Your guide to securing a move before Christmas 2026
5 min read - by Redmile Homes
Wondering how to sell and move house before Christmas 2026? If you’re working towards an end-of-year deadline, now is the time to act. While the exact timescale for buying a home will vary, the process involves several different stages and leaving everything until later in the year could make a pre-Christmas move much harder to achieve.
The good news is that you can make the process more manageable by choosing a home that suits your timeframe and getting the practicalities organised early. At Gongoozlers Walk in Killamarsh, most of our available homes are already ready to move into, which could make them particularly suitable for buyers working towards an end-of-year deadline.
Find out more below.
Countdown to moving house checklist – Key takeaways:
- Start early: You’ll need a mortgage, solicitor, and paperwork organised now if you’re working towards a Christmas 2026 move. We can introduce you to the recommended people we work with, to make the process easier.
- Consider the property type: A completed new build removes the wait for construction to finish, while a home still being built will need more time.
- Understand your chain: If you’re selling your current home or buying a resale property, your move can depend on other buyers and sellers being ready too. Try to get ahead of the process by ensuring you have all relevant information to hand, including your gas and electric certificates.
- Stay on top of the process: Always be ready to respond quickly to your solicitor, mortgage advisor, and the seller to avoid unnecessary delays.
- Choose a home that’s ready now: Many of our homes at Gongoozlers Walk are move-in-ready, giving you more flexibility when working towards a pre-Christmas move.
How long does it take to move house?
There isn't one standard timeline for buying a home. In the UK, the overall process takes around 5 months on average, although it can take less or more time depending on your individual circumstances and whether you're part of a property chain.
The key stages you’ll work through before getting the keys include, although not necessarily in this order:
- Finding a property and making an offer
- Arranging your mortgage if you need one
- Appointing a solicitor to manage the purchase
- Completing legal checks and searches
- Exchanging contracts and agreeing a completion date
- Getting the keys and moving in
If you're selling your current home, there are additional steps to manage alongside your purchase. You'll need to work with your estate agent, coordinate with the buyer of your property, and keep track of any other linked transactions in the chain, as well as arranging your move, removals, and the practicalities of getting settled in your new home.
That might sound like a lot, but you can prepare for many of these steps before you find your new home. If December 2026 is your target, getting your finances, mortgage, and solicitor organised now can put you in a stronger position when you find the right property.
The property you choose can make all the difference
If you’re considering a new build, one of the biggest questions to ask is whether the home is already built. When construction has finished, your remaining timeframe can be focused on the purchase itself and the legal and financial work needed to complete the purchase.
Conversely, if you’re considering a new build that’s still being built, you’ll need to allow for construction to finish before you can move in. Ask the new build developer about the home’s current stage and expected availability before making plans around a particular date.
With a resale property, however, your timeframe will depend on the seller's own moving plans and whether there's a chain of linked sales and purchases. Until everyone is ready, delays further up the chain can affect your moving date, making the timeframe much harder to predict.
Want to sell and move in before Christmas 2026?
We still have plots available at Gongoozlers Walk, and many are move-in-ready!
Get your mortgage and finances ready
Getting your finances in order is one of the most useful things you can do at the start of your search. A mortgage advisor or broker can help you understand how much you could borrow, while a Decision in Principle (DIP) can give you an indication of what a lender may be prepared to lend.
Once you’ve found a property and had your offer accepted, you’ll normally need to make a full mortgage application (a broker can do this on your behalf). Your lender will carry out its checks and, all being well, provide a formal mortgage offer, which your solicitor will need as part of the purchase.
Make sure you’ve also considered the other costs involved in moving, including your deposit, legal fees, surveys, moving costs, and any tax that applies to your purchase. Getting a clear picture of these costs early can help you avoid financial surprises later in the process.
Give your solicitor plenty of time
You’ll need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal side of your purchase. They’ll deal with the contract, searches and legal checks, raise questions with the seller’s legal team, and arrange the transfer of the purchase money when you complete.
