If you’ve ever wondered ‘how can I sell my house fast?’, you’re in exactly the right place. As a regulated property buyer, we at Good Move are positioned to offer reliable and honest advice about achieving a quick house sale. Let us start by sharing with you some stats about house selling that you may not have known before.

House selling stats (something that may surprise you)

51% = The percentage of home sellers who fail to sell within a ten-month period.

33% = The percentage of transactions that fail before contracts are exchanged.

1.28%+VAT (1.4% inc.VAT) = Average estate agency commission (sole agency / no sale, no fee).

£2,500 = The Average amount a home mover will lose through having a transaction collapse.

12 = an Average number of viewings it takes to achieve an acceptable offer.

<6% = The percentage of UK sellers who use online/hybrid agents.

36-42% = Percentage of sales that was successful only after a change of estate agent.

Endemic = When estate agencies deliberately overprice to win instructions.

Read on, and explore the reasons you might need to sell a house quickly, the options available to you, and the processes in place when it comes to selling your house fast.

In this article:

Selling your home in 2023
Why might you want to sell your house fast?
What are the advantages & disadvantages of selling your property quickly?
Top tips for selling your house quickly
How does selling your home quickly work?
Where in the UK can I sell my house fast?
FAQs

Selling your home

The property market is not always a stable place, apprehension about selling your home is understandable.  At times, decisions to sell a residential property may depend on factors such as stamp duty or an owner’s eligibility for private residence relief. While the market will continue to fluctuate, the time to sell your home is when it matches your life goals and situations, so there’s never been a better time to market your property.

Why might you want to sell your house fast?

Whether it be for personal, financial, or health reasons, there are numerous motivations for moving home. But, sometimes, your house just won’t sell on the open market.

To help, we’ve outlined just some of the reasons you might be trying to sell and the benefits of undergoing a quick house sale with Good Move.

Relocation abroad

It could be for retirement, a new opportunity at work, or a change of scenery; no matter what the cause, there’s an abundance of reasons why you might find yourself selling your home to move abroad – and needing a buyer for your property quickly (especially if you’re emigrating beyond the continent to the likes of Canada, New Zealand, or Singapore)! But don’t just take our word for it: according to Google search data, people searching for ‘moving overseas’ in the UK, increased throughout 2020 by 83%, when looking at the same data in 2019.

Fortunately, whether you’re scoping things out or already well underway in your planning, it’s handy to know there is the option of a quick house sale with Good Move for a seamless experience that takes the stress off your shoulders during what’ll feel like the most manic months of your life.

Going through a divorce

Going through a separation often comes with enough complications, and it can be difficult to know what to do with the marital home after divorce.

Do you agree to put it on the market and split the sale? Will one of you buy the other out?

There are countless elements to consider when settling on a suitable course, but a struggling sale can quickly grow frustrating when you’re trying to push through proceedings.

Whatever you decide on, it’s comforting to know that there’s always the option of a quick house sale with Good Move which offers a simple solution and ensures your home doesn’t drag out your divorce.

Relief when facing repossession

Facing repossession of your home can leave you feeling completely helpless as you tackle what’s likely to be one of the most testing periods of your life. Your biggest priority should always be to get in touch with your lender and try to negotiate your terms. Clearly, this isn’t always an option, though.

In this instance, it’s often possible to take advantage of regulated property buyers, such as Good Move, who are placed to offer a quick house sale and relieve you of your precarity.

A solution to a broken house chain

Moving to a new house should be an exciting experience and one which brings about the opportunity for creating fresh memories. However, finding yourself stuck in a property chain, because you’re struggling to sell your house fast, can prove problematic – dampening your enthusiasm at best and getting in the way of a successful sale at worst.

If you’re trying to buy and sell at the same time, it’s worth considering working alongside a regulated property buyer, like Good Move, rather than going through the rigmarole of an estate agent. Not only will this release funds for your new home faster, but it’ll also makes you a more attractive proposition when buying since you’ll be ‘chain-free’.

Downsizing for retirement

Having a clear idea about what to do with your home when retirement rolls around is crucial in being able to truly enjoy your much-deserved rest and relaxation! Downsizing is common for retirees who, all too often, find themselves living somewhere much too big.

There are many benefits to spending your retirement in more modest surroundings, including the likelihood of cheaper maintenance costs and a more manageable lifestyle.

