Is A Cash House Sale Quicker?
We explain whether a cash buyer will mean a quicker sale...
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Is selling to a cash buyer the quickest sale method?
When it comes to selling your house, you may have come across buyers who describe themselves as a cash house buyer and wondered what they actually are and whether or not selling to a cash buyer is a good idea.
You may also have wondered if selling to a cash buyer is actually quicker than selling on the open market and to help you find out the answer, we’ve written a guide on what a cash house sale is, whether it’s actually faster, things to consider in a cash sale and so much more:
What is a cash house sale?
A cash house sale refers to a house that is sold to a cash buyer, exclusively for cash. This means a cash buyer can buy the property outright without the need to sell a property or apply for a mortgage first.
With a cash buyer, there are fewer ‘hurdles’ to jump, with many not bothering with surveys or searches on the property they’re looking to buy. As a result of this, and the fact these buyers don’t need a mortgage, there is less paperwork to do and therefore makes the process less complicated.
Also, with a cash buyer, there is no chain attached, as they don’t rely on their house sale in order to buy your property, and therefore means there’s less chance of the sale falling through.
There are many different types of cash buyers – you can find them on the open market, at auctions or there are cash house buying companies, like ourselves.
With us being a cash house buying company, we’re a specialist cash buyer with our own cash reserves, meaning we’re able to buy any property in any condition, no matter the price. We’re also members of the National Association of Property Buyers and The Property Ombudsman, showing we’re a buyer you can trust.
Why would someone sell a house for cash?
There are many different reasons as to why someone may want to sell their house for cash – there’s less paperwork, it avoids a chain and is generally a less complex transaction to name just a few reasons.
Below are more examples of why someone may want to sell to a cash house buyer:
An old property
An older property tends to have multiple issues – mainly that the standard of the building and materials used may not be up to scratch with modern standards and that the property’s interior will be outdating, requiring a large amount of money spent on it to get it up to date.
As a result of this, some lenders can be reluctant to lend on an old property that isn’t up to date with current standards, therefore meaning these properties are only appropriate for cash buyers.
Short lease
Leasehold properties with short leases (80 years or less remaining on the lease) become increasingly difficult to sell on the open market, as a short lease brings high fees and many complications.
On top of this, lenders tend to not want to lend on this type of property, making a house with a short lease only suitable for cash buyers.
Damaged property
A property that has been severely damaged, for example by flooding, fire or vandalism, will be very difficult to find a lender who is willing to lend, leaving finding a cash buyer the only option.
Structural issues
Properties with structural issues require large amounts of money spending on them to get them up to a habitable standard, making a cash buyer a suitable method of sale, as they tend to look to pick properties up for sizeable discounts.
Property’s location
Some properties will be in undesirable or unsafe locations, meaning a lender often refuses to lend. These include:
Former petrol stations
Areas with high crime rates
Areas with risk of landslip
Previously used for industrial purposes or toxic waste disposal sites
Flood risk areas
Areas close to old or unsecured coal mines, meaning a risk of subsidence
Avoids a chain
Another reason someone may want to sell their house to a cash buyer is because it helps them to avoid a property chain, meaning there’s less chance of the sale falling through, and the sales process will happen faster.
A property chain occurs when each sale is relying on another sale to complete to enable their sale to complete. A broken property chain can often cause sales to fall through, which makes sellers want to avoid them altogether and find a cash buyer.
Damp in the property
Properties that have serious damp issues not only require large amounts of money spending on them, but they’re also not a property that mortgage lenders tend to want to lend on, with some requesting an insurance backed guarantee.
As a result of this, selling this kind of property to a cash buyer is the best method of sale.
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed is a rapidly spreading, dangerous weed that has the ability to grow through solid ground, causing disruption to housing foundations. This leads to lenders not being willing to lend on a property affected by the weed, making the properties only suitable for cash buyers.
Quicker process
One of the main reasons any seller looks for a cash buyer is because it will lead to a quicker sale. With cash buyers not needing to sell a property or get a mortgage, the process is significantly quicker.
Also, some cash buyers are looking for properties as a project and so don’t tend to do a survey or searches, which means there are fewer steps in the process, further reducing the conveyancing process.
Is a cash house sale quicker?
One of the most common factors of a sale falling through is either party pulling out as a result of the sale going through far too slowly. This leads sellers to look at other methods of getting their houses sold quickly.
Generally speaking, the main reason most sellers look for a cash buyer is for speed, as they believe they will be able to get a quicker sale through this method – but is this actually the case?
Yes! Selling to a cash buyer is one of the fastest methods of selling a house, with the conveyancing process largely reduced as a result of the cash buyer not needing to wait for approval for a mortgage.
Also, as we mentioned earlier, there’s no chain when selling to a cash buyer, meaning the sale won’t be dependent on another sale completing, meaning there’s reduced stress of the sale falling through and the sale will work around your completion timescales, as the focus is only on your sale.