It makes sense to choose your solicitor as early as possible and tell them you’re working towards a pre-Christmas move. Once your offer is accepted, getting the relevant information and paperwork to them promptly can help them begin the conveyancing process without unnecessary delays.
As part of the countdown to moving house checklist, you’ll also need to make sure you’re available to answer questions and provide documents when required. Missing paperwork or unanswered enquiries can hold up a purchase, even when the property itself is ready to move into.
Are you part of a property chain?
Your position in the property chain can have a major effect on your moving date. A chain is a series of connected property transactions where one purchase depends on another sale, so your completion date could be affected by something happening further along the chain.
For example, if you’re selling your existing home to fund your purchase, your buyer needs to be ready to proceed too. If the person you’re buying from is also purchasing another property, they may be waiting for their own transaction to progress before they can move out.
This is one reason why moving into a new build home can be simpler. When you’re buying directly from a developer like Redmile Homes, there’s no developer-side onward property chain, although your own sale and purchase circumstances can still affect when you’re able to complete.
First-time buyers usually have one less thing to worry about
If you’re a first-time buyer, you don’t have an existing property to sell before you can move. That means you won’t be waiting for a buyer for your current home, which can make your position more straightforward when you’re working towards a particular date, like Christmas.
You’ll still need to complete the mortgage and legal process, however, so being chain-free doesn’t mean your purchase is guaranteed to complete by a specific date. It simply removes one potential source of delay from the transaction.
What can delay a move before Christmas?
When preparing to sell and move house before Christmas 2026, several points in the buying process can affect your completion date. Some are within your control, while others depend on your mortgage lender, solicitor, seller, or other people involved in the chain.
Common factors include:
- Mortgage delays, including waiting for checks or a formal mortgage offer
- Legal work, such as searches, enquiries, or contract issues
- Missing information or paperwork from either you or the seller
- A property that’s still under construction or refurbishment
- Changes to your financial or personal circumstances
You can’t control every part of a property purchase, but you can reduce avoidable delays by being prepared. Keep your solicitor, mortgage advisor, and the seller / seller’s estate agent updated, respond promptly to requests, and tell the people handling your purchase that you’re working towards a particular timeframe.
Explore available plots at Gongoozlers Walk, Killamarsh
If being in your new home before Christmas 2026 is important to you, we'd love to help! At Redmile Homes, many of our homes available at Gongoozlers Walk are ready to move into.
There's still work to do after you choose your home, and we can't guarantee a particular completion date, but starting your purchase now gives you much more time to work through the process.
Get in touch with our friendly sales team, arrange a viewing of our show home, and ask which available plots could suit your intended moving timeframe.
FAQs about selling and moving before Christmas 2026
How early should I start the buying process if I want to move before Christmas 2026?
If you’re wondering how to sell and move house before Christmas 2026, start preparing as soon as possible. The overall buying process can take around 5 months on average and can take longer if you're part of a property chain, so a December deadline is something to plan for well in advance.
Is it quicker to move into a new build home?
It can be, particularly when the home is already complete. There's no construction period left to wait for, and buying directly from a developer means there's no developer-side onward property chain. Your own mortgage, legal work, and any property you're selling can still affect the completion date, so a completed new build doesn't guarantee a quicker move.
What can delay moving house before Christmas?
Mortgage applications, legal work, searches, paperwork, construction, and property chains can all affect your moving date. Delays elsewhere in a chain can be particularly difficult to control because several linked purchases need to complete for everyone to move.
Can Redmile Homes guarantee that I'll move in before Christmas?
Unfortunately, no. Completion dates depend on individual circumstances, including your mortgage, legal work, property chain, and the readiness of the home. What we can do is explain the homes we have available, tell you which properties are already ready to move into, and help you understand the steps involved in your purchase. Starting early gives you the best opportunity to work towards your intended moving date.
Author: Redmile Homes
9/1/2026
Value for money and a home to be proud of.