If you’re hoping to sell your house fast, it’s always sensible to consider the benefits attached to working with a property purchasing agency, like Good Move. After all, the quicker you sell your current home, the sooner you can settle down and begin to enjoy retirement.

 

Instances of ill health

If you’re suffering from illness or are beginning to require a little more help than usual, it might be time to consider the benefits of moving elsewhere and selling your home on health grounds.

In this case, it might be necessary to engage in a quick house sale with Good Move, to speed up movement in finding a new home. This frees you from a potentially entangling housing chain and allows you to fully focus on your health.

Hoping to sell on inherited property

Coming into the property through inheritance can leave you with a series of questions to ponder. Do you live in it? Do you sell it?

If you’re leaning towards the latter, and do decide to sell your inherited property, it’s important to remember that there are no assurances that an estate agent will be able to move it on any time soon, and you’ll be left handling a home you don’t really have the time to manage.

Alternatively, working with Good Move makes for a hassle-free experience and a swift sale, often within seven days.

You’re looking for an alternative to part exchange

Part exchanging your home means trading it as part payment for a new build. In essence, a property developer will buy your home and subtract it from the value of your new home.

This is ideal if you’re looking to move quickly without having to battle the stress of selling your home, but your home may not be eligible which can become problematic. Fortunately, Good Move will make you an offer, regardless of condition, so you can be assured of an equally quick house sale without the drawn-out conversations.

What are the advantages & disadvantages of selling your property quickly?

Before you give any company the instruction to “sell my house fast”, it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of a quick sale compared to the traditional house sale process:

Advantages:

• The major advantage of a fast house sale is the reduced toll taken on your time, energy, emotions and stress levels. Protracted house sales, with their seemingly endless red tape and paperwork, are renowned for having a detrimental effect on the health of everyone involved, so by opting for a quick house sale you are undoubtedly doing your mind and body a favour.
• Unpleasant surprises such as hidden fees are part of what can make selling your house such an arduous task, but when you seek a quick sale through a regulated property purchasing agency like Good Move, you receive all the relevant information upfront and in advance. When working with a firm like Good Move, your house buyer covers all of the costs involved in the sale, and of course, you don’t have to worry about house chains, which have a habit of throwing a spanner in the works at every turn when making a sale through a traditional estate agent.
• With an established purchasing company like Good Move, you can sell your home in as little as 21 days or less. This is hugely important to anyone who has their heart set on a particular property and does not want to risk waiting around and missing their chance for a dream move.
• With Good Move, the condition of the property you’re selling will not affect your chances of a sale, so there is no obligation to redecorate or refurbish before you move.

Disadvantages:

• While regulated property purchasing companies like Good Move offer transparency when it comes to their buying process, fees and prices, there are firms out there who will complicate matters and leave you with a worse deal than you were expecting.
• Pitfalls to be wary of when approaching any company for a quick house sale include gazumping, which involves the agreement of a price that suits all parties, only for that price to be reduced by the buyer at the very last moment, leaving you as the seller stuck between a rock and a hard place. Be sure to read up on the company you choose to work with and find out whether previous customers have been happy with the price they were paid on completion.
• Another factor to look out for in reviews and information about the company you’re selling to is the fee structures they operate. While companies such as Good Move offer a genuine no-fee structure, other firms advertise a no-fee sale before ensuring they recoup the fees by reducing the value of their offer.
• Be wary, too, of the practice of false property valuations. If the price you are offered for your property seems significantly lower than you expected, even when taking into account the fact that selling your property quickly usually means receiving around 85 per cent of its market value, then you might be the victim of a false valuation. Some firms come in with a very low offer to try and improve their own position down the line when it comes to selling your property, but if you know the value of your home then it is important that you don’t let a company take advantage in this way.
• One way to help yourself avoid false property valuations is to look out for ‘we buy any house’ companies that operate a ‘sole agency’ policy. These firms will seek to prevent you from shopping around for the best offer, by tying you into a contract that stipulates you must only work with them. In such cases, there’s a good chance the firm is working in that way to stop its customers from finding out that better deals exist elsewhere.

A good way to mitigate all of the potential disadvantages of selling your house fast is to do plenty of research into any company you’re thinking of working with, and check that they are a member of the National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB). Becoming a member requires any organisation to register with The Property Ombudsman, which will provide you with independent redress should a dispute arise.

