Ask an agent how long your sale will take and you will hear "it depends on price." True, but incomplete. The honest answer is that the sales route determines the timeline far more than the price does. Here are the real numbers.
The agented sale: 3–6 months, realistically
- Weeks 1–2: photography, listing, portal go-live
- Weeks 2–12: viewings, offers, negotiations — the long, unpredictable middle; commercial and shell & core units sit longest
- Weeks 12–16: buyer mortgage approval (the most common collapse point), MOU, developer NOC, DLD transfer
Every mortgage-dependent buyer adds 4–8 weeks and a meaningful failure risk; every renegotiation after "agreement" restarts the clock. Sellers consistently underestimate the middle phase.
The direct cash sale: 2–4 weeks
- Day 1–2: submit property details; buyer reviews
- Day 3–5: inspection and written Letter of Intent
- Week 1–2: MOU signed, developer NOC requested, service charge clearance
- Week 2–4: DLD trustee appointment, transfer, payment by manager's cheque
What removes three months: no listing period, no viewing carousel, no mortgage contingency, no renegotiation. The transaction steps are identical to an agented sale — the direct route simply deletes everything before the MOU.
What slows any sale — fix these first
- Unpaid service charges: no NOC until cleared — get the statement before you start
- Mortgage on the property: add 1–2 weeks for bank liability letters and settlement coordination (manageable, but start early)
- Missing title deed or POA issues: resolve before marketing, not during transfer week
- Tenanted units: not a delay for an investor buyer — we purchase with tenants in situ — but a major delay if you wait for vacancy to sell to end-users
If your timeline matters — relocation, capital needs, or simply wanting it done — the direct route is built for exactly that. Start with the sell property hub, or go straight to offices, apartments or off-plan exits.