Cash house buying companies in particular are great for this, as you’re able to choose your ideal timescale and they will work the whole process around that.
On top of this, a lot of cash buyers tend to be looking to buy a property as an investment and so aren’t bothered about having a survey or searches done on the property, meaning another less hurdle to jump, making the sale process go through much quicker.
If you choose us as your cash house buyer, we have great relationships with solicitors and surveyors, allowing us to get the best and quickest service, meaning we can get your sale through in record time.
Things to consider when selling to a cash house buyer
If you’re looking to sell to a cash buyer, as you’re wanting to get a quicker sale, there are a few things you need to consider, as the process with a cash buyer will be different to selling to a buyer on the open market who requires a mortgage.
If you’ve decided to sell to a cash buyer, either through the open market or a cash house buying company, here are some things you need to consider:
Ask to be provided with proof of funds
Have all the paperwork checked by an independent solicitor
Ensure they’re not requesting a BIG discount off the market value (25% or more)
Check for any tie-in clauses
Make sure you’re aware of the consequences for any party who pulls out of the sale
If you’re selling to a cash house buying company, check their valuation process
Also with a cash house buying company, if they offer to pay the legal fees, check to see if they will cover the fees of your chosen legal firm
Ask whether they want to conduct a survey and searches
Ask how quickly they can complete and whether there could be any potential delays
If you’re selling to a cash house buying company, check whether they’re buying your property directly or if they’re passing your details onto a third-party buyer
Also with a cash house buying company, check to see if they’re a member of The Property Ombudsman and the National Association of Property Buyers
How does our ‘cash for house’ buying process work?
If you’ve decided a cash buyer is the option for you, let us explain how our ‘cash for house’ buying process works. Our process is much simpler and quicker than the open market, with our main selling point being the speed of our cash sales.
We’ve worked hard to streamline the process into just five steps to make it the fastest cash sale possible. You can see these steps laid out below:
Enter your postcode into our get an offer page and answer a few simple questions about your property – how many bedrooms you’ve got, your house type, nothing too difficult! After that, we will let you know if your property has been approved
Once we’ve got your information, one of our experienced property consultants will give you a call after doing some research on your property. They will discuss your property with you in more detail, talking mainly about its condition, which will allow them to provide you with a conditional initial offer
If you’re happy with the initial offer, we’ll then arrange for one of our regional managers to come and visit the property in person. Our regional managers have expert local knowledge and are able to inspect the condition in more detail in order to finalise an offer
If you accept the finalised offer, our progressions team will get in touch with you to talk about instructing one of our recommended solicitors, and we will remind you that we cover all the legal fees, leaving you not needing to pay a penny
Once the RICS report is back, providing everything lines up, we will finalise all the legal work, allowing us to exchange contracts and complete on a day that suits you!
Is this service right for me?
We’re always open and honest about the fact our quick ‘cash for house’ service isn’t for everyone, so it’s important you decide if it’s right for you.
With the main point of our service being speed, we’re perfect for anyone looking for a quicker sale – if you have the time and patience to wait on the open market for a sale, you may achieve a higher value, but there are no guarantees of that.
Our particular service will be the best option for you if:
Facing financial difficulty
Often people can run into financial difficulty unexpectedly, leaving them needing to release some equity from their house ASAP, especially in those situations where you’re looking to avoid repossession. In these circumstances, time is of the essence, making a quick sale a top priority.
Relocation
Whether you’re moving to a different country or city, relocating can be something that needs to happen very quickly, meaning you need to get your house sold ASAP, making our service an ideal selling route.
Lifestyle changes
Sometimes there comes a time when people decide they need to downsize and move into a property more suited to their needs. The need to downsize may be a result of age or ill health, so it’s important to get a speedy sale.
You’ve inherited a property
Inheriting a property and having to deal with probate comes at a time when you have other stress, and you don’t want to be weighed down with further worries of paying the bills for the inherited property. In this situation, a lot of people search for a quick, stress-free sale.
Going through a divorce
A divorce is a difficult and stressful time for all involved, so often couples will look for a quick sale to get the property sold, leaving them with one less thing to worry about.
Why choose us
We’re more than just a standard cash house buying company. The Property Buying Company is owned and operated by property professionals, founded in 2012, and with over 50 years of combined experience, you can be sure you’re in safe hands.
As we’ve mentioned, we’re also a member of The Property Ombudsman and the National Association of Property Buyers and we’re rated excellent on Trustpilot, with over 1,000 reviews, further emphasising why we’re the people you can rely on.
On top of this, we understand what it’s like to sell a property, with all the stresses that come along with it, so we will always be up for a chat to listen to your worries, and we will do our best to help you out.
We will also handle the whole process for you, to make it as hassle-free as possible. We will always be open and honest about our process and service – we will tell you upfront what we can offer for your property, and we will keep you constantly updated, including any issues we face and how we will do our best to overcome them for you.
Compared to the open market, we will cover all your fees and can complete in a timescale of your choice, meaning, with us, a cash sale will be quicker!
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