August does not have to be a quiet month for your property search. With the right financial preparation and viewing strategy, summer buyers can uncover opportunities others may miss.

A fresh coat of paint can help, but missing paperwork can delay a sale for months. Use August to prepare the information buyers and solicitors will need before an offer is agreed.

It takes an average of 62 days to find a buyer and 154 days from agreed sale to completion in Britain. And that’s just an average – in some parts of the country it’s much longer. This is according to a new Rightmove analysis. See Beaumont Gibbs' tips on how best to prepare your property for sale

A move often starts long before a property is officially listed. If selling within the next few months is becoming a realistic possibility, September is a good time to work out what needs to happen first.