What is a fair cash offer on a house? Between 70% and 85% of realistic market value – anything less is a lowball, anything more is probably a lie, and here’s how to know which offers are genuine.
In 2025, cash buyers paid an average of 7.2% below mortgage-funded purchases across the UK. But company cash buyers routinely offer 20% to 30% below market value, and most homeowners don’t understand why.
Let’s start with the numbers everyone hides.
Fair cash offer range: 70% to 85% of realistic market value.
Individual cash buyers buying to live in the property: 90% to 95%. They’re competing with mortgage buyers. They pay near full price for the advantage of speed and certainty.
Company cash buyers buying to resell or rent: 70% to 85%. That’s us. That’s legitimate businesses with real costs and real risk.
Dodgy “we buy any house” operations: 55% to 70%. That’s lowballing dressed up as helping you.
The discount exists for real reasons. Cash buyers take on risk. Cash buyers have massive costs. Stamp duty alone is 5% on most properties. Legal fees, holding costs, insurance, council tax whilst the property sits empty waiting for resale.
Cash buyers provide speed and certainty. You get money in weeks, not months. No viewings. No fall-throughs. No mortgage dependency.
Cash buyers buy in any condition. Structural issues? Unmortgageable? Problem tenants? Doesn’t matter.
It’s not charity. It’s business. Honest business when done properly.
You hear 70% and it stings. You’re thinking that’s 30% gone. Nobody tells you that the “full price” estate agent route costs you 8 months, £9,000 in fees and bills, and zero guarantee of completion.
Let’s do the actual maths.
Property realistically worth £300,000. We offer £210,000 (70%).
Here’s exactly where that money goes:
Our actual breakdown:
That £45,000 profit? It covers our business costs, our tax bill, and our risk. Some properties lose us money. Some gain value. Some sit for 18 months. Some need £20,000 in unexpected repairs. That 15% covers all scenarios.
Now here’s what YOU save by selling to us:
Total saved: £13,700 plus 7 months of your life.
The real comparison: Estate agent route nets you roughly £285,300 after 7 months (if everything goes perfectly). We give you £210,000 in 3 weeks guaranteed.
Difference: £75,300 more via estate agent.
Cost: 7 months of viewings, negotiations, surveys, potential fall-throughs, mounting stress, and zero certainty until completion day.
Only you can decide if £75,300 is worth 7 months of hell.
Time to call out the scams directly.
The difference between fair and unfair isn’t just the percentage. It’s the transparency and honesty.
Estate agents promise “full market value.” Let’s see what that actually delivers.
Your property is realistically worth £300,000. Estate agent values it at £325,000 to win your instruction. You sign, dreaming of that price.
Month 3: Zero offers. They suggest reducing to £310,000. You reluctantly agree.
Month 5: One offer at £295,000. You’re exhausted. You accept.
Month 6: Buyer’s survey reveals damp. They demand £8,000 off. You negotiate down to £287,000 because you’re trapped.
Month 8: Finally complete if the chain doesn’t collapse.
Difference: £67,863 more with estate agent route.
Cost: 8 months of your life with no guarantee until the solicitor confirms completion.
We’ve helped dozens of sellers who tried estate agents first. Three months wasted. One viewing. Zero offers. They wish they’d called us first.
Auctioning a property sounds like a middle ground between estate agents and cash buyers. It’s not.
Auction fees hit you upfront: 2.5% plus VAT whether your property sells or not. That’s £7,500 on a £300,000 property gone before auction day.
Reserve price becomes a gamble. Set it too high, property doesn’t sell. You’ve lost £7,500. Set it realistically at 80% to 85% of value anyway, and you’re in cash buyer territory but with massive fees paid.
Property auctioneers now offer “auction underwriting.” Sounds safe. They “guarantee” to buy if it doesn’t sell. Read the fine print. They can renegotiate afterwards. Often do. “Survey revealed issues.” “Market conditions changed.” Your guaranteed price drops by £30,000. You’ve already paid £7,500. You’re trapped.
Plus you wait for probate first if it’s inherited property. Plus you risk public embarrassment if it doesn’t sell. Plus you’ve committed to that auction date regardless of market conditions.
Total time: 6-8 weeks preparation plus auction day plus 4 weeks completion. Total risk: high. Total cost: £7,500 minimum.
Most “cash home buyers” aren’t. They’re middlemen who need finance.
Here’s your protection:
See 5-plus charges registered? Run. They’re not cash buyers. They need loans to buy properties. Loans mean delays. Delays mean renegotiations. Renegotiations mean lower offers after you’ve wasted 8 weeks.
