In Bicester, where sales chains are often longer and buyers are more sensitive to price, this has a bigger impact. Agreeing a sale has never meant a guarantee, since properties are sold ‘subject to contract’. Still, it may surprise you that nearly a quarter of agreed sales in the town fall through. That’s a high number by any standard.

 

 

Across the UK in 2025, the rate was 23.67%, and in the South East, it was 26.29%. So why does this happen, and what can Bicester homeowners do to reduce the risk?

 

The most common reason for sales falling through is buyers changing their minds, making up just over one in three failed sales. Most of these buyers lose patience with the process, which takes on average about 19 weeks from agreeing the sale to moving in (it was eight weeks twenty years ago!). Delays often happen because legal and mortgage work takes time, or because there isn’t enough communication between agents, solicitors, mortgage arrangers, and others involved.

 

The next biggest reason is trouble getting a mortgage, which caused just under one in three sales to fall through. Lending rules are still strict. Even buyers who seem solid at first on their initial chat with a mortgage arranger can be affected by affordability checks, hidden debt, CCJ’s, lower valuations from lenders, or changes in interest rates before the mortgage is finalized.

 

Survey-related renegotiations are the next most common reason, making up just under one in five cases. Often, the survey doesn’t show anything new, but buyers use it as a reason to ask for a lower price. If sellers say no, the sale often falls through.

 

Chain breaks accounted for only one in eight, making them the smallest category. This challenges the long-held belief that chains are the main villain of the home-moving process. 

 

In 2025, 258,000 house sales in the UK fell through. The House Buyer Bureau says the average cost to someone when a sale falls through is £3,337. That means £860 million was lost in failed house sales in 2025 alone.

 

For Bicester, this meant home movers lost £824,239 to failed house sales in 2025.

 

There is no single silver bullet to reduce the risk of a sale falling through, but there are some steps that you can do to reduce the odds of a sale collapsing.

 

First, choose the right Bicester estate agent. The best agent isn’t just about their fee or the price they suggest, and it’s not only about finding a buyer, it’s about making sure you actually move. The real work begins after a sale is agreed, when keeping things moving is key. Good agents manage the process closely, set clear expectations, communicate often and spot problems before they become deal-breakers. They encourage everyone to act quickly on legal, survey, and mortgage steps, because delays create doubt, and doubt can end a deal. In today’s market, where sales can fall through, you should judge an agent not just by how fast or often they sell, but by how many agreed sales actually complete.

 

Second, instruct a solicitor as soon as your property goes on the market with your chosen estate agent, not after you get an offer. This can save weeks of delay and reduce uncertainty. I can help with this if you need support.

 

Third, gather your paperwork. Giving your agent and solicitor your home’s title documents, building work certificates, gas safety certificates, lease details (if it’s a leasehold), and other property information upfront helps build buyer confidence and speeds up the process.

 

Fourth, set a realistic price. Pricing your Bicester home correctly from the start is one of the best ways to avoid a sale falling through. Only 53.5% of UK homes listed actually sell, and if a property is on the market for more than 12 weeks, its chance of selling drops to just 14.5%. Remember, one needs to find a buyer to get to a sale agreed position. Realistic priced homes tend to sell quicker than those that are not and interestingly, how quickly you sell the home has a huge difference on whether the house sale falls through. Homes that agree a sale within 25 days have a 94% chance of completing, compared to only 56% if the sale is agreed after 100 days. Also, to back that up, properties priced right from the beginning are 135% more likely to sell, take a third of the time to sell, and are half as likely to fall through. Pricing well isn’t about pressure; it’s about speed, certainty and making your move happen.

 

Fifth, make sure your buyer is properly checked. Your agent should follow the law and check proof of funds, a mortgage agreement in principle, and understand the buyer’s situation, including the whole chain. These checks matter more than just the offer amount.

 

 

If you are planning to move in Bicester in 2026; don’t rush, prepare instead. Take your time before putting your home on the market, not after you’ve agreed a sale. Consider using tools like reservation agreements and instructing a solicitor early. These steps don’t remove all risk, but they do make a real difference.

 

If you want to talk through fall-through rates, what they mean locally in Bicester, or how to reduce the risk on your own move, start the conversation early. Most of the Bicester estate agents are professional and should you consider myself as one agent to talk to, I would consider it an honour to have the opportunity to discuss this without any obligation together with any other house moving topic.

 

Calm preparation beats last-minute panic every time.