Foxtons has urged homeowners hoping to move before Christmas to bring their properties to market now, warning that waiting until autumn could leave too little time to complete a sale before the end of the year.

The estate agency is stepping up its call for new instructions ahead of what is traditionally one of the busiest periods for the housing market, arguing that sellers who list during the summer will be best placed to take advantage of increased buyer activity later in 2026.

With transaction timelines still stretching over several months in many parts of the country, Foxtons said vendors targeting a year-end completion should act sooner rather than later to avoid missing the festive deadline.

“Winter is the quietest season for the market, with an average of 275,000 homes sold during the winter months, accounting for 23% of all annual market activity,” the company said in a market update. “Spring sees activity improve, but remains the second quietest season of the year, with an average of 279,000 homes sold, equal to 24% of annual market activity.”

It added: “The market then gathers pace through the summer months, when an average of 307,000 homes are sold, accounting for 26% of annual activity. The strongest level of market activity is seen in autumn, with an average of 323,000 homes sold, equivalent to 27% of the annual total.”

Whilst autumn may be the busiest time of year for the market, Foxtons points t0 the time taken to prepare, market and sell a property stating that means that homeowners need to act well in advance if they want to benefit from this seasonal uplift in demand.

It points to figures from the HomeOwners Alliance revealing that it takes between 10 and 21 days on average to get a property ready and listed for sale. Once listed, it can then take between three and 14 weeks for an offer to be accepted, before a further 10 to 12 weeks are required to exchange contracts. Finally, exchange of contracts to final completion can take between one and 28 days.

“In total, the average time from listing a home to completing the sale is around five and a half months,” Foxtons concluded. “As a result, homeowners hoping to move before the end of the year should now be preparing their property for market, as doing so will provide them with the perfect opportunity to capitalise on the stronger levels of activity seen later in the year.”

It added: “Buyers tend to become more active [in summer] after the quieter winter period, particularly those looking to move before the new school year or ahead of the Christmas period.

James Stevenson, MD – sales at Foxtons, commented: “While the market may not be moving at the same pace seen during the post-pandemic boom, buyer demand remains strong and the landscape has improved considerably when compared to this time last year.

“Homebuyer activity is building and it’s those sellers who price correctly and prepare properly during the summer months that are best placed to take advantage of the stronger market activity still to come this year.

“At the same time, improving stock levels are also creating greater choice for upsizers, making current market conditions particularly attractive for those looking to make their next move.”