Most sellers start with one question: which route gets the most money? The fair answer is usually the open market through an estate agent. The fair follow-up is that price is only one of three things you are trading. The other two are time and certainty. Off-market routes exist because some sellers value those more than the last pound on the price.
What an estate agent does well
An agent puts the property in front of the widest pool of buyers through the portals, creates competition between them and handles viewings, offers and the chain. For a home in good order that a lender will lend on, it is usually the route to the highest price.
What it costs: commission, usually a percentage of the sale price payable on completion. Some agents also charge a marketing fee or ask for a sole-agency period. Where it struggles: time on the market, chains that collapse, a public price history and properties a lender will not lend on, which narrows the buyers to people paying cash.
What an off-market sale does well
No listing, no board and no open viewings. The buyers are investors who are used to property that needs work, has tenants in place, sits on a short lease or will not suit a mortgage lender. When the buyer is funded, the sale can move without waiting on a chain.
The trade-off: offers come in below open market value, because the buyer is paying for speed, discretion and the risk they take on. A smaller pool of buyers also means less competition on price.
It tends to suit an inherited house, a property needing work a lender will not touch, a landlord selling with tenants in place, a portfolio or block sold in one go and a developer's last few units.
Auction and cash house buyers
Auction is public and binding: contracts exchange when the hammer falls and completion follows within weeks. There are fees on both sides and a reserve to agree. The legal pack has to be ready before the catalogue goes out.
Cash house-buying firms offer speed. Read the offer mechanics closely: some firms make an offer and then reduce it after a survey, close to exchange. Ask in writing whether the figure can change and on what grounds.
Letting instead of selling
Sometimes the reason to sell is the running of the property, not the property itself. Since 1 May 2026 section 21 has gone in England and fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies have become periodic assured tenancies. Some landlords are selling because of it. Others keep the property and change how it is let.
Two ways to keep it without the day-to-day: a company let agreement, where a company is the lessee and pays one fixed monthly sum whether or not anyone is staying, or full management as serviced accommodation, where you keep the income for a fee from 20% of booking revenue. A company let is a commercial agreement with a company rather than a letting to an individual; your solicitor can explain what that means for your property.
Price, time and certainty side by side
| Route | Price | Time | Certainty | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | Usually the highest | The slowest | Can fall through until exchange | Public listing |
| Auction | Set by the room | Fast once listed | Binding on the day | Public catalogue |
| Off-market sale | Below open market value | Fast with a funded buyer | Firm once terms are written | Private |
| Cash buying firm | Below open market value | Fast | Check whether the offer can drop | Private |
| Let it instead | No sale; income instead | Starts once consents are in place | A fixed sum or managed income | Private |
Questions to ask before you agree anything
- What will I receive after every fee? Who pays each one?
- Is the offer in writing? Can it be reduced before exchange and on what grounds?
- Can the buyer show proof of funds now?
- Is there a tie-in or exclusivity period? How long is it?
- Who sees my details? Is anything shared without my agreement?
- Do I instruct my own solicitor? (The answer should always be yes.)
A good buyer or agent answers all six in writing without being chased.
Where we fit
We offer three routes to owners before they list: a quiet sale to investors on our list, a company let agreement or full management. On a sale the buyer pays our fee and you pay nothing. Nothing about talking to us first stops you instructing an agent afterwards. Many owners compare both. See the off-market routes or read about selling quickly.
Your Questions
Off-market or agent: your questions.
Can I still use an estate agent if I talk to you first?
Yes. Nothing about talking to us stops you listing with an agent afterwards and many owners compare both before they decide.
Do I pay a fee on an off-market sale with you?
No. On our route the buyer pays our fee and you will know the amount before you agree anything.
What sort of property sells best off-market?
Property that does not suit the open market: a house needing work a lender will not lend on, a flat with tenants in place, a short lease, or a block or portfolio sold in one go.
Is an off-market sale private?
Yes. There is no portal listing and no board, details are shared only with your agreement and a mutual NDA is available before you send anything sensitive.