Sell Your House Fast in 2026

Transcript

Hi, I’m Ruban Selvanayagam, one of the directors here at Property Solvers.

If selling your house fast is on your mind, it’s rarely without good cause. 

Homeowners usually look into companies like ours because time has become tight, an ongoing sale hasn’t gone to plan, or the traditional way of selling just doesn’t fit what they need to do next.

Indeed, a normal or open market sale can still take 4 to 9 months from listing to completion – and that’s assuming it doesn’t fall through. When you’re working to a deadline, that kind of uncertainty just isn’t realistic.

Together with my long-time business partner, James Durr, we help homeowners sell when time genuinely matters. What we take pride in at Property Solvers is that we don’t force people down one route – our role is simply to help you work out what actually makes sense for your situation, rather than pushing you toward a single outcome.

In this video, I’m going to walk you through the 10 most important things you need to understand if you’re trying to sell your house fast in 2026 – how the options actually work, where sellers get caught out, and how to avoid making the wrong call under pressure.

Let’s dive in…

Tip No. 1 – Be Brutally Honest About How Fast You Actually Need to Sell

This is the foundation for everything else – and it’s one of the most common conversations we have with people who reach out to us. It’s also where a lot of sellers end up wasting the most time without realising it.

For some people, a quick sale is a “nice to have”. They’d like it to happen sooner, but there’s no harsh time pressure.

In those cases, the quickest and least painful route is often not a specialist fast-sale solution at all – it’s simply Getting the Pricing and Strategy Right With the Estate Agent.

And this is where I’m going to have a small rant, because it comes up constantly. A lot of estate agents start the relationship by telling sellers what they want to hear. 

The asking price gets pitched too high to win the instruction, the seller gets tied into a long contract, and then after a few weeks, the viewings dry up and the feedback becomes vague. 

Suddenly the conversation turns into: “We might need to adjust expectations,” “It’s just a quieter period,” or “Let’s give it a bit longer.” And all the while the property is drifting, the listing is going stale, and you’re losing time.

If you’re in that position and you simply want action, then you should be challenging the agent properly. Whilst you probably haven’t paid them yet – their job to advise you, not just list the property and hope. 

Take the time if you can to research what’s happening in your local market by looking at comparable sold prices, not just asking prices. 

We always also recommend speaking to the branch manager… Ask what’s changed in the last four weeks, why the viewings aren’t converting and request to view stats on enquiries.  And if you’ve been tied into an extended contract with little activity, be firm about what you expect from them.

But if you genuinely need to be sold within weeks – not months – you’ve got to be honest about that too. 

Even when an offer is agreed early, you’re still exposed to chains, mortgage approvals, survey results, legal enquiries, and the simple fact that buyers can walk away at almost any point. 

If your situation doesn’t allow for that kind of fragility, then the “normal selling” route probably isn’t for you – which brings us on to…

Tip No. 2 – Understand What Your Real Options Are

When time is against you, there are fewer real options worth thinking about – and each comes with a very different trade-off.

If you sell through an estate agent, you’re usually aiming to achieve the highest possible price. That’s the attraction. But estate agency sales are generally not designed for speed or certainty. In a more discerning market like what we have now, buyers are more confident about their ability to renegotiate later. 

They’ll agree a price, then revisit it once surveys come back or once they realise you’re emotionally committed. From the seller’s point of view, that creates a slow, uncertain process where control largely sits with the buyer.

This is where an auction sale could potentially come in. Rising in popularity in recent years, instead of negotiating first and uncovering issues later, auctions deal with everything upfront. Legal packs are prepared in advance, buyers assess risk before they bid, and once the hammer falls, the deal is legally binding – with completion typically following within 28 days assuming the property’s being under traditional, unconditional auction conditions.

There is usually a trade-off. Selling by auction often means accepting a modest compromise on price – commonly somewhere between 85 and 90% of the RICS assessed market value, depending on the property – but in return you gain speed, commitment, and far less scope for renegotiation.

But at the same time, it’s important to remember that auctions aren’t instant. They require preparation and realistic pricing. And poor legal preparation can still cause delays, not to mention that the sale will not be discreet. When auctions are done properly, though, they often deliver speed without the heavy discounts.