Top tips for selling your house fast

With the world economic outlook and no definite end to the uncertainty, it’s important to consider all your options when contemplating a sale; the most common two being whether you work with an estate agent or contact a property purchasing company, such as Good Move.

Each avenue holds potential for a successful sale, so it’s important to understand which school of thought is most appropriate for your situation. We’ve outlined the benefits of both, to simplify your decision.

Make your home more appealing for a quick house sale with an estate agent

When you work with an estate agent, they’re looking to sell your home on your behalf. Invariably, their success is determined by whether there’s a buyer out there. So, it’s important to make your home as appealing as possible.

By giving your property a little love, and treating it to a makeover, you’ll almost always raise its profile, which will likely heighten interest and garner a greater property value. Whether you’re decorating, updating interiors, or performing wholesale renovations, there are many ways you can improve the appearance of your home. And if you’ve listed your property through an estate agent but it’s not selling quickly, these might be the reasons why.

However, these modifications can be costly, from both a finance and time perspective, which can be detrimental if you’re looking to sell your house fast – especially when you consider the fees and time commitment attached to working with an agency.

Nevertheless, if you’ve decided to sell your property through an estate agent, follow these tips to let your viewings get off to a good start (post-lockdown, of course!).

1. Clear out the clutter

Take a look around you and be honest: how much of this do you actually need? Having a clearout will help your property look more spacious – and that extra room will mean potential buyers can have more of a blank canvas to visualise what their belongings would look like in your home.

 

 

Sort your clutter out into two piles: items you’ll need in your new home (you can put these into storage if necessary), and items you definitely don’t need. By doing this now, you’ll save yourself a job once you’ve moved into your new place!

2. Do a deep clean

Once you’ve sorted your clutter, it’s time to give your house a thorough clean – and we don’t just mean running the hoover across the carpets. If you want to sell your home quickly, you’ll need to do everything from waxing your wooden floors to banishing any limescale, and scrubbing your oven so hard it shines.

It’s also worth cleaning your property in between viewings – and potentially buying fresh flowers to brighten your place up.

3. Sort out the wear-and-tear

Naturally, the longer you live in your home, the more wear and tear will occur. Whilst these things may go unnoticed to you, prospective buyers will definitely hone in on them – so make sure you sort out that cracked tile in the bathroom, or paint over those scuff marks.

4. Replace old carpets and wallpaper

Whilst this may require investment from you initially, replacing tired décor can help your home to potentially sell faster, and for more money. Update your old carpets with neutral new ones, and strip and replace the wallpaper with neutral-coloured paint to provide prospective buyers with that all-important blank canvas.

5. Remove stains and odours

Bad odours can be a huge turn-off for buyers, so it’s important you address these ahead of viewings if you want to sell your property as quickly as possible. Take the bins out before each viewing, check your plumbing is working, and consider lighting some candles or opening a window to allow some fresh air in.

 

 

6. Control the temperature

If it’s cold outside, nothing is more inviting than entering a warm and cosy house. Similarly, if it’s the middle of summer, you want to retreat to a home that’s cool. It may sound strange, but you could help to sell your property quickly by controlling your temperature during viewings. You can also add extra cosy points by placing fresh towels in the bathroom and turning on lamps for some ambience lighting.

7. Remove personal touches

If you have a lot of toys lying around, or walls full of family photos, then it can be hard for would-be buyers to picture living in your home. That being said, you don’t want to veer the other way and have your home looking cold and sterile.

Have a walk-through of your home before viewings and remove anything that veers into something too personalised. We’d also recommend painting your walls in a neutral colour if you have the time, to enable viewers to get their creative juices flowing.

8. Don’t neglect the garden…

We’re not saying you need to have a complete overhaul, but a messy garden can have a negative impact on house viewings. Make sure the lawn is mowed, cut back any overhanging trees and bushes, and ensure the bins are kept out of sight, to keep your garden looking just as tidy as the inside of your house.

9. … or the rest of your outdoor space!

The front of your house is the first thing prospective buyers will see, so it’s important to keep it in good condition. Make sure your house number is clearly visible so viewers can find you easier, and spend some time ensuring your windows are nice and clean. For evening viewings, keep an outdoor light on so prospective buyers don’t trip up over any cracks or uneven pavements.

