The Pros and Cons of Selling to a Cash House Buying Company

In this blog, we’ll explore the pros and cons of selling to a house buying company, helping you make an informed decision about why this approach could be right for you.

The table below shows the key differences between selling to a cash house buyer and selling with an estate agent:

We buy any house pros and cons

Pros of Selling to a Cash House Buying Company

There are many benefits to selling your home to a cash buyer including a speedy guaranteed sale and no property chain. 

Speedy Sale Process

Guaranteed Sale

No Chain Involved

No estate agent fees

A significant advantage of selling your home to a quick house sale company is the unparalleled speed and efficiency of the transaction. Unlike selling a house traditionally through an estate agent, which can take several months, a cash sale can be completed in as little as a week or two. This is especially beneficial if you need to sell your property urgently due to financial constraints, relocation or other pressing reasons. 

Here at House Buyer Bureau, we can buy your house in as little as 7 days. But you are in control; we can work to whatever timescale suits you. 

When you sell to a cash buyer, you can rest assured that the sale is guaranteed. In a traditional sale, even after accepting an offer, the deal might fall through due to various reasons, such as buyer financing issues or a change of heart. This uncertainty can cause significant stress and disappointment for sellers.

House buying companies have readily available funds, eliminating the risk of potential buyers backing out at the last minute, and giving homeowners peace of mind and more certainty. 

A cash house buying company will buy your property “as is”. You don’t need to do any repairs or redecoration. And you don’t need to tidy the property up in preparation for lots of viewings. This can save you money, time and the constant hassle of keeping your house spotless. 

A cash sale bypasses the need for a property chain. In the conventional sales process, a property chain involves multiple linked transactions, where the sale of each property is contingent on the success of the next. Because of this, they can be a significant source of frustration and uncertainty, as the sale is dependent on multiple parties’ transactions. 

With a quick house sale company, you won’t have to worry about buyers down the chain causing delays or pulling out. At House Buyer Bureau, we won’t change our mind and we’re a chain-free buyer so you can be sure the sale will be completed.

Opting for a cash house buyer means you can avoid estate agent fees, which can be a substantial cost in a traditional sale. Estate agents typically charge a percentage of the final sale price as their commission. The offer made by the cash buyer is the amount you will receive, ensuring transparency and predictability in the transaction.

Selling your home to us for cash means not only are you guaranteed to sell but there will also be no estate agent fees, no survey costs, and no solicitor fees (if you use our recommended solicitors). We can give you a quick indication of what we’ll pay in a single phone call. If you like what you hear we can go from there.

Speedy Sale Process

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Here at House Buyer Bureau, we can buy your house in as little as 7 days. But you are in control; we can work to whatever timescale suits you. 

Guaranteed Sale

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House buying companies have readily available funds, eliminating the risk of potential buyers backing out at the last minute, and giving homeowners peace of mind and more certainty. 

No Chain Involved

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No estate agent fees

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Cons of Selling to a Cash House Buying Company

Now you understand the benefits of selling to a house buying company, let’s delve into the cons.

Scams and Unreliable Companies

Lower sale price

How much below market value do house buying companies offer

While many reputable quick house sale companies operate ethically and transparently, the industry also attracts some unscrupulous operators. Scams and unreliable companies can prey on vulnerable sellers, offering low-ball offers or disappearing after the initial inspection, wasting the seller’s time and potentially causing financial losses.

You should always check the credentials of the company on Companies House. Some companies pretend to be a house buying company, but they don’t have the cash to buy property. You should always ask them to show you their ‘proof of funds’ so you know they have the money available to buy now. 

Always check reviews, accreditations and credentials before proceeding with a cash sale. We at House Buyer Bureau are a member of The Property Ombudsman and a founding member of the National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB). As a founding member of the NAPB, we’re keen to see rogue traders disappear and best practices become the norm. We also encourage anyone we work with to leave a review on Trustpilot, whether they decide to go ahead or not, so you can read about real experiences from real people. 

Generally speaking, cash house buyers will offer less than the full market value for your property. They will only pay around 80% – 85% of what your property might get if you sell via an estate agent. 

Whilst this can mean an offer that is thousands of pounds lower than you might expect when selling via an estate agent, there are some savings that you need to factor in. You won’t have any estate agent fees to pay, or surveyor fees, and most companies will pay your legal costs if you use the solicitors that they recommend.

By selling more quickly you are avoiding lots of monthly ongoing costs on your existing property like your mortgage and utilities. These can easily add up to thousands of pounds over the 6+ months it often takes to sell a property on the open market. 

Cash house buyers typically offer below market value for properties, usually around 80-85% of what you might receive through a traditional estate agent sale.

The table below gives an illustration of how this might add up:

Scams and Unreliable Companies

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Lower sale price

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How much below market value do house buying companies offer

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Cash house buyers typically offer below market value for properties, usually around 80-85% of what you might receive through a traditional estate agent sale.

The table below gives an illustration of how this might add up:

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What We’ll Pay for Your House Example

	Cash Sale	Estate Agency
Asking price example	£120,000	£120,000
Average agreed purchase price	£95,000	£110,000
1. Final agreed price after survey	£95,000	£108,000
2. Estate Agent fees	£0	£1,980
3. Estimated cosmetic repair costs	£0	£1,500
4. Solicitor fees	£0	£1,000
5. Estimated bills (During sale process)	£0	£1,200
6. Estimated mortgage costs (During sale process)	£0	£2,700 *
7. Time taken off to see Estate Agents and Lawyers	£0	£300 **
	£95,000	£99,320

* £450 per month based on 6 months to sell.
** Based on £75 a day and 4 days off work.

Selling to a Cash House Buying Company Pros and Cons FAQs

Should I sell my house to a cash buying company?

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Selling your house to a cash buying company can be a great option if you need a quick, hassle-free sale without the delays of property chains or the need for repairs. However, they typically pay a little below market value, so it’s important to weigh speed and convenience against price. If you want a quick, no hassle sale, a cash buying company is definitely a good route to take.

Is it worth selling to a house buying company?

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Although a cash buying company will only pay around 80% – 85% of what your property might get if you sell via an estate agent, you won’t have any estate agent or surveyor fees to pay. And if you sell through us and use our solicitors, we’ll pay your legal costs.

What percentage do house buying companies offer?

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This varies from company to company, and also depends on the property in question, but generally, you can expect an offer of around 75% to 90% of what your property might get if sold via an estate agent.

Are we buy any house companies any good?

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House buying companies are a convenient option for owners looking to sell their house quickly, especially in situations where a traditional sale might take too long or prove challenging. If in doubt about a particular company, look for reviews, customer testimonials and if they are part of any organisations like Property Ombudsman or National Association of Property Buyers.

Is it worth selling your house to a house buying company?

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This is often a fast and hassle-free way to sell your property, which can really help if you need to sell quickly to free up some cash, you’re divorcing and just want an easy process, or if you’ve inherited the house and can’t be doing with all the admin.

How can House Buyer Bureau help?

There are many house buying companies on the market and when you’re looking to make a quick sale, it can be hard to know who you can trust. At House Buyer Bureau, we make the whole process easy and transparent and we have the funds to buy your property for cash in as little as 7 days.

Chris

Chris has worked in property all his career, first as a successful estate agent before spotting a gap in the market for buying property directly from people looking for a simple, quick sale.

He has a passion for property and as an experienced valuer, has looked at well over 50,000 properties so far at HBB. He has extensive experience in property buying and regularly comments in the press on property matters, trends and promotes ways to simplify and speed up the selling process.

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