If you want your London home sold before December 31, the goal that matters most is a firm offer, meaning every condition is removed and the sale is locked in, even if the closing is in the new year. The ten well-priced London listings I tracked this fall took 25 to 81 days to sell. Those are homes that sold, so the true picture can run longer, which is why starting early matters. If you must be sold and moved out by December 31, price is the only thing that can make that happen. Here is what I do for sellers in your position.
What “Firm” Actually Means
An accepted offer is not a sold house. Until the buyer removes every condition, such as financing and the home inspection, they can still walk away. A firm offer is one where every condition is gone, and the sale is locked in. That's when you can plan your move, your finances, and your life around a real number.
Getting to that point before December 31 helps almost every seller, even if your closing date is in the new year. I tracked ten well-priced, well-presented London listings this fall. They took 25 to 81 days to sell, about 50 on average, and eight of the ten took longer than 30 days. With fewer than 60 days left in the year, waiting is a real risk.
Yet, the October data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and The London St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) show the average days on the market was 29 days!
Two different situations
If you can close in the new year: the goal is a firm offer before December 31 from a buyer with solid financing. The closing date can be after the New Year.
If you must be sold and moved out by December 31: in my 24 years as a Realtor, only price makes that happen. I will tell you plainly what price gets you there, and what you give up by choosing it, so the decision is yours and not a surprise later.
What Can Go Wrong When the Calendar Is Tight
Three things most often put a year-end sale at risk:
1. A panic price cut. As the date gets closer, it is tempting to drop the price at the last minute. A home priced realistically from day one tends to sell close to its asking price. In October 2026, London-area homes sold for 96.8% of their list price ( source: LSTAR data, October 2026). A home priced right rarely needs a panic cut.
2. Conditions that drag on. An offer is not firm until the buyer’s financing and inspection are cleared. If a buyer takes weeks to clear them and then walks away, you are back at the start with fewer days left.
3. Too many people to coordinate. When a home belongs to several family members, an estate, or a trust, one late signature can cost days. Someone has to keep everyone moving, and that someone should be a Realtor who has handled it before.
Here Is the Whole Road, From First Thought to Proceeds Cheque
Most sellers only find out the steps as they happen. This is the road I walk every seller through before we start, and you can see the full picture on my Home Seller Chart. Look for the middle, because that is where an offer becomes firm.
Before the offer, you decide what matters most and what time frame you are working with. We set the list price, you sign the listing agreement, and I put the marketing plan in place. We prepare and show the home, and I bring you the showing feedback so we can make adjustments while there is still time.
After you accept an offer, it becomes firm. Accepting an offer is not the finish. The buyer still has to clear a mortgage approval, which includes credit and employment checks, an appraisal, and a written commitment. They also have to clear a home inspection, which can end three ways: it passes, the buyer asks for repairs, or the buyer walks away. For a condo, you also review the status certificate. The lawyers check the title and survey. Your sale becomes firm only when the financing condition is removed and these checks are cleared.
After the sale is firm, you can set your moving date, pack, and move out. Then comes the final walk-through, the closing at the lawyer’s office, and the proceeds cheque.
Every one of those boxes takes time, and the date on the calendar won’t move. That is why the first ten days of your listing matter so much.
The 10 Days That Matter Most
If your calendar is tight, the first ten days decide more than anything that comes after. I explain them in full in The 10 Days That Matter When Selling a Home in London, Ontario. Here is what they mean for a year-end sale.
The five days before your home goes live. This is where you make or lose money. We price the home based on recent comparable sales, not hope. We book professional photos and video, get accurate floor plans, write a detailed listing description, and fix the small repairs a buyer would notice. A Coming Soon sign goes up. Buyers judge a listing in seconds, and you only get one first impression.
