trends we experience in the UK:
Spring (March to mid-June) is most popular
- The better weather after Winter brings people out looking to move. More people looking generally means more houses for sale.
- Flowers, blossom, greenery and natural light all make properties look more attractive in Spring.
- An offer made in Spring stands a fair chance of being completed in the Summer or early Autumn, which is most people’s favourite time to move.
Autumn (September to early November) is a close second
- The school holidays’ lull in activity is over, and there is a (faint) chance of completion before Christmas.
- Gardens in their Autumn colours can enhance a property’s curb appeal.
- The weather is often still okay, not wet or cold enough to seriously deter the rate of viewings.
- The most likely timescale for completion of sales initiated in Autumn is Spring time, with the weather getting better.
Summer (late June to end August) is third best
- People are much more likely to be away on holiday.
- With so many people away, delays at all stages of the process are more likely.
- Completion is probably going to be in the dark, wet and cold months of Winter.
Winter (mid-November to end of February) is least popular
- People are busy preparing for Christmas.
- Too dark, too wet and too cold to be moving house.
- Curb appeal of properties is at its lowest in Winter.
When’s the best day to move home?
Fridays are usually the favourite day for completion and moving in, because:
- You have the whole weekend to unpack and settle in.
- You should only need to take one day’s leave, and then back to work on Monday.
- Minimal disruption to children’s education.
- When there is a chain, and completion of all transactions has to happen almost simultaneously, Friday is invariably the preferred moving day for the majority of people.
There are, however, a couple of downsides to a Friday move:
- Supply and demand for removal services means you may have to pay more than other days.
- If anything goes wrong on a Friday with the transaction, you may have to wait until Monday due to the weekend closure of banks, solicitors and other support services.
Thursday is also worth considering as a moving day. Whilst an extra day’s leave is the downside, Thursday gives you three days to unpack and settle in, removal costs should be lower, and any problems with the move can be sorted out the next working day.
Booking a survey before you agree to a purchase
Buying a property is a huge investment, with the potential for heavy losses. No matter the time of year you decide to move, it’s a smart move to book a survey before you commit to a purchase.