Tip No. 3 – Understand How “Sell House Fast” Companies Work

Sell house fast companies are often marketed as the quickest solution – and in pure timing terms, they usually are. A genuine operator can proceed without a chain, with just 1 viewing required, and without waiting for mortgage or external finance.

In some cases, completion can happen in weeks, or even days.  Our team here at Property Solvers, for instance, have been able to exchange contracts in as little as 48 hours with completion shortly after.

That certainty can be valuable if time is critical, but it comes with a trade off…

In 2026, most legitimate sell house fast companies make offers that commonly land at around 70 to 75% of what the property might realistically achieve on the open market.

That discount reflects risk, holding costs, resale margins, and the fact that the buyer is absorbing uncertainty, so you don’t have to.

In most cases, the sale is structured as a direct purchase, which means there are no estate agency fees and often no legal fees for the seller.

At Property Solvers, there’s another fast-sale route we use where discretion matters and the aim is to achieve more than a typical sell house fast offer.

Alongside outright cash purchases, we can introduce your property directly to our investor network. These buyers are more passive, don’t carry the same overheads as we do such as marketing spend, payroll and the other costs associated with rapid turnarounds.

Because of that, pricing can often sit higher than a straight cash-buy offer. The trade-off is that completion usually takes longer than a pure cash sale – but the investor can often be locked in early, giving clarity on price and direction without putting the property on the open market.

Tip No. 4 – Beware Of The Risks Of Using A “Sell House Fast” Company

Our industry is still far less tightly regulated than areas like insurance, mortgages, or other financial services, and that gap matters when you’re making decisions under time pressure. 

While some sell house fast companies operate professionally, others rely on loose structures, vague commitments, and practices that would never be acceptable elsewhere.

That can show up in a few different ways – offers that aren’t fully backed up financially, contracts that give the buyer flexibility but lock the seller in, unclear timelines, or deals that look certain on day one but quietly weaken as the process goes on.

One of the most common problems is late-stage renegotiation – what the industry has termed as “gazundering”. 

For instance, a seller accepts an offer, comes off the market, instructs solicitors, and starts planning the transaction to happen, only for the price to be reduced weeks later once they feel committed and short on alternatives. It’s fairly common in our industry unfortunately, and it’s why the “fastest” option can sometimes end up being the most stressful.

Here at Property Solvers, we appreciate that the sell house fast route isn’t right for everyone, and we would never push someone into something they’re not fully comfortable with. If speed is essential, certainty matters – but it has to be real certainty, not something that disappears just when you need it most.

Tip No. 5 – Check The Fast Sale Company’s Credentials And Track Record

At a minimum, make sure the company is properly accountable and operating within recognised industry frameworks. 

At Property Solvers, we’re registered with The Property Ombudsman, are members of the National Association of Property Buyers, comply fully with Anti-Money Laundering requirements, work in line with Trading Standards, and are regulated by NAEA Propertymark, primarily for our work in the UK auction sector.

That means there’s proper oversight, a formal complaints process, and real accountability if something goes wrong.

Remember to also check independent reviews, not just testimonials on the company’s own website. Check platforms like Trustpilot and Google Reviews, and also less obvious platforms such as Reviews.io.

Focus on patterns – repeated comments about price drops, delays, or pressure once sellers are committed can be far more revealing.

With regards to funding, as a minimum, you should be comfortable that the buyer can provide clear proof of cash funds and can proceed cleanly, without unnecessary dependencies or delays. Ultimately, you need to be sure that the “fast sale” will actually stay fast.

Tip No. 6 – Confirm That There Will Be No Fees

A genuine fast sale company should not require you to pay estate agency fees – because the sale is direct and there’s no middleman – or conveyancing costs. 

That should include all legal fees and disbursements such as Land Registry title documents, ID and anti-money-laundering checks, bank transfer fees, and standard conveyancing administration costs.  

If you’re being asked to contribute upfront or cover costs if the deal doesn’t complete, that’s something to question carefully. Be wary of arrangement, reservation or so called “option agreement” fees, or charges dressed up as “admin” or “processing”. 

Ask what’s refundable, what isn’t, and what conditions apply. Hidden fees don’t just cost money – they can be used to keep you tied in while the buyer decides what to do next.

Tip No. 7 – Confirm The Buyer Isn’t Relying On A Back-To-Back Sale

This is a big one, and it catches a lot of sellers out.