10. Restore rooms to their original use

If you’re using your spare room as a home gym or a walk-in wardrobe, it could be turning potential viewers off. If your house is advertised as a three-bedroom property, then where possible, restore all of your rooms to bedrooms ahead of viewings – otherwise, prospective buyers may find it hard to visual beds, wardrobes, drawers and other furnishings in these rooms. The only exception during these times would be home offices – because most people need one!

Sell your house fast with Good Move

No matter the circumstances, sometimes you just want a fuss-free sale without the hassle that comes from corresponding with estate agents.

If this sounds like you, it’s in your interest to consider selling your property through an established purchasing company, such as Good Move. The benefits of contacting Good Move to sell your home fast include:

• An extremely quick house sale – Good Move will aim to buy your property within 10 days (it can take between 7-21 days), which takes a lot of the stress of waiting off your shoulders.
• You’ll be working with property professionals that have an in-depth understanding of the sector and are skilled in valuation.
• You can sell your house no matter the condition. Good Move never ignores an enquiry.
• You’ll always receive a cash offer (with no obligation to buy).
• There are never any hidden costs or selling fees – any valuation is the offer you’ll receive, plain and simple.
• You’ll never find yourself stuck in a property chain when working with Good Move – this means you can sell your house fast for a quick cash offer and comfortably buy your next home without any blocking factors.

“At Good Move we understand that a wide variety of reasons lead people to seek out a quick property sale, and we offer a service that provides every customer with the simplest, most efficient and hassle-free route to making a fast sale. We pride ourselves on transparency and reliability, and our membership with the National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) helps to provide peace of mind along with the fact we are regulated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).”

“But we hope that even more reassuring is the manner in which we approach every property purchase we make, all of which involve no cost to the seller, no hidden fees, and no unexpected catches. Everyone at Good Move knows the toll that lengthy house sales can take on people’s lives, and it is this knowledge that motivates our team to work quickly and meet our customers’ needs. So whether your life circumstances have changed suddenly, or you have found the property of your dreams and you don’t want to miss out on making that move, we will make sure that working with Good Move provides you with the fastest, smoothest, and most trusted route to a successful quick property sale.”

– Ross Counsell, Director

How does selling your home quickly work?

Whichever way you choose to sell your home, whether it be through a regulated property purchasing company, estate agent, or via auction, it’s important that you know exactly how the process works.

Selling your home fast through Good Move

At Good Move, we try and make your house sale as seamless as possible, without any hidden legal or agency fees to worry about. We’ve outlined the process, so you know what to expect when selling your home through us.

1. Get in touch with us

Once you’ve made contact, we’ll endeavour to provide you with a cash offer for your home within 24 hours. This is, of course, subject to contracts, inspections, and surveys, but it is a firm offer in principle.

2. Arrange an appraisal

Once you’ve accepted the offer in principle from Good Move, the next step is organising two appraisals of your property. This comes at no cost to you and allows Good Move to create a contract and Home Buyer Report. Based on the outcome of the appraisals, Good Move will make a formal offer for you to consider.

3. Accept the formal offer

Upon acceptance of the formal offer, you’ll be put in touch with Good Move’s solicitors. All of these legal costs will be covered by Good Move, or we’ll subsidise £500 if you choose to use your own solicitor.

4. A survey of your property

Before your property sale can be completely finalised, it’ll require a comprehensive survey. This allows Good Move to value your home more accurately. This is always conducted by a RICS chartered surveyor.

5. Complete your sale!

Following a satisfactory survey, Good Move can complete the sale. You’ll have the funds in your account on the same day as completion.

Selling your home quickly through an estate agent

Selling through an estate agent, rather than a regulated property purchasing company, like Good Move, comes with common problems, largely that there’s no guarantee of a quick sale and you’re left liable for the associated fees.

 

Much of the general process is the same, in that you’ll receive a valuation, work with a solicitor, and open your home for surveys, but there are also a set of additional hurdles to overcome when selling your home through an estate agent:

• Finding a quality agent

Finding the right estate agent for your area and property should be your first step. A quality agent will sell your house quickly, so make sure to find one that matches your negotiation style and offers clear communication.

• Hiring your own solicitor

You’ll be responsible for choosing your own solicitor to deal with the legalities of selling your home. While your estate agent might offer suggestions, it’s always important to do your research to find a solicitor with a history of working efficiently towards a quick house sale.

