Sell my house fast: an honest guide from a direct buyer
If you have typed “sell my house fast” into a search bar, you probably want two things: a buyer you can rely on and a clear idea of what it will cost you. We buy homes across England. Our offers are below market value, there are no fees, and the home must be empty by completion.
Who asks us to buy a lived-in home, and why
Most people who want a quick house sale are not in crisis. They have simply reached a point where the usual route (list with an agent, wait for viewings, hope the buyer’s chain holds) does not fit what they need to happen next. These are some of the common situations behind a request like that.
A job or family move
A new role in another city, or a move closer to family, often comes with a start date. Some owners would rather accept a lower figure than run two homes, or leave a sale in the hands of an agent from hundreds of miles away.
Downsizing
A house that suited a family of five can feel like a lot of rooms to heat and stairs to climb. Downsizers often have a smaller place in mind and want the sale of the larger home settled first, with one buyer and one date.
Separation
When a couple separates, the home often belongs to both of them, and both owners need to agree to the sale and sign the paperwork. We deal openly with each owner, send the written offer to both and let each person’s solicitor do their job. If there is a court order or an agreement about the property, your solicitors will explain how it affects the sale. We never take sides, and we never push one owner to persuade the other.
Inherited homes and chains that keep breaking
Beneficiaries who do not want to become landlords sometimes choose a direct sale, and there is more on that in our page on selling a house you have inherited. Others have been through one or two collapsed sales and want certainty; our page on what to do when a house sale falls through covers that.
Your home needs to be empty on the day we complete
This is the most important condition of selling to us, so we put it near the top. We buy homes to own them. By completion day, you, your family and your belongings need to have moved out, and the property must be handed over with vacant possession.
We do not buy homes that the owner wants to carry on living in, and we never let a seller or a member of their family become our tenant after the sale. If staying put is what you need, please do not sell to us; speak to an independent adviser about the alternatives instead.
In practice, most people find it straightforward to plan around. Because we agree the completion date with you in advance and put it in the contract, you can book removals, arrange for utilities to be read on the day and give your new landlord or your seller a firm date. A few practical points that help:
- Tell us early about anything you would like to leave behind, such as a fridge, garden shed contents or carpets. What stays and what goes is agreed in writing, usually on the fittings and contents form (TA10 in England).
- Read the gas and electricity meters and take photographs on the day you leave.
- Set up post redirection before completion, not after.
- Hand all the keys you have, including window and garage keys, to your solicitor or to us, as agreed.
If the home is already empty, have a look at our page for owners who want to sell an empty house, which covers the running costs and risks that come with a vacant property. Landlords can sell to us too: we buy rental properties with vacant possession, so the tenancy must have ended and the property be empty by completion. Our page for landlords selling up has more.
Agent, auction or us: comparing ways to sell a house quickly
There are three realistic ways to sell a house quickly in England, and each suits a different kind of seller. We would rather you picked the right one than picked us by default.
| Estate agent | Auction | Selling to us | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Likely price | Usually the most, for a home a lender will accept | Whatever bidders pay on the day, above your reserve | Below open-market value |
| What can go wrong | Buyer withdraws, chain collapses, down-valuation | No bids at the reserve; the lot goes unsold | We find a new, material problem and explain it in writing |
| Costs to you | Commission plus your legal fees | Entry fee, commission, legal pack and legal fees | None: no fees, and we pay your legal fees |
| Condition | Presentation affects price and lending | Any condition sells, at a price | Any condition considered; sell as seen |
When an estate agent is the better route
If your home is in reasonable order, you have some flexibility on dates and a mortgage buyer could buy it without trouble, an agent will usually get you more money. That is simply how the market works, and we will say so on the phone if it applies to you.
When an auction makes sense
Auctions suit unusual properties and homes needing a lot of work, where competitive bidding can find the right buyer. The fees are real, you pay for a legal pack up front, and your reserve may not be met, but the fall of the hammer usually commits the buyer.
When a direct sale to us fits
A sale to us fits best when certainty and simplicity matter more than the last pound: a home that lenders are wary of, a date you need to plan around or a sale you would rather not stage and show to strangers. Our guide weighing up agents, auctions and direct buyers goes into more depth.
What a quick house sale costs you in price
Every quick house sale involves a trade. With us, the trade is price. Our offers are below open-market value, because we take on the risk, the repairs and the costs of reselling or letting the home ourselves.
