HOMEOWNERS who are planning to sell their property before Christmas need to get going in October, research by property website Rightmove has revealed.

There are less than 100 days to go until Christmas, which could prove a challenge if you’re planning to move home.

The research shows it takes around 65 days to secure a buyer in the South West.

Rightmove director Miles Shipside said: “Our study looks at the average time from first listing, to being confident enough in the buyer’s ability to proceed, to actually mark it up as sold subject to contract. So although some sellers might find a potential buyer in a few days, the averages reflect the time taken to carry out thorough checks to minimise the risk of the sale falling through.”

He added: “People shouldn’t be disheartened if their property has been on the market before a sale is agreed for longer than the times shown, but if it’s been on a lot longer they should ask themselves and their agent if there is a different tactic they could try to help garner more interest in the property.”

Ian Street, senior manager at Hamptons in Cirencester, said: “The best advice for those trying to sell quickly is always present your property to the highest standard possible and set a realistic asking price from the outset. Launching with an open house is a great way to maximise interest in a property and create urgency.”

He added: “To ensure the sales transaction goes through quickly ensure you have a proactive conveyancing firm ready to handle the sale as this can knock weeks of the usual time some sales take to progress to an exchange of contracts.”