We buy any house companies pull this scam constantly. Promise cash. Lock you into an agreement. Apply for finance. Get declined or offer them less than expected. Drop your offer by 15%. You’re trapped because you took the property off market for 2 months.
Check our Companies House record. Clean. Minimal charges. That’s real cash from real funds.
This five-minute check saves you months of wasted time with scammers who’ll drop their offer or vanish completely.
There is no easier way to sell a house today.
Be honest with yourself about your situation.
Neither choice is wrong. Depends entirely on your circumstances and priorities. We’re honest about that.
Yes. When it comes with transparency, speed, and certainty.
70% of realistic market value is fair for company cash buyers because we have legitimate costs that eat 15% immediately. Stamp duty 5%. Legal fees 2%. Holding costs 3%. Resale costs 5%. That’s 15% gone before we even consider profit or risk.
Our 15% gross profit covers tax, business costs, properties that lose money, and the risk that markets drop whilst we hold inventory.
Fair doesn’t mean generous. Fair means honest and justified.
Unfair is when buyers offer 55% with no cost breakdown. Or offer 75% then renegotiate to 60% after tying you up for 8 weeks. Or add hidden fees that reduce the real payout.
Our 70% is transparent from day one. What we offer is what you get. No renegotiation. Ever.
70% to 85% depending on property condition and your timeline flexibility.
Perfect condition property with vacant possession? Expect closer to 80-85%.
Property needing work, problem tenants, structural issues, unmortgageable? Expect closer to 70-75%.
Inherited property that’s been empty for months? Somewhere in the middle depending on condition.
We offer 70% as standard because we buy anything in any condition. If your property is perfect, you might get better offers elsewhere. That’s fine. We’re honest about our market position.
We’re not the highest offer. We’re the most certain offer with the fastest completion.
Because we have costs mortgage buyers don’t face.
Mortgage buyers pay 5% deposit. Borrow 95%. Move in immediately. Their only cost is their small deposit plus legal fees.
We pay 100% cash upfront. Plus 5% stamp duty. Plus all holding costs whilst property sits empty. Plus all refurbishment costs if needed. Plus resale costs when we eventually sell.
We’re providing speed and certainty. That service has a cost. The discount reflects that cost plus reasonable profit for risk.
Think of it like selling your car to a dealer versus selling privately. Private sale gets you more but takes 3 months of tyre-kickers and time-wasters. Dealer gives you less but pays today. Same principle.
15% to 30% below realistic market value is the acceptable range for legitimate cash buyers.
Our 70% offer represents 30% below realistic value. That 30% breaks down into 15% our costs and 15% our gross profit before tax.
If someone offers 40% to 45% below value (55-60% offers), they’re lowballing unless your property has catastrophic issues.
If someone offers only 5% to 10% below value (90-95% offers), question whether they’re genuine. Either they’re individuals competing with mortgage buyers, or they’re lying and will renegotiate later.
The sweet spot for company cash buyers is 70% to 85%. Within that range, you’re getting a fair deal.
£210,000 cash for a property realistically worth £300,000. That’s 70%.
£240,000 cash for a property realistically worth £300,000. That’s 80%.
Both are realistic depending on property condition and buyer.
Unrealistic is £165,000 for a £300,000 property. That’s 55%. That’s lowballing.
Also unrealistic is £285,000 for a £300,000 property from a company cash buyer. That’s 95%. They either don’t understand their costs or they’re planning to renegotiate before completion.
We offer 70% consistently because we’ve calculated our costs precisely. We know our numbers. We honour our offers.
| Method of sale | Value achieved | Fees | Timeframe | Is sale guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agents | 90–95% | 1–5% | 3–6 months | No – one in three sales collapse |
| Auctioneers | 70–80% | 2% plus | 2–3 months | No – half of properties don’t sell |
| Property Saviour | 70–80% | £0 | 10–28 days | Yes – 99% success rate |
Some are. Many aren’t.
Legitimate cash house buying companies:
Illegitimate operations:
Check our Companies House record. Check our reviews. Check our track record. We’re legitimate because we’re transparent.
Five tests reveal the truth fast.
First: Does the company have a clean Companies House record with minimal charges? Check in 2 minutes.
Second: Will they provide a written offer with no renegotiation clause? Genuine buyers say yes immediately.
Third: Can they provide references from sellers they’ve bought from in the past 6 months? Legitimate buyers have these ready.
Fourth: Do they explain their cost breakdown clearly? We show you exactly where the money goes.
