| Route | Price | Time | Fees | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | Highest — full market value | 4–6 months typical | 1–3% + VAT, plus your legal fees | Low — chains collapse, buyers renegotiate on survey |
| Auction | Often below market; reserve not guaranteed | ~1 month after the sale, plus weeks to catalogue | Entry fee plus commission, often 2–3% | High once the hammer falls — but no guarantee it sells |
| Cash buyer | 15–20% below market value | A date you choose; 28 days is a common quick one | None — we cover legal fees up to £1,500 | Highest — no chain, no mortgage, no renegotiation |
The headline price is not what lands in your account. On a property worth £400,000:
| Route | Headline | You receive |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | £400,000 | ~£388,800 in 5–6 months |
| Auction | £340,000 | ~£330,300, if it sells |
| Cash buyer | £328,000 | £328,000 on your date |
The agent still wins on money, and clearly. What it costs you is five or six months of uncertainty, and about a third of sales fall through at least once.
An estate agent if the property is in reasonable condition, you have no deadline, and the extra 15–20% matters more than the wait.
An auction if it is unusual, unmortgageable or needs total refurbishment, and you can tolerate it not selling.
A cash buyer if a date matters — probate, divorce, relocation, a chain that has collapsed, repossession — or if the property will not attract lending as it stands.
See also: how much cash buyers pay and selling without an estate agent.
A few details online or over the phone — where it is, roughly what you think it is worth, and anything we should know. No forms to sign and nothing to pay.
From sold comparable evidence, not asking prices. Then, at our expense, an independent agent or surveyor validates that valuation. You are not charged for either, whether or not you go ahead.
We view every property in person before we commit. It is also your chance to meet us and ask whatever you want — we would rather you sold your house to someone you have actually met.
Typically 15–20% below market value, with £1,500 towards your legal fees and no fees of any kind deducted. We never offer money up front, and we would be wary of anyone who does.
Yours or one we recommend — the £1,500 applies either way. This is the stage where sales slow down, which is why we suggest firms used to working at this pace.
Exchanging locks the sale in at the agreed price. Completion is on your timetable — the same day if you need the money now, or months later if you need time to find somewhere, fit around a school term, or wait on a probate grant.
Yes, in almost every case — and we would rather say so plainly. An agent will achieve a higher price. What it costs you is four to six months, their fee, your legal costs, the carrying costs while you wait, and the risk of the sale collapsing.
Chains. Your buyer depends on their buyer, who depends on a mortgage offer and a survey. Any link can break at any point, usually after you have spent months on it. Around a third of agreed sales fall through at least once.
Not usually. You wait weeks for the next catalogue, then roughly a month to complete after the hammer — and there is no guarantee it sells at all. The fees are also higher than most people expect.
Of course, and plenty of people do. There is no tie-in and no penalty for it. If your sale falls through in month four, we will still be here.
The offer, in full. No agent fee, no deduction, and £1,500 towards your legal costs. The headline figure and the figure that reaches your account are the same.
Whenever suits you. Once we exchange, the completion date is yours to choose: the same day if you need the money immediately, or months later if you need time to find somewhere or to fit around a school term or a probate grant. Exchanging locks the sale in at the agreed price; completing is on your timetable, not ours.
Almost always the solicitors. Everything else on our side is within our control — there is no mortgage to arrange, no chain, no buyer who might change their mind. Where a sale drags, it is normally waiting on paperwork, which is why we suggest firms that are used to working quickly.
No. We never offer cash advances before completion, and we would be wary of anyone who does — it is how a seller ends up committed to a buyer before the price is settled. You get the full amount on completion, and nothing before it.
We are not members of a trade body and we do not claim to be. What we have is a 35-year record in property across several companies, and many millions of pounds of property bought. We are 5JE London Limited, company number 15891621 — you can look us up at Companies House before you speak to us.
Three things you can check with any buyer, including us: do they publish what they actually pay? Will they come and meet you in person? Do they ever ask you for money up front? Our answers are 15–20% below market value, yes, and never.
Want to see what a cash offer would look like?
Tell us about it and we will come back to you with a cash offer. No obligation, and nobody will pressure you.