Sell Your Commercial Property

If you’re here you probably already know that selling commercial property is very different to selling private property, such as a house or flat. There are different things to consider and the process can be a little more complicated. 

The commercial property market has also struggled in recent years since the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in more people working from home. However, it seems to be finding its feet again, though remains a far cry from how it was performing before the pandemic. 

According to Knight Frank, commercial real estate transactions in the UK rose 21% in 2024 compared to 2023, with £46.6 billion in sales. However, that was still 18% below the UK’s 10-year average. So while the outlook is looking better in 2025, there’s still a lot of ground to cover. 

The time to sell commercial property and the eventual value you receive both depend on numerous micro and macro factors. These range from your property’s condition and location to UK market conditions and the state of global politics. As a result, selling commercial property can often be harder and more time consuming than people expect. Toomey Legal, a law firm specialising in residential and commercial property sales, has seen transactions take as long as one year to complete. 

Fortunately, there are ways to sell your commercial property fast, which we’ll cover. But first let’s take a quick look at the state of the market in the UK and how you actually go about selling commercial property. 

Table of Contents

• State of the UK commercial property market

• How to sell commercial property

• How long does it take to sell commercial property?

• Different types of commercial properties in the UK

• The typical costs when selling commercial property

• How to sell commercial property fast to a cash buyer

• How much will a cash buyer typically pay for commercial property?

• Can you trust cash commercial property buyers?

• Is a cash buyer the right option for your commercial property?

State of the UK commercial property market

The commercial property market has continued to perform well in 2025, with £8.9 billion in Q1 transactions, according to a CBRE report. The best-performing property type has been offices, which unsurprisingly coincides with office occupancy rates reaching a five-year high of 37.2%. However, this is still almost half of what we were seeing before the pandemic, when offices were getting a 63% occupancy rate, according to Shepherd Commercial. 

The commercial property consultancy’s data also revealed that Northern UK office markets in Q1 2025 performed 44% lower than their five-year average. So although the market is starting to bounce back from the pandemic, it’s still not performing anywhere near as well for investors. Despite this, there is a general feeling among commercial property owners that 2025 is a period of growth with a vast majority (88%) of investors looking to sell more real estate this year than in 2024. 

One of the reasons for this is that demand for all commercial listings increased at the backend of 2024, according to Rightmove data. Interest in industrial property grew the most (72%) in Q4 2024 compared to Q4 2023, while interest in office improved by 57%, leisure by 27% and retail by 32%. The Financial Times also revealed that UK office construction has hit a 10-year low in 2025, due to “lingering economic uncertainty and persistently high costs” across the country. 

CoStar, the company that did the research and analysis of commercial property data, was quoted saying, “Developers are pausing for breath amid economic uncertainty and the persistently high cost of debt and construction.” Of course, this isn’t the case for all locations in the UK, as London, Oxford and Cambridge have all seen strong construction demand thanks mostly because of tech companies or businesses seeking more modern office spaces. However, cities like Liverpool, Bristol and Glasgow have been seeing no development and higher vacation rates. 

What this tells us is that only certain kinds of commercial property (e.g. modern offices that can entice workers back in) appeal in a difficult market right now. As a result, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has found investors to be mostly cautious when approaching the market while also keeping an eye on global trade tensions and economic uncertainty within the UK. 

How to sell commercial property

Selling commercial property has a few more steps than residential homes. It’s important to be aware of how to go about it before you start. These additional steps, along with various market factors, can drag out the sale process. But there are ways to do it faster, which we’ll cover after this quick step-by-step breakdown. 

Step 1: Prepare your property for sale

Preparing your commercial property can take considerable time and money. Below are the main actions you’ll need to take to get it ready:

• Collate all essential documentation concerning your property (e.g. energy performance certificates, planning permits, lease agreements, title deeds, financial records). You can check your EPC via the UK Government site.

• Make all necessary repairs or any modernisations you think will boost its value.

• Clean and move any existing furniture out. 

