Part of our guide to selling your house for cash, fast.
“Fast” means different things to different people. For some it means an offer this week. For others it means a completion date they can plan a move around. And the faster and more certain you need the sale to be, the more it usually costs you in price. This guide sets out every realistic route, what each one actually involves, and who it suits.
The options at a glance
| Route | Speed | Price | Main costs | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agent, priced realistically | North West homes took 57 days on average to find a buyer; completion typically takes months more | Open-market value | Agent fee (average about 1.4% inc. VAT) + conveyancing | Buyer can pull out until exchange |
| Online / hybrid agent | Similar to a high-street agent | Open-market value | Fixed fee, often £0–£999 paid upfront | As above |
| Traditional auction | Exchange on the day; completion usually 20 business days later | Whatever the room pays above your reserve | Auctioneer’s commission + legal pack | Binding on the fall of the hammer |
| Conditional / “modern method” auction | Buyer normally exchanges within about four weeks | Can be reduced by fees the buyer pays | Buyer fees; seller costs vary | Buyer pays a non-refundable fee, but it isn’t binding at the hammer |
| Direct sale to a property buyer | Timescale agreed with you — typically set by the legal work | Below open-market value | Usually no agent fee; check who pays legal costs | Depends on the buyer — check they have the funds |
Route 1: an estate agent, priced to sell
For most homes in reasonable condition, this is still the route that gets the most money. It’s also quicker than many people think if the price is right — Rightmove reported that 71% of North West homes found a buyer in September 2026, the highest proportion of any region, and they took 57 days on average to do so.
The slow part is usually after the offer. The government estimates it takes around 120 days on average from an offer being accepted to completion, and says one in three sales falls through. Our guides to pricing your home and 14 practical tips cover how to shorten both stages.
Route 2: without a high-street agent
Online agents charge a fixed fee rather than commission, and you can also sell privately to someone you know. The timescales are similar to route 1 — see selling without an estate agent.
Route 3: auction
At a traditional auction the sale is legally binding when the hammer falls, and completion usually follows within 20 business days. That makes it one of the fastest routes to a guaranteed completion — but the price depends on who turns up, and some homes don’t reach their reserve. The “modern method” works differently. Our auction guide explains both.
Route 4: a direct sale
Property buying companies — including us — buy homes directly, so there’s no buyer to find and no chain. The trade-off is price: the Office of Fair Trading found in 2013 that people selling to quick-sale firms typically gave up between 10% and 25% of market value. Our guide to whether you can sell fast at full market value explains why, and how to check a quick house sale company covers what to look for before you sign anything.
Which route suits your situation?
- You have a few months and the house is in good order → an estate agent, priced realistically.
- You need a guaranteed completion within weeks → traditional auction or a direct sale.
- The house needs major work, has a short lease or can’t be mortgaged → auction or a direct sale; see selling a house as-is.
- You’re behind on your mortgage → speak to your lender and a free adviser first; see mortgage difficulties.
- You owe more than the house is worth → read selling in negative equity before you do anything else.
- A sale has already fallen through → see what to do when a sale falls through.
Cash buyers in Merseyside
Around a quarter of homes in Merseyside are bought without a mortgage — a higher share than many people expect. Cash buyers can move faster because there’s no mortgage valuation or offer to wait for. Our guide to selling your house for cash explains what that does and doesn’t mean.
| Area | Cash buyers | Mortgage buyers | Cash share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowsley | 186 | 1,097 | 15% |
| Halton | 217 | 896 | 20% |
| St Helens | 355 | 1,458 | 20% |
| Liverpool | 788 | 2,637 | 23% |
| Wirral | 944 | 2,506 | 27% |
| Cheshire West & Chester | 1,042 | 2,706 | 28% |
| Sefton | 791 | 1,895 | 29% |
| Merseyside | 3,064 | 9,593 | 24% |
Selling quickly in your area
Each area has its own page on selling quickly, with local sold prices and options:
Common questions
What is the quickest way to sell my house?
A traditional auction or a direct sale to a property buyer usually gives the quickest guaranteed completion. For the best price in a reasonable time, an estate agent with a realistic asking price is usually better.
How can I sell my house fast without losing money?
Price it realistically from recent sold prices, have your paperwork ready before you list, and choose a buyer who can proceed. Any route that guarantees speed usually costs something in price.
Can I sell my house in a week?
You can agree a sale in a week, but completing takes longer because of the legal work. Even at a traditional auction, completion is usually around 20 business days after the sale.
Do quick house sale companies pay market value?
Generally not. The OFT found sellers typically gave up 10–25% of market value, and the Property Ombudsman’s code requires members to tell sellers the price will be at a discount.
Sources
- Rightmove House Price Index, September 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK — Homebuying shake-up to slash delays, cut costs and stop sales falling through (June 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Office of Fair Trading — The quick house sale sector (OFT1499), August 2013 (opens in a new tab)
- The Property Ombudsman — Code of Practice for Residential Property Buying Companies (March 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- RICS — Property auctions: consumer guide (2024) (opens in a new tab)
- HomeOwners Alliance — How much should I pay the estate agent? (opens in a new tab)
- HM Land Registry Price Paid Data and UK House Price Index (Open Government Licence v3.0) (opens in a new tab)