It Takes 74 Days to Sell a Home in Chelmsford

If you are a Chelmsford homeowner or landlord thinking about selling your property, one of the first questions you will ask is simple, how long will it take?

The honest answer is that it depends. Location, property type, number of bedrooms, price point and market conditions all play a part. To give Chelmsford homeowners some clarity, I have analysed the latest data from the 501 Chelmsford homes, building plots, commercial units and mobile homes etc, that have sold subject to contract in the last three months. This covers Chelmsford city centre plus a one-mile radius.

Of the properties that have sold subject to contract, the overall average time from coming to market to sale agreed is 74 days. This is split down as follows by type and bedrooms.

Average time to sell a Chelmsford property by type

• Detached homes
  95 properties sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 100 days
• Semi-detached homes
  148 properties sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 68 days
• Terraced and town houses
  75 properties sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 35 days
• Flats and apartments
  147 properties sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 103 days

Average time to sell a Chelmsford property by number of bedrooms

• One-bedroom homes
  63 sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 97 days
• Two-bedroom homes
  150 sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 91 days
• Three-bedroom homes
  179 sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 45 days
• Four-bedroom homes
  88 sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 107 days
• Five-bedroom homes or larger
  20 sold subject to contract
  Average time to sale agreed, 179 days

The message is clear. In Chelmsford, terraced/town houses and three-bedroom homes are currently the fastest movers when it comes to property types and bedrooms.

Why do some Chelmsford homes take longer to sell?

Selling a home is not simply about putting it on the portals (Rightmove, OnTheMarket or Zoopla) and waiting. When homes take longer to sell, or fail to sell at all, it usually comes down to two things, pricing and marketing.

Pricing your Chelmsford home correctly

Price matters more than anything else.

Overpriced homes stand out for the wrong reasons. Buyers compare everything, and if a property looks out of step with similar homes, it is quietly ignored.

The data backs this up. Only 52.2% of Chelmsford homes that left estate agents’ books in 2025 actually sold and completed (i.e., the homeowner moved). The remaining 47.8% were withdrawn unsold, meaning the homeowner did not move.

There are two key reasons for this. The first is unrealistic pricing at the start.

Research by Denton House using TwentyEA data, shows that of 2 million UK home sales, if a home sells within the first 25 days of coming to market, there is a 94% chance the sale will go on to complete (i.e., you move home). Yet, if it takes over 100 days to agree a sale, that completion probability falls to 56%.

Also, of the UK homes that do sell, those homes that don’t get their asking price reduced (i.e., they are realistically priced from day one) are 135% more likely to get a sale agreed on them and take a third of the time to sell and half as likely for that sale to fall through.

Setting the asking price for your home is not about settling for less, it is about creating the best conditions to achieve the most money. A property needs to enter the market at a level that attracts genuine attention from day one, because once a home lingers, value starts to leak away. That is not to say you cannot try a slightly higher asking price in the initial stages of marketing, although it’s important to remember the market usually gives a clear answer within the first two weeks, through activity and feedback. That early response tells you quickly whether the price is right or needs adjusting. If it needs adjusting, do so after two or three weeks, not two or three months. In other words, the asking price gets you into the game, and what happens next is driven by how real buyers behave, not by hope or guesswork.

The role of the estate agent

The second reason is your choice of estate agent and their marketing strategy. This has a direct impact on how fast your home sells, and whether it sells at all.

Some Chelmsford estate agents are excellent at proactive marketing, buyer follow up and honest feedback. Others are far less consistent once the board goes up.

If your agent promised regular updates, buyer feedback and a clear strategy, it is reasonable to expect that to happen. Good agents earn their value through momentum, communication and problem solving, not just by listing the home.

Exceptional photography, floor plans  and video are no longer optional. Most Chelmsford buyers first see your home on Rightmove, OnTheMarket or Zoopla, and they make a judgement in seconds.

Outdated or poor-quality images quietly kill interest. Seasonal photos are another giveaway. Snow on the ground or Christmas decorations in the summer signal how long a home has been sitting unsold.

Refreshing photography as the seasons change can make a real difference. Small improvements in presentation often lead to a noticeable uplift in enquiry.

Selling a home in Chelmsford

Selling your home is not a tick box exercise. It is a major life decision that needs clear advice, realistic expectations and steady support from start to finish.

Understanding local data, pricing with confidence and maintaining momentum are what separate smooth moves from stressful ones.

If you are considering a move in Chelmsford and want a grounded, data led conversation about your options, I am always happy to chat.