Some buyers who describe themselves as “cash” only complete once they’ve lined up their own onward sale. That might mean they don’t actually commit funds until after exchange – or in some cases, they exchange with the intention of assigning or flipping the contract on to another buyer.

That Introduces Delay and Risk, even if everything sounds solid at offer stage. So ask the question directly: are they exchanging and completing using funds they control, or does your completion depend on another transaction happening behind the scenes?

If your sale relies on them selling on – whether before or after exchange – you’re not getting certainty. You’re effectively becoming part of their chain, even if it’s not being presented to you that way.

Tip No. 8 – Understand What Most Sell House Fast Companies Will Want When Buying A Leasehold Property

Leasehold sales tend to slow down for one reason above all others: paperwork and further enquiries.  This includes service charge accounts, ground rent terms, planned major works under Section 20, cladding and EWS1 status, and any history of disputes all need to be clear early on.

One of the biggest challenges we see in practice is dealing with slow or unresponsive freeholders and managing agents. Even when a buyer is ready to move, a delayed management pack or missing information can stall progress for weeks.

This is why, at Property Solvers, we pay for the management pack upfront and actively chase to keep things moving, rather than waiting for it to become a bottleneck.

Where possible, we’ve always found it worthwhile to Identify a Clear Point of Contact at the Management Company and/or Freeholder Early On — someone proactive who can take ownership of the process and respond quickly when information is needed.

In short, assume that Early Preparation is a Non Negotiable. Removing uncertainty early on is often the difference between a leasehold property sale that progresses smoothly and one that grinds to a halt.

Tip No. 9 – Discuss The Possibility Of A Cash Advance If You Need It

Some sellers need access to funds before completion — whether that’s to secure another purchase, clear debts, or manage a transition. In those situations, it can be helpful to structure the sale so contracts are exchanged early, which in practice often means completion follows shortly afterwards anyway.

This is how we approach it at Property Solvers. An early exchange helps bring clarity and momentum to the process, and where appropriate, can also allow for earlier access to funds without relying on informal arrangements.

The main thing is to raise this early. If access to funds is part of what’s driving the sale, it’s best discussed upfront so the right structure can be put in place from the start.

Tip No. 10 – Confirm There Will Be No “Last-Minute” Price Drops

Late-stage price reductions are a stain on the fast-sale sector — and they’re something sellers need to guard against from the outset. As mentioned earlier, this usually happens once a seller feels committed, short on alternatives, and under time pressure.

The best way to protect yourself is Transparency at the Very Start. Ask directly what, if anything, could cause the price to change. Survey findings? Legal issues? Title defects? Lease complications? If the answer is vague or open-ended, that’s a warning sign.

In our experience, the cleanest fast sales are the ones where expectations are set clearly on day one and then stuck to. Quick home buyers deal with complicated situations all the time — structural issues, legal quirks, short leases, title problems — and most of these can be worked through if they’re identified and dealt with early.

The messy sales where the prices get dropped are the ones where the buyer keeps optionality and the seller carries all the pressure. A Genuine Fast Sale Should Remove Uncertainty, not introduce it at the final stages of the transaction.

And finally, Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away. If the terms change late in the process or the price starts to drift without good reason, that’s often a sign to stop rather than push on.

There are other reputable fast-sale operators who can step in and take over a transaction in a matter of days, particularly where the paperwork is already prepared. Walking away doesn’t mean starting again from scratch — and in many cases, it’s the fastest way to protect both your time and your price.

So, to draw this video to a close, our core message for anyone looking to sell their property fast is to be clear about the timeframe you’re actually working to, and then weigh up which route genuinely fits that reality.

In some cases, it really can be as simple as a realistic price adjustment or changing estate agent to inject momentum without sacrificing the value you’re aiming for.

In others, an auction or a structured investor sale is the better option. And where speed of sale — down to as little as 7 days — matters more than price, a sell house fast, cash-based route with no fees can offer the certainty that many sellers need.

What we’re always trying to avoid is wasted time. A sale that drags on, falls apart, or unravels late doesn’t just delay things — it usually makes the next attempt harder. Buyers become more cautious, negotiations get tougher, and the pressure on the seller only increases.

After doing this for over 2 decades, we’ve seen time and again that clarity at the outset saves sellers months of stress later on.

And on that note, a big thanks for watching. If you’ve found this useful, please like the video and subscribe to the channel for more practical, data-led home sale and property insights.