The five days after your home is on MLS. The lockbox, the sign, and your showing availability all matter now. Showings should start in the first five days, because that is when your listing is newest. By day 14, you should have two weekends of showings and feedback. By day 21, we compare your home with recent sales and decide whether the price, the presentation, or small touch-ups need attention. Day 30 is the decision point.
How long homes are taking to sell right now. In September 2026, the median home in Byron sold in 31 days, in Sunningdale in 26 days, and in Riverbend in 24 days. (Source: PropTx MLS®, September 2026.) The ten well-priced, well-presented London listings I tracked this fall took 25 to 81 days to sell, about 50 on average.
What this means for December 31. If your preparation starts this week and your home is live on MLS around November 9, day 21 lands on November 30 and day 30 lands on December 9. That leaves 22 days for the buyer’s financing and inspection to clear.
That is why a seller with a deadline can’t use the “wait and see” approach I would suggest to someone with no deadline. If you must be sold by December 31, the price decision is made on day one, not on day 30. Marketing can’t fix a price that is too high.
The 12 Steps Every Seller Should Know, and How a Deadline Changes Them
Selling a home takes far more than 12 steps, but these 12 are the foundation. I cover each one in 12 Steps to Selling a Home in London, Ontario. Here is how they apply when your calendar is tight.
One of them seems to argue against this whole article. Step 9 says to avoid artificial deadlines, and that is still right. A deadline you set for yourself, like “I’d like to be sold by Christmas,” gives buyers something to push against. A real deadline is different. It might be an estate, a legal date, or a purchase of your own that closes on a fixed day. A real deadline can’t be moved, so the job is to plan around it. That is also why Step 1 matters so much: your deadline stays between you and me.
Keep your motivation private. Your reasons for selling are for you and your Broker. A buyer who knows you are short on time will use it in the negotiation.
Know what matters most to you. Decide whether the most money, the fastest sale, or both come first. If you have a deadline, tell me which one wins when they conflict.
Do your homework before setting a price. Buyers compare your home with others in the same price range. A home that doesn’t compare well sits.
Know your market. We review recent comparable sales, competing listings, how long they have been listed, and how close to the asking price they sold.
Maximize your home’s sales potential. Buyers respond to how a home looks and feels. Declutter, clean, and make the home ready for every showing.
Choose your Broker carefully. Your Broker is a partner in pricing, marketing, and negotiating. With a deadline, you want the one who has done it before.
Make it easy for buyers to get information. Most buyers look online first. Listing details must be accurate, and agents must be able to reach us quickly.
Don’t move out before you sell. An empty home is harder to sell and signals that you are motivated, which weakens your price. If you must be out by December 31, we plan the move around the firm sale, as on the chart above.
Avoid artificial deadlines. As above, a self-imposed date works against you. A real deadline is handled by pricing and planning.
Don’t take low offers personally. A low offer is an opening position. Stay calm. With a deadline, a quick counter often keeps a good buyer at the table.
Disclose everything. Telling buyers what you know builds trust and protects you legally after closing.
Make sure the offer is complete. Make sure every term and responsibility is clear before you sign. A vague offer causes delays a deadline can’t absorb.
Talk to Me Before the Calendar Decides for You
If you need a firm offer on your London home before December 31, the first few days matter most. Call me or send the form below, and we’ll have a private 30-minute conversation. By the end of it, you’ll know:
Which situation you’re in: a firm offer now with a closing in the new year, or sold and moved out by December 31.
Your real timeline: we count back from the date you need, using the 10-day plan and the chart above.
Your price decision: what price gets you there, what it costs you, and what you give up if you choose a higher one.
Who needs to be involved: family members, lawyers, or an estate, so one late signature doesn’t hold things up.
You’ll leave knowing where you stand, whether or not you hire me.
Call Ty Lacroix Broker at 519-435-1600 or contact Ty here.
Ty Lacroix, Broker, The Envelope Real Estate Group
More on selling in London:
[Selling a Home in London, Ontario and Area]
[Selling an Apartment, Condo, or Townhouse]