Step 2: Value your property

For the best result, we recommend enlisting the services of a professional commercial property valuer. You can opt for an RICS valuation, which is probably the gold standard (read more about RICS valuation standards). However, these valuations can be quite costly as well, ranging from £300 to £1000 for home valuations alone. So you can imagine a commercial property valuation would be in the upper cost range, depending on how complex it is. 

If you’d prefer to pay less, you could opt for a specialist valuation firm, such as Savills. They provide individual experts for the job. You can also use The Property Buying Company’s expert valuers by contacting us for a free, no-obligation cash offer. We can provide an initial valuation that may give you a better idea of how to progress. If you’ve inherited your commercial property recently after a death in your family, you may need to get a probate property valuation. 

If you want to value the property yourself first, that’s possible as well. Just remember to consider its income potential, location perks and unique strengths and weaknesses. You should also check recent sale prices of similar commercial properties within your area. You can do this using the Property Data tool online, checking the HM Land Registry’s open-source data or browsing online commercial property listings on Zoopla. 

Step 3: Ensure all legal elements are covered

While a commercial property solicitor isn’t required, they can make the process a lot simpler and faster. They can also ensure you’re doing everything by the book and won’t accidentally make a mistake that could result in legal consequences later on. 

As Backhouse Solicitors explains, paying for legal representation can help you take the correct legal steps throughout the process. This includes: 

• Agreeing upon the Heads of Terms with the buyer

• Drafting the contract and title paperwork

• Undertaking due diligence

• Maintaining compliance

• Handling negotiations

• Considering any tax implication

• Finalising the sale

Daniel Nailer, a Legal Assessment Specialist at Lawhive, recently highlighted incomplete documentation and improper due diligence as two of the most common pitfalls owners encounter when selling commercial real estate. “Incomplete documentation including title deeds, planning permissions, building regulations approvals, and environmental assessments can lead to significant legal and financial risks,” Nailer wrote in his article for Lawhive.

“Inadequate due diligence could also expose a buyer [and seller] to legal disputes, fines, and other regulatory penalties, complicating the ownership and operation of the property.”

Step 4: Market your property

How you choose to market your commercial property can drastically affect how long it takes to sell. You can go through a number of channels and take a hands-on or hands-off approach. Here are some marketing options you could consider: 

1. Pay for a commercial estate agent to market and sell your property. Keep in mind you will need to pay them a commission (usually 0.9% to 3.5% plus VAT of the final sale value depending on your agent and situation). 

2. List your property with an online estate agent (e.g. Zoopla, Purplebricks or Rightmove). Some of these offer free listings with little support, as well as paid listings ranging from £100 to £1,500 with varying benefits. Read our comparison of Purplebricks versus traditional estate agents for more guidance.

3. Use social platforms to promote the property. If it’s a commercial listing, you might get better engagement using LinkedIn. For instance, the London Listings page posts regularly about commercial property listings in the city. 

4. Approach niche buyers, such as individual investors, local businesses or professional cash property buyers, such as TPBC. Here’s how it works when selling to a cash buyer. 

5. Sell through a commercial property auction, where the auction house attracts potential buyers. Many of the residential property auction houses also hold auctions for commercial property, such as offices, industrial warehouses, hotels and retail shops. 

Step 5: Find a buyer and complete the sale

Generally, you should be looking for a buyer who is in a good financial situation, can complete the sale quickly and doesn’t put forward any unfair sale conditions. Once you’re happy with the buyer, you can exchange contracts, receive the deposit and finalise the sale by the agreed-upon date. A solicitor can help you do this. 

Step 6: Inform any existing tenants

If your property is tenanted, you’ll need to notify them of the ownership change. If you’ve decided to sell the property with tenants, you can do this once the sale has been finalised. If you want to sell it without tenants, you will need to inform them earlier. If the tenants are staying, you’ll also need to transfer their deposit to the new owner.  

Step 7: Pay off all related costs

Selling commercial property can incur various costs that you’ll need to pay in a timely manner, including: 

• Solicitor and agent fees (if you’ve used them)

• Capital Gains Tax

• Stamp duty

• VAT

How long does it take to sell commercial property?

