‘We Buy Any House’ Companies: How They Work and Should You Use Them?

Concept of buying house with sale and purchase agreement

If you need to sell your house quickly, a company like Good Move or other ‘we buy any house’ services may be the right option for you. These companies, also known as house cash buyers, offer fast cash sales without the delays and complications of a traditional estate agent sale. While most are legitimate, it is important to choose a regulated company and ensure you do your research to help you avoid scams.

Why choose a ‘We Buy Any Home’ Company?

Selling via a traditional estate agent can take months, with delays caused by chains and market conditions. On average, the UK sales process is around 25 weeks. Using a ‘we buy any home’ company can reduce this to weeks or even days.

Reasons sellers choose a house cash buyer like Good Move include:

- Selling without a chain
- Avoiding delays from a long or broken chain
- Stopping house repossession
- Avoiding estate agent fees, viewings, and long timescales

Selling quickly after previous failed attempts

A property buying company like Good Move is one of these. We offer a quick sale method to sell your house for cash. We like to advise our customers with thorough detail of the process, outlining how it works from the first initial conversation and supporting them throughout the process.

Advantages and Disadvantages of House Cash Buyers

As with any type of house sale, there are both advantages and potential disadvantages to each method of selling.

Advantages

Fast sales: With some cash house buyers, you can receive a cash offer in as little as 24 hours and complete the sale in around 21 days.
No hidden fees or chains: Firms that buy houses cover all costs, with no complications from middlemen such as estate agents and solicitors.
Sell as-is: With Good Move, homes are purchased in any condition, saving time and stress caused by fixing up and preparing your home for market and subsequent viewings.
Simple process: Fill in an online form and receive a free, no-obligation offer. From there, it’s a simple process to complete your house sale, one that doesn’t rely on third parties.

Disadvantages

Reduced offers: Typically, a we buy any house company will offer up to 85 percent of market value. If you’re looking to get the highest possible price for your property, you will want to look at different methods to sell your home.
Price changes or ‘gazumping’: Some companies may adjust the offer just before completion. Some also operate complex fee structures, luring customers in with the offer of a ‘no fee’ sale but then charging them anyway by reducing the offer.
Exclusive agreements: Sole agency policies may prevent accepting other offers. If a ‘we buy any house’ company you are thinking of selling to operates this type of policy, they will prevent you from accepting offers from elsewhere and you could lead miss out on a better deal.
Trust: Always check reviews and verify membership with National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) or other regulatory bodies.

How Much Below Market Value Will Companies Offer?

Most ‘we buy any house’ companies offer below the market value to provide speed and convenience. Offers usually range from 80 percent to 90 percent of the market value. Be cautious if a company promises 100 percent, as this could indicate a scam.

Good Move provides transparent, fair cash offers and is regulated by the NAPB, RICS, and the Property Ombudsman.

Areas Served in the UK

Many established ‘we buy any house’ companies operate across England and Wales. Good Move has completed fast, stress-free property purchases in Portsmouth and Southampton in the south, all the way up to Sunderland, Newcastle and Hartlepool in the north. We also operate in both England and Wales, with properties successfully purchased in Cardiff and Swansea.

So even if your property is tucked away in some quiet corner of York, nestled near the centre of Northampton, or in the leafy suburbs of Leicester, you’ll be able to take advantage of a quick, easy house sale through a ‘we buy any home’ company working in your area.

Wherever your property is located, a quick house sale is possible with a regulated company.

Choosing a Legitimate ‘We Buy Any Home’ Company

There are lots of ‘we buy any house’ companies out there – many of which are genuine and legitimate. However, as with any industry, there are some disreputable companies out there, or even scam websites posing as legitimate companies. To avoid scams, look for:

NAPB and Property Ombudsman approval. Any company looking to buy your home should absolutely be a member of the NAPB (National Association of Property Buyers) and the Property Ombudsman as a minimum. Good Move are the most regulated property buyers operating in the ‘Quick House Sale’ industry, regulated by the NAPB but also by the RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), the Property Ombudsman, and the Approved Code of Trading Standards.

Check whether the company is part of recognised industry bodies to ensure protection and recourse if issues arise. You can read reviews of these companies here.

