Selling process
How to Sell Your House Online
You can sell a house online three ways: through an online or hybrid estate agent (a fixed fee, often a few hundred to around £1,500, and you usually handle viewings), by listing on the major property portals via a service that gives private sellers access to Rightmove and Zoopla, or through an instant online cash-buyer platform that makes an offer in minutes and completes in 7-28 days. The cheaper and faster the route, the more of the legwork — or the price — you take on yourself.
What is your property worth?
Get genuine offers from checked & vetted buyers.
- 3 routesonline agent · portal · cash
- Fixed feevs 1–1.5% + VAT commission
- 7–28days — instant cash platform
- £0fees on the cash route
Which online selling route fits you?
Five quick questions on your priorities — then the route that fits, and how to use it safely.
What is your real deadline?
How much legwork are you happy to do?
Speed vs price — where do you sit?
What is the property like?
Appetite for viewings and chains?
An instant cash platform is your fastest route.
Your deadline and priorities point to a direct cash sale — minutes to an offer, days to complete, no fees and no viewings. Compare several vetted, NAPB-registered cash offers so they compete rather than taking the first figure.
Compare cash offers →A hybrid online agent likely balances cost and support.
You want to save on commission but not do everything alone. A fixed-fee hybrid agent with accompanied viewings reaches the same portal buyers. Keep a vetted cash offer as a fast fallback, and benchmark with a free valuation.
Get offers to compare →A portal-listing service may suit you.
With time, a saleable home and the appetite to do the work, a private portal listing is the cheapest route to full exposure. Keep a vetted cash sale in reserve for certainty. A free valuation will frame your pricing.
Get a free valuation →The three ways to sell online, compared
Selling "online" covers three very different models. This table summarises how they stack up before we look at each in detail:
| Route | Typical cost | Who does the work | Speed | Price achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online / hybrid agent | £0-£1,500 fixed (or % on completion) | You handle viewings; they list & support | 8-24 weeks | Close to market value |
| Portal-listing service (private sale) | Low fixed fee | You do everything | 8-24 weeks | Close to market value |
| Instant cash-buyer platform | No fee (legals often paid) | The buyer handles everything | 7-28 days | ~75-85% of value |
Online and hybrid estate agents
Online and hybrid agents charge a flat fee rather than the 1-1.5% + VAT commission a high-street agent takes, which can save thousands on a typical home. In return you usually conduct your own viewings and chase your own sale, though most offer paid add-ons for accompanied viewings and a dedicated account manager.
They list you on the portals where buyers actually search — Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket — so reach is rarely the issue. The two questions that matter are: how much hands-on support do you want, and do you pay upfront or on completion? An upfront fee is payable whether or not you sell, which removes the agent’s incentive to push your sale over the line; a "no sale, no fee" structure keeps incentives aligned. Always check what the headline fee includes — photography, floorplan, EPC and portal listing are sometimes extra.
Selling privately on the portals
Rightmove and Zoopla do not accept listings directly from private sellers, so to appear on them you use a portal-access service that lists on your behalf for a fixed fee. This is the cheapest route to maximum exposure, but everything else is on you: photographs, floorplan, the description, fielding enquiries, negotiating, and chasing the conveyancing through to completion.
It suits confident sellers with time to manage the process and a straightforward, in-demand property. To do it well, invest in good photography, write an accurate and appealing description, price against genuine sold-price comparables, and read our guides on hosting viewings and preparing your home.
Instant online cash offers
At the fast end, cash-buyer platforms let you enter your address and get an indicative offer online in minutes, with a firm offer after a quick assessment and completion in 7-28 days. You trade price for speed and certainty — expect around 75-85% of market value — but there are no fees, no viewings and no chain. It is the online equivalent of a guaranteed sale, and it suits relocation, probate, repossession or a broken chain. Verify any platform is a member of the NAPB and registered with The Property Ombudsman, and read how cash buyers work before committing.
How to choose the right online route
Work backwards from your priority:
- Lowest cost, and you have time: a portal-listing service or a fixed-fee online agent.
- Want support but not high-street fees: a hybrid agent with accompanied viewings.
- Need speed and certainty: an instant cash-buyer platform.
Whichever you choose, instruct a conveyancer early and gather your paperwork so the legal stage never becomes the bottleneck.
Avoiding the pitfalls of selling online
Three traps catch online sellers: paying an upfront agent fee then losing the incentive for them to sell; under-investing in photography so the listing underperforms; and over-pricing because no one is advising restraint. With a cash platform, the trap is the last-minute price reduction — so get the offer in writing and check whether it is guaranteed or survey-dependent (see why offers get reduced). Comparing two or three cash offers protects you from accepting a low one.
Don’t accept a lowball offer for your home
Compare genuine cash offers and investor options in minutes — free, no obligation, no fees.
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
Is it cheaper to sell a house online?
Usually, yes. Online and hybrid agents charge a fixed fee rather than percentage commission, which can save thousands, though you typically do more of the work yourself, such as viewings.
Can I list my house on Rightmove myself?
Not directly — Rightmove only accepts listings from agents. A portal-access service will list your property on Rightmove and Zoopla for a fixed fee on your behalf.
How quickly can I sell my house online?
An online cash-buyer platform can complete in 7-28 days. An online or hybrid estate agent works to normal market timescales of around 8-24 weeks.
Do online estate agents charge upfront?
Many do, meaning the fee is payable whether or not you sell. Others offer "no sale, no fee" on completion, which keeps their incentive aligned with selling your home. Always check before instructing.
Are online house sales safe?
Yes, with regulated providers. Use agents on a redress scheme (The Property Ombudsman or Property Redress Scheme) and cash buyers that are NAPB and TPO members, and have a conveyancer handle the legal work.
Will I get less selling online?
Not necessarily through an online agent — you reach the same buyers via the portals. You only accept a discount with an instant cash-buyer platform, where the lower price buys speed and certainty.