In the UK, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to an entire year to sell commercial property. It depends on a variety of factors, including your property’s location and type, the state of the market and which sale route you decide to take. 

Here are the typical timelines and offers for the most common sale routes:

Different types of commercial properties in the UK

Another big determinant of how long it takes to sell commercial property is the property’s type. There are numerous types of commercial property in the UK, all of which have their own unique considerations. Certain types can take longer than others to sell if you go the traditional route (e.g. estate agent). However, if you choose a cash buyer like TPBC, we buy any commercial property within 2-3 weeks, so it doesn’t typically impact us.

Below we’ve included a breakdown of the different types and their usual considerations and sale times. Bear in mind we’ve put this table together using industry data and our own insights. Your property’s considerations and eventual sale time may differ depending on numerous circumstances, such as its location, market conditions and unique attributes, as well as your own business connections.

The typical costs when selling commercial property

There are numerous costs involved with selling commercial property. However, not all of these will apply to your situation. For instance, if the property hasn’t gained value since you bought it, you won’t need to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Similarly, if you decide to sell to a cash buyer, you won’t need to worry about fees for an estate agent, solicitor, valuer, surveyor or marketing.

To give you a better idea of what you’ll likely need to pay, we’ve broken down the different costs, their typical amount and which sale routes they apply to.

As you can see, selling through a traditional estate agent may result in you getting more money in the sale, but it will also cost you more in fees. Whereas selling through a cash commercial property buyer will result in a lower value offer, but also means you avoid paying so much when selling.

How to sell commercial property fast to a cash buyer

Do you want to sell your commercial property fast? Your best option is typically going to be a professional cash buyer, such as The Property Buying Company. Here’s how TPBC can help you sell your property fast. If you have more than one commercial property you need to sell quickly, we can also help you sell your property portfolio fast. 

Here is a useful video to find out a little more about how our service works at The Property Buying Company....

How much will a cash buyer typically pay for commercial property?

Generally, you can expect around 75-85% of your property’s market value from a cash buyer. Depending on your property’s features and location, this offer could be as high as 90% of its market value. The lower price is due to the speed of the transaction and the risks that a cash buyer takes on because of that. 

So yes, a cash buyer might not be the best option for you if you’re wanting to make as much money as possible from the sale. However, if you’re concerned more about time and the stress and costs associated with a longer time to sell, you may want to approach a cash buyer. They should have the funds available to purchase your property quickly and cover all expenses, such as solicitor and surveyor fees. 

Can you trust cash commercial property buyers?

Yes, for the most part cash buyers are trustworthy businesses or individuals. However, when you approach one, it’s important to make sure your buyer is a legitimate cash buyer. Illegitimate cash buyers can lure you in by offering an unrealistic price then stealing your personal details or worse. Here’s how to make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate cash buyer. 

The Property Buying Company is a legitimate cash commercial property buyer with over 20 years’ experience. We also have over 2,100 5-star reviews on Trustpilot, are members of the National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) and The Property Ombudsman (TPO), can provide proof of funds for purchase, and have real customer testimonials to support our work.

Is a cash buyer the right option for your commercial property?

We want to be completely transparent here: a cash buyer isn’t the right option for everyone. Whether or not The Property Buying Company is the best choice for you comes down to your priorities and situation. 

We specialise in honest and fast property buying with cash. If you are in a position where selling quickly outweighs getting the highest possible value for your commercial property, you can benefit from our service. However, if you’re happy to wait out the market to get 100% of your property’s value, you probably aren’t going to find this route beneficial. 

At the end of the day, we’re here to make your property selling experience as stress-free and efficient as possible. By selling your property quickly to a cash buyer, you can save considerable money otherwise spent on solicitors, estate agents, marketing, surveyors, bills and utilities.  

Here are some more reasons why you might want to choose to sell your property to us. If you’re ready to get a free, no-obligation cash offer from us, simply submit your postcode below.