5 Steps to Spot a Scam

Confirm the company is regulated by NAPB and TPOS.
Check for genuine customer reviews, especially on third-party sites like TrustPilot.
Verify the reviews are legitimate and up to date.
Ensure reviews appear on both the company website and independent sites.
Evaluate whether the offering seems reasonable and transparent, and not too good to be true.

Good Move Reviews and Customer Feedback

At Good Move, we maintain a 4.8-star rating on TrustPilot and other review sites. Our customer testimonials highlight our commitment to fast, stress-free sales, helpful advice and transparency. Here are just a few examples:

“I was really pleased with the service I received. My property sold for the price I wanted and despite it being a busy time with the stamp duty exemption ending. The sale went through fairly quickly.” – Anastasia Betts
“They responded same day. The offer price was not enough for me but there was no pressure at all to proceed. The advice they gave me was fantastic and reassuring. If you are needing to sell fast and can take a lower than market offer, then these guys are great.” – Michelle Lees
“Good Move have all been so helpful and understanding of my needs. They advised and kept me informed through each stage, and have acted with utmost professionalism, and because of this I would not hesitate to recommend Good Move as agent to sell a property.” – J Ross

You can find more reviews and customer testimonials on our Customer Reviews page.

Comparing ‘We Buy Any House’ Companies

Good Move is regulated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which is a claim very few ‘we buy any home’ companies can make. The RICS ensures the validity of our credentials, providing our customers with peace of mind that they will receive the service as advertised.

To help you ascertain the difference between Good Move and other ‘we buy any house’ companies, we have a house buyer reviews page on our website that goes into detail on what you can expect from each company. You can see our handy table that outlines the key differences between different companies, and find out information like which is the fastest, which have no fees and more.

One of Good Move’s key selling points is that we will purchase a property regardless of its condition. While the condition of the property may affect the price we offer for it, the fact that we will buy houses in any condition sets us apart from a lot of other firms.

When researching companies, compare:

Fees and hidden costs
Time to completion
Regulatory memberships

FAQs about Good Move and We Buy Any House Companies

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

It depends on your situation. If you need a fast, guaranteed sale and are happy to accept slightly below market value, then a house buying company can be a good option. If your priority is getting the highest possible price, you may be better off using an estate agent, even though the process can take months.

Are We Buy Any Home any good?

We Buy Any Home is a legitimate company and a member of The Property Ombudsman and the National Association of Property Buyers. Like most quick sale firms, their offers are usually 15 to 20 percent below market value, but they provide speed and certainty in exchange.

Can you trust house buying companies?

Yes, provided you choose a regulated business. Always check if the company is a member of the NAPB and The Property Ombudsman and look for reviews on independent platforms like Trustpilot. Avoid any company that promises 100% of market value or pressures you into signing quickly.

Are property cash buyers any good?

Cash buyers can be a good solution if you want to avoid chains, estate agent fees and delays. The main trade-off is receiving less than the open market value. The best cash buyers will be transparent about this from the start.

Do We Buy Any House pay market value?

No. Like all quick sale companies, We Buy Any House pays below market value to allow for a fast, guaranteed purchase. Offers are usually around 80 to 85 percent of the property’s value, depending on location and condition.

Do We Buy Any House offer a fair price?

Their offers are fair within the quick sale market, but not equal to selling through an estate agent. A fair price in this industry usually means a balance between speed, certainty and a discount on market value.

Which is the best house buying company in the UK?

The “best” company depends on your needs. Look for firms that are NAPB and TPOS members, have strong Trustpilot reviews and are transparent about their offers. Good Move, for example, is the most regulated house buying company in the UK, also backed by RICS, which provides extra peace of mind.

Does Good Move have professional indemnity insurance?
Yes. Our professional indemnity insurance protects customers against financial or reputational loss during the sale process.

Is Good Move a cash buyer?
Yes. We purchase properties directly, with no mortgage involvement, chains, or delays.

Will you buy my house if my property is currently listed?
Yes. Once you enter an agreement with Good Move, the property is taken off the market to avoid complications.

Does Good Move buy any house?
Yes. We purchase properties in any condition, regulated by RICS and NAPB.

Can I change my mind after signing a contract?
Yes. You have 14 days to cancel without providing a reason or incurring costs.

‘We Buy Any House’ Companies: How They Work and Should You Use Them?

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