We work out an offer from two things:
- Comparable sales. What similar homes on your street or nearby have sold for recently, adjusted for size, layout and condition.
- Our costs and margin. Legal fees on both sides, surveys, holding costs, resale costs and a margin for the business.
The written offer comes with our Terms of Business. It has no deadline. If we ever need to change it, that can only be for a new, material and evidenced finding, and we explain why in writing. The detail is on our page about how we calculate an offer.
From your first call to the day you hand over the keys
If “sell my house fast” is what brought you here, remember that we do not sell homes for anyone: we buy them. These are the stages. The full timeline is on our page about each stage of selling your home to us.
Send the address or call
Use our short form to request a written offer or call 0203 746 5656.
A conversation about the home
Condition, ownership, who lives there now and when you plan to move out.
A viewing
At a time that suits you. There is no need to tidy or stage anything.
The written offer
Sent with our Terms of Business. Take the time you need.
Solicitors and checks
You can choose your own solicitor, or we can recommend one to you, and we pay the legal fees. Identity checks and searches follow.
Exchange, then completion
Contracts are exchanged, you move out, the money goes to your solicitor, and you hand over the keys.
Selling your house as is, without repairs or staging
You can sell your house as is to us. There is no need to fix the dripping tap, repaint the hall or hire a skip before we view. Homes in any condition are considered.
“As is” still has some rules attached, and they apply whoever buys:
- An EPC. In England, a seller must give the buyer a valid energy performance certificate. The duty in regulation 6 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012 applies to a private sale to a company buyer as well. If you do not have a current one, it can be arranged before exchange.
- Honest property forms. In England, you fill in the TA6 property information form and TA10 fittings and contents form. GOV.UK’s guide to selling a home is clear that sellers should not hide defects. You do not need to fix a problem, but you do need to be open about it.
- Title. Your solicitor will check the title register and deal with any missing documents, old restrictions or unregistered land.
If the property has more serious problems, such as subsidence, fire damage or a construction type lenders avoid, our page on selling a derelict or unmortgageable house goes into how those are priced. Flats with a short lease or cladding questions are covered on the page for owners who want to sell a leasehold flat.
Checks worth making on any fast house buyer
Search for “sell my house fast” and you will find plenty of companies, and the promise of speed attracts some poor behaviour in this industry. Whoever you talk to, including us, these checks take ten minutes and are worth doing:
- A real company. Look the business up on Companies House. Ours is Resolute Estate Solutions Ltd, company number 15990739, registered office 142-143 Parrock Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 1EY.
- A written offer. A figure on the phone is not an offer. Ask for it in writing with the terms.
- No upfront fees. You should not pay anything to receive an offer or to start the sale.
- Your own solicitor. You should always be free to use an independent solicitor of your choice.
- No pressure. Be wary of offers that expire tonight or buyers who keep ringing. A fair offer can wait a few days while you think it over.
- The same buyer at the end. Ask directly whether the company is buying for itself or intends to pass the deal to someone else.
We ask you for identification too, and we explain why on our page about why we check identity and ownership. You can read more about who we are on the page about our company and director, and our complaints procedure sets out what happens if you are unhappy with how we have handled anything.
Questions people ask before they sell their house quickly
How quickly can you buy my house?
The written offer follows the viewing. After that, the timing depends mostly on the legal work: how clean the title is and how quickly both solicitors can move. We agree a completion date with you and will not rush you towards one that does not work for your move.
Can I carry on living there for a while after the sale?
No. The property must be empty by completion, with vacant possession. We never let the seller or their family become our tenants. If you need more time to move, we would rather set a later completion date than agree anything else.
Will you pay what an estate agent says my house is worth?
No. An agent’s figure is a marketing price for the open market. Our offers are below open-market value, because we cover the fees. If price is your priority, an agent is likely to get you more.
Do I need to clear or repair the house first?
No repairs are needed. You can sell as seen. The home does need to be empty by completion, so talk to us early about any furniture or belongings you do not want to take with you, and we will agree it in writing.
What if the house is jointly owned?
Every legal owner has to agree to the sale and sign the transfer. We send the written offer to all owners, and each can take advice from their own solicitor. If one owner does not want to sell, we will not try to change their mind.
Is there any charge if I decide not to go ahead?
No. You can turn down our offer, or withdraw before exchange of contracts, without paying us anything. The offer is free, and there is no obligation to accept it.
Page last reviewed on by the Resolute Estate Solutions team.