How to Sell a House Without an Estate Agent

If you’re looking to sell your house, you might be wondering, ‘can I sell a house without using an estate agent?’ The simple answer is, yes. And furthermore, selling your house without an estate agent has a few distinct advantages.

With traditional estate agents’ fees continuing to climb, and just over a million houses sold in the UK in 2023, more and more people are choosing alternative methods and finding success (not to mention saving time and money). Let’s explore these alternatives and learn how you can sell your house fast. 

How to sell your house privately

Selling your house without an estate agent or other third-party seller is known as selling privately. It’s not the only option—we’ll get into the other choices later—but it’s worth considering. Here’s how it works:

Make your house sellable

It is essential to make sure your property is in good condition before you sell it. This means keeping it clean and tidy—buyers will want to see rooms for what they are. If you can make repairs and decorate your house this will help too. 

Get a valuation and set a price

Work out what your property is worth by having it valued independently and getting price comparables from property websites. Doing your own research on websites such as nethouseprices.com, means you can determine your property’s current market value.

List your property

Advertising your property well means a higher likelihood of selling. Websites like thehouseshop.com and houseladder.co.uk are made for property owners looking to sell. Social media is also a powerful tool for spreading the message far and wide. It’s important not to overlook traditional methods too, such as advertising in your local paper or magazine, and putting a ‘For Sale’ sign outside your property.

Book viewings

Arrange a time for potential buyers to view your house, then show them the property. Selling privately means you can meet potential buyers and describe your house in the best possible way.

Arrange paperwork

It is easy to collect most of the forms needed to sell your house privately but you will likely need a licenced conveyor or solicitor to help with the legal elements of selling. There are plenty of websites to help you find these, including The Council for Licensed Conveyancers, Direct.Gov and The Law Society.

Should I sell my home privately?

Like any selling method there are positives and negatives to selling your home privately. One of the biggest plus points is that you avoid paying hefty estate agent fees, usually thousands of pounds. It also gives you total control over the process from marketing to negotiations.

On the downside, it takes a considerable amount of both time and effort to sell a property. Without an agent you’ll need to manage the entire process yourself. For most people this is pretty overwhelming when you consider all that goes into it.

Other ways to sell your house without an estate agent

Perhaps selling privately doesn’t appeal, or you don’t have the time to devote to it? Don’t stress, as there are alternative ways to sell without involving an estate agent. Here are three popular options:

Online estate agents

Online estate agents bring some of the perks of an estate agency but with lower fees. They cost less because you do more of the tasks yourself, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences and situation,

Usually you’ll be the one taking pictures of your property, setting up online listings and showing potential buyers around. Usually the online agency will help with marketing, field enquiries and maybe even negotiate on your behalf. The more services you sign up for, the higher the cost—as you would expect.

Property auctions

If you need a quick sale, a property auctions may appeal, as there’s no drawn-out waiting game of selling on the open market. That said, an auction does not guarantee a sale, and viewings are still required.

You’ll need to liaise with your chosen auction house to agree a reserve price, and your property will be marketed and viewings booked in the run-up to the big day. If your property sells at the auction, contracts are exchanged on the same day, and competition usually happens soon after, often in 28 days or less.

But be aware that selling with auctions comes with a price tag—with fees at anywhere from 2% to 5% it can actually be more expensive to sell at auction than via an estate agent. What’s more, it all depends on who shows up to bid on the day, so if the weather’s poor you could find the bidding war isn’t as hearty as expected.

Use a cash buyer

If your priority is to sell quickly and with certainty, there is a clear winner. Cash buyers are companies who can purchase properties directly for cash. This means you can bypass the long wait and uncertainty of other methods.

The offer you receive from a cash house buyer may be a little under market value, but the speed and convenience often make up for it. And since there are no estate agent commissions or hidden costs, the amount you walk away with might not be as different from an open market sale as you’d think—especially when you factor in the time saved and the certainty of a hassle-free transaction.

Sell your house fast and fee free

At SellHouseFast.co.uk, we buy any property in any condition, ensuring a swift sale so you can move on with peace of mind. And as we buy homes for cash, you won’t have to fret about financing falling through or deal with drawn-out negotiations.

Better yet, there are no hidden fees or last-minute commissions to worry about. The price we offer is the price you receive, not a penny less. Unlike estate agents, our expertise in property doesn’t come with a bill, just a swift, smooth process where you’re in control.

Do you need more information? Have specific questions? Our friendly team is just a call away, on 0800 098 3789.