• Home improvements

You’ll need to present your home in such a way that someone will want to buy it. This might mean improving its condition, giving your walls a lick of paint, or just staging your furniture to appear more inviting. A good presentation can speed up the selling process, whether you’re showcasing via video or house viewing.

• Negotiation standstills

If you’re wanting to sell your house quickly, you’ll be hoping for swift negotiations between buyer and seller. It’s always up to you whether you accept or reject an offer but bear in mind a lower asking price will entice more interest and a faster sale.

Selling your home fast at auction

Selling at auction is a great way to sell your house fast, especially if you manage to find an interested buyer quickly. In 2022, however, with social distancing still mandatory, auction houses have moved online.

 

 

With this, we’ve naturally seen changes to the auction process. Viewings and bidding are now remote, which has made auctioneering a wholly digital experience, but many of the complications are still the same as you’d experience at traditional auction houses:

• Property Appraisal

The first step in auctioning off your property is to have it appraised and assessed. The auction house will tell you if your property is suitable for sale, and how much it’s worth.

• Auctioneer and solicitor fees

Selling at auction comes with auction fees, which can be anywhere up to 2.5% of the property sale price. It’s worth noting that you may still be liable to pay these, even if your property doesn’t sell.

Similarly, as with selling through an estate agent, it’s important to remember to budget solicitor fees into your calculations, which includes conveyancing costs (usually ranging between £450-750 plus VAT).

• No guarantee of sale

After going through the whole auction experience, there’s no guarantee that your property will even sell, let alone for your reserve. This can be deflating and force you to lower your asking price if you’re in need of a quick sale.

Houses sold at auction generally have a reserve of around 75-80% of the property value, so make sure to only go down this avenue if you’re confident of potential buyers matching your valuation. Alternatively, Good Move will make an offer of up to 85% of market value, no matter your property’s condition, which doesn’t include any hidden fees or hassle for you to contend with.

Where in the UK can I sell my house fast?

Good Move operates across the United Kingdom, which means that you can sell your house quickly no matter where you live.

You can enter your postcode on Good Move’s locations page to receive a cash offer within 24 hours, and the company has completed property purchases successfully in popular residential locations throughout England and Wales.

The company’s experience of buying property quickly in large cities such as Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham has helped Good Move’s staff to develop a strong knowledge of the local infrastructures.

Further south, Good Move has helped people sell their properties fast in Bristol, Worcester, Swindon, Slough and Southampton, covering a wide range of property types and styles, with the condition of houses posing no barrier to a quick sale.

Likewise in northern locations like Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Darlington, and Newcastle, Good Move has been able to help people sell properties in as little as 10 days, with rural areas and suburban locations all covered.

 

 

FAQs

How long will it take to sell my house fast?

Good Move has achieved house sale times as fast as seven days and aims to complete all house sales in 21 days or less.

Can I sell my house fast if it’s already on the market?

Even if your property has been on the market for some time, you can still opt for a change in approach and choose a fast property sale with an established property buyer like Good Move. You can apply for a free cash offer within 24 hours, and only once you have entered into an agreement with Good Move will you be asked to take your property off the market.

Does it matter what condition my property is in when making a fast house sale?

The condition of your property may affect the offer you receive, but established property purchase companies like Good Move are committed to buying any house quickly and the state of repair will not be a barrier to achieving a sale.

How is the value of my property calculated?

When it comes to selling your property quickly, companies like Good Move use a number of tools to establish the value of your property and ensure you can make a fast sale. Valuation software built on a sophisticated algorithm enables the initial quote, based upon information about the property’s location. A team of property analysts then takes further details about the property into account in order to provide a suitable offer.

Do fast house sales rely on mortgages or cash?

While some companies rely upon mortgage lenders to make fast property purchases, Good Move is a cash buyer and only makes offers to purchase properties for which it has available funds. That means with Good Move you don’t have to worry about property chains, and your sale is far less likely to fall through.

What if I change my mind?

When selling a property quickly, it is important that you feel empowered to make the right decisions for you at all times. That’s why, when selling any property to Good Move, you will have 14 days to change your mind after entering into a contract, and you have no obligation to provide your reasons for doing so.

GoodMove is as well-positioned as ever to offer a fair price for your home that guarantees a quick house sale. Make the first move today and get in touch, or discover the latest in our world to uncover more about how we can help you sell your home this year.