Fifth: Are they members of any property ombudsman scheme or trade body? Membership indicates commitment to standards.
If a buyer fails any of these tests, walk away. They’ll waste your time, renegotiate the offer, or vanish completely.
Here’s exactly where your money goes on a £300,000 property:
| Cost Component | Percentage | Actual Amount | Why It Exists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your payout | 70% | £210,000 | Cash to you immediately, guaranteed |
| Our legal costs | 2% | £6,000 | Solicitors, searches, Land Registry fees |
| Holding costs | 3% | £9,000 | Insurance, council tax, utilities, cleaning whilst empty |
| Stamp duty | 5% | £15,000 | Government tax we must pay upfront |
| Resale costs | 5% | £15,000 | Estate agents, solicitors when we eventually sell |
| Our gross profit | 15% | £45,000 | Before tax, business costs, risk coverage |
That £45,000 gross profit covers corporation tax (19%), office costs, staff salaries, marketing, properties that lose money, market drops whilst we hold stock, and unexpected repair costs.
Net profit after tax and costs? Roughly 8% to 10% on average across all properties. Some make 15%. Some lose 5%. That’s business reality.
This isn’t greed. It’s honest business with transparent numbers.
You tried estate agents. Three months passed. One viewing. Zero offers. You’re paying £400 monthly in bills whilst nothing happens.
We offer more than just our 70% cash offer.
Our assisted method of sale works like this:
We use our skills, expertise, and contacts to help you sell the property properly. We give you a cash advance immediately showing our commitment. We market through our builder and buyer network who actually respond. If we sell the property for more than our cash offer, we keep the difference. You’re guaranteed your sum regardless. We pay all charges.
Real example from last month: Property in Bristol worth £240,000 realistically. We offered £168,000 cash (70%). Owner wanted to try for more after estate agent failed her for 4 months.
We advanced her £22,000 immediately. Marketed properly through our contacts. Sold for £217,000 in 5 weeks. She received her guaranteed £168,000 plus the £22,000 advance. Total: £190,000. Zero risk to her. We handled everything.
Better than watching it rot on Rightmove whilst bills destroy your savings.
Cash offers make particular sense when selling inherited house.
You’ve got probate finally sorted after 8 months. Property needs work. Multiple beneficiaries want their share quickly. None of you live nearby to manage viewings.
Estate agents want 12-week tie-ins and promise nothing. Viewings mean one beneficiary driving 3 hours each weekend. Offers mean conference calls between four siblings who disagree on everything.
Our 70% cash offer gives immediate resolution. We complete in 2 weeks. Money splits between beneficiaries. Everyone moves on.
Selling inherited home through estate agents means 6 more months of one person doing all the work whilst others complain about timing or price. It destroys family relationships over £15,000 differences in final payout.
We’ve handled dozens of inherited property cases. The certainty and speed heal families rather than divide them.
Fair cash offers exist. 70% to 85% from transparent buyers with clean records.
Unfair offers exist. 55% to 65% from scammers with hidden fees and renegotiation clauses.
Estate agents might get you more. Might. After 8 months, £9,000 in costs, infinite stress, and zero certainty.
Property auctions cost £7,500 upfront whether you sell or not. Reserve prices mean you’re getting 80-85% anyway if realistic.
You decide what matters. Maximum price or maximum certainty. Eight months of maybe or 3 weeks of definitely. Chasing every pound or sleeping peacefully.
We’re honest about what we offer. 70% of realistic value. Fast completion. Zero hassle. Total certainty.
We’re not the highest offer. We’re the most reliable offer.
You’ve seen the numbers. 70% with certainty in 3 weeks or 95% maybe in 8 months with no guarantee.
Stop paying bills on a property that isn’t selling. Stop dealing with time-wasters and lowballers. Stop sacrificing months of your life chasing promises.
Request a callback now. Get your offer in 24 hours. Written. Guaranteed. No renegotiation. No hidden fees. No games.
We complete when you choose. Could be 7 days. Could be 6 months. Your decision.
Check our Companies House record. Check our reviews. Check our track record since 2011.
Then decide if certainty matters more than chasing every last pound through estate agents who promise everything and deliver stress.
Request your callback. Get your offer. Choose your completion date. Walk away with guaranteed cash.
Whether you’re facing a tricky sale, navigating probate, or simply looking to sell fast without hassle, you’re in the right place. Our blog is packed with practical advice, expert insights, and real-life tips to help homeowners, landlords, and executors across England, Scotland and Wales make informed decisions — whatever the condition of their property.
