Valuation & costs
Cost of Selling a House to a Cash Buyer
Selling to a cash buyer is almost free in terms of fees — there are no estate-agent fees, usually no legal fees (the buyer often pays them), and no EPC, staging or repair costs. The "cost" is the lower price: a genuine cash buyer pays around 75-85% of market value. To work out which route nets you more, weigh the fees and time saved against the price discount for your specific situation.
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- £0fees — agent & legals
- 75–85%the price trade-off
- Months savedmortgage, bills, upkeep
- Netcloser than the headline
What a cash sale costs vs the open market
| Cost | Open market | Cash buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Estate-agent fee | 1-1.5% + VAT | £0 |
| Conveyancing | £800-£1,800 + disbursements | Often £0 (buyer pays) |
| EPC | £60-£120 | Not needed in practice |
| Staging / repairs | Variable | £0 (sold as-is) |
| Price achieved | 92-100% | 75-85% |
The fees you save
A cash sale removes almost every cost of selling. There is no estate-agent commission (the biggest single cost), the buyer typically covers your legal fees, you do not need to pay for an EPC or staging, and you sell as-is so there are no repair costs. On a £250,000 home, the agent fee alone (around £3,600 with VAT) plus conveyancing is money straight back in your pocket. See the full open-market breakdown in cost of selling a house.
The hidden savings: time and holding costs
Fees are only part of it. A cash sale completing in 7-28 days, versus 8-24 weeks on the open market, also saves you months of mortgage payments, council tax, insurance, utilities and upkeep — and, for an empty or inherited property, those holding costs add up fast. It also removes the risk and cost of a sale falling through (surveys and legal fees paid for nothing). These savings rarely show in a headline comparison but are real money.
Working out which nets you more
The honest calculation is: (open-market price − fees − holding costs − fall-through risk) versus (cash price − almost no costs). For a readily saleable home with time to spare, the open market usually wins despite its fees. For a home that is hard to sell, empty, or where you face a deadline, the cash route’s saved fees, time and certainty can close much of the gap — sometimes most of it. Know your market value and run the numbers for your case.
Getting the best net figure from a cash sale
To keep the discount as small as possible, compare two or three regulated cash buyers — comparison pushes offers toward the top of the 75-85% range and stops a low-ball. Confirm there are genuinely no fees and that your legal costs are covered, and get the offer in writing so it is not cut later. Done this way, the net figure from a cash sale — after the fees and months of costs you avoid — is often closer to the open market than the headline percentage suggests.
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Written & reviewed by Lisa Hayes, Founder
Lisa Hayes is the founder of Ready Steady Sell and an independent UK home-selling expert with over a decade helping homeowners weigh cash house buyers, property investors and the wider fast house-sale industry — without pressure or hidden fees. Every guide is reviewed for accuracy under our editorial standards.
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Frequently asked questions
Straight answers, no sales talk
How much does it cost to sell to a cash buyer?
Almost nothing in fees — no estate-agent fee, usually no legal fees, and no EPC, staging or repair costs. The cost is the lower price, around 75-85% of market value.
Do I pay legal fees when selling to a cash buyer?
Usually not — a genuine cash buyer often covers your legal fees as part of the deal. Always confirm this in writing before proceeding.
Is selling to a cash buyer cheaper than using an agent?
In fees, yes — you avoid agent commission and most other costs. But you accept a lower price, so compare the fees and time saved against the discount for your situation.
What hidden savings are there in a cash sale?
Months of mortgage payments, council tax, insurance, utilities and upkeep saved by completing in weeks, plus avoiding the cost of a sale falling through.
How do I work out if a cash sale is worth it?
Compare the open-market price minus fees, holding costs and fall-through risk, against the cash price minus almost no costs. Know your market value and run the numbers.
How do I get the best price from a cash buyer?
Compare two or three regulated buyers, confirm no fees and covered legals, and get a written guaranteed offer so it is not reduced later.