Valuation & costs
What Percentage of Market Value Do Cash Buyers Pay?
Genuine cash buyers in the UK pay around 75-85% of market value, with most real net offers clustering between 80% and 85%. The discount reflects the speed, certainty, covered fees and the risk and cost the buyer takes on. Where you land in that range depends on the property’s condition, location, and how saleable it is. Offers below 70% — or headline figures near 95-100% that get cut later — are signs to compare elsewhere.
What is your property worth?
Get genuine offers from checked & vetted buyers.
- 75–85%of market value
- 80–85%where most land
- Below 70%too low — compare
- 95–100%often bait, later cut
Should you sell your house for cash?
Five quick questions on your timescale, property and priorities — then a straight recommendation and the safe way to act.
How soon do you need to complete?
What matters most?
What is the property like?
Why are you selling?
How much do you want to skip viewings and chains?
Selling for cash looks right for you.
Your timescale and property point clearly to a cash sale, where 75–85% buys a date you can rely on. Compare several vetted offers side by side so they compete toward the top of the band, and check each for proof of funds, NAPB and TPO.
Compare cash offers →A cash sale could work — line it up against an agent.
You are between routes. Get a real valuation and a couple of genuine cash offers, then weigh the certain, faster figure against what a good agent might net you more slowly.
Get offers to compare →You may do better on the open market.
With time and a desirable home, an agent is likely to net you more than 85%. Keep a vetted cash sale as a fallback for a broken chain. A free valuation is a sensible benchmark.
Get a free valuation →The typical range explained
| Offer level | What it usually signals |
|---|---|
| 82-85% | Good condition, saleable, desirable area |
| 80-85% | The typical genuine net range |
| 75-78% | Needs work, harder to sell, or weaker market |
| Below 70% | Too low — compare other buyers |
| 95-100% upfront | Often bait, later reduced — be cautious |
Why cash buyers pay below market value
The discount is not arbitrary — it covers real economics. A cash buyer ties up their own capital and carries the cost of it, takes on the risk and time of reselling or letting, often refurbishes (pricing in the works), and guarantees a completion an open-market buyer cannot. They also typically cover your legal fees and buy in any condition. The 12-22% gap is the price of turning a slow, uncertain open-market sale into a fast, guaranteed one. See how cash buyers work.
What affects where you land in the range
Several factors push your offer up or down within 75-85%:
- Condition — a well-maintained home attracts the top of the range; one needing work, the bottom.
- Location and demand — easily re-saleable areas support higher offers.
- Mortgageability — a readily mortgageable home is worth more to a buyer than an unmortgageable one.
- Tenure — a short lease or onerous ground rent reduces the figure.
- Market conditions — a rising market supports stronger offers.
Offers to be wary of
Two patterns should make you pause. An offer below 70% of a realistic market value is simply too low — compare other buyers, because a genuine one will do better. And a headline offer near 95-100% is often bait: a company quotes high to tie you in, then reduces it just before exchange when you are committed (see why offers get reduced). A realistic 80-85% offer that holds firm is worth more than an inflated one that collapses.
How to get the highest genuine offer
Three things maximise your figure: know your true market value from sold comparables so you can judge any offer; present the property’s positives and any recent works honestly; and — above all — compare two or three regulated buyers (NAPB members, TPO-registered). Comparison is what pushes offers toward the top of the range and exposes low-ballers. That is exactly what Ready Steady Sell does. See how far below market value for more.
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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
What percentage of market value do cash buyers pay?
Around 75-85%, with most genuine net offers between 80% and 85%. The discount reflects speed, certainty, covered fees and the buyer’s risk and costs.
Why do cash buyers pay less than market value?
They tie up capital, take on resale risk and time, often refurbish, and guarantee a completion an open-market buyer cannot. The discount is the price of that speed and certainty.
Is a 70% cash offer fair?
Generally no — below 70% of a realistic market value is too low. Compare other regulated buyers, as a genuine one should offer more.
Should I trust an offer near 95-100%?
Be cautious. Headline offers that high are often bait, reduced just before exchange once you are committed. A realistic 80-85% offer that holds is more reliable.
How do I get the highest cash offer?
Know your market value from sold comparables, present the home honestly, and compare two or three regulated buyers — comparison pushes offers toward the top of the range.
Can I get more than 85% of market value?
Sometimes — via an investor who plans to let rather than flip, or a managed/assisted sale. These edge higher but take longer and carry more conditions.