If you’re thinking about selling your home fast, you may be tempted to use one of the companies offering a quick, no hassle sale. One of these is We Buy Any House, which offers a promise of quick sales. But at what cost?
Here, we examine We Buy Any House to see how much it offers below market value and the pros and cons of using such a company. We’ll also compare how it stacks up against their competitor, Property Rescue. Read on to get the lowdown and more.
What does We Buy Any House offer?
We Buy Any House buys properties quickly, often within days. It’ll purchase homes in any condition, so you don’t need to worry about repairs or finding an estate agent. It’s a tempting offer for anyone who needs to sell their home fast without going through the traditional route, which typically takes at least three months to sell a property.
How much do We Buy Any House offer below market value?
We BuyAnyHouse.co.uk claim that they could offer as much as 15% below the property’s market value. However, this is likely the absolute best case scenario for the seller. On the other side of the scale, there’s no information on their official website about the maximum price reduction they might ask for.
Typically, we buy any house companies in the UK will offer 15%-30% below the market value. The actual amount offered depends on the feedback from the surveys, the type of property you have, and the speed you choose to sell.
The price that they appear to offer seems fair, and inline with what we at Property Rescue would also offer. However there’s more to selling a property than just the price, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
Pros of selling to a We Buy Any House company
We Buy Any House certainly has its benefits, and can be a good option if you’re looking for a variety of factors, including speed, no legal fees and no repairs.
Speed
Most house-buying companies like We Buy Any House offer speed and convenience. They’ll generally work to a timeline that suits you and can purchase a property in as little as 1 week If time is of the essence, a property-buying company could provide the ideal solutions
Certainty
Selling on the traditional market comes with a whole host of concerns and uncertainties. It’s not uncommon for sales to fall through at the last minute, potentially leaving months of work in tatters and sellers without any real plan. That’s not the case with property-buying companies—the sale is guaranteed once you accept their offer. You don’t need to worry about the seller backing out at the last minute, as they’ll buy your home regardless of its condition.
Fees
If you were to sell your home on the traditional market, you’re looking at paying estate agent fees between 1% and 3%. With a property-selling company like We Buy Any House, there are no fees. Even better, these companies tend to cover legal fees and the like. That means you won’t pay a thing upfront to sell your home.
Repairs
Remember that bit about We Buy Any House buying your property regardless of its condition? Well, it’s true and gives you a major advantage if your home needs some serious work. There’s no need to give it a lick or paint or worse, renovate and upgrade certain rooms. Yes, the offer will be reflective of the property’s condition, but not having to make any changes is a time saver if you need to sell quickly.
Cons of selling to We Buy Any House
While their pros look appealing, it’s not all sunshine and roses. As with anything, there are pros and cons—two sides to the story. When selling to We Buy Any House, consider the following first:
No independent valuation
We Buy Any House controls the property valuation process which could potentially skew the final offer in their favour. It might be worth you having an independent valuation done so you can gauge and compare with what the house buying company says its worth.
Pressure to decide
If you want to sell your home quickly, make sure you actually want to sell your home quickly. The process is quick, meaning there may not be a lot of time to think things over once the ball starts rolling.
No governance
We Buy Any House isn’t governed by independent bodies such as NAPB, The Property Ombudsman or ICO. That means you won’t have certain avenues to follow if something goes wrong, or if you’re dissatisfied with the service.
Company age
We Buy Any House is owned by LXB Equity Limited. Which according to Gov.uk has only been trading since 20 May 2024. While its seems the service has been operational before 2024, it now has a different registered owner.
How Property Rescue compares
Like We Buy Any House, Property Rescue offers a fast-purchase service for homes. There are, however, some key differences between the two.
For starters, we offer a fair valuation of the home and use independent chartered RICS surveyors for more transparent valuations. We also have better ratings (4.8) on Trustpilot, compared to We Buy Any House (4.4) at time of writing this post. This means that more people are satisfied with our service, compared to We Buy Any House.
When it comes to regulatory compliance, we also stand out. Property Rescue is a member of the National Association of Property Buyers and The Property Ombudsman, which means we adhere to strict industry standards and codes of practice, while We Buy Any House doesn’t seem to have the same associations. Interpret that as you will.
LXB Equity Limited, the owner of We Buy Any House, has been trading since 2024, while Property Rescue Ltd. has been trading since 2005.
Property Rescue’s timelines are also flexible. We can complete in as little as 48 hours, which is much faster than most, if not all, of our competitors. While that’s our fastests possible timeline, it’s you the seller who sets the pace. No matter how quickly you want a sale, selling a home is a big decision. We understand that.
Why choose Property Rescue?
So you think a property-buying company is the right move, but you’re still on the fence. That begs the question, why choose Property Rescue? We like to be transparent, taking a clear and honest approach to pricing and offers with no hidden costs. You should have all the information needed to make the right decision.
We’re flexible. Our terms are probably more flexible than most others, and we’re happy to wait so sellers get the deal that best suits their needs.
Reputation counts, and Property Rescue has a long track record of customer satisfaction and positive reviews and video testimonials. Plus, we’ve been in the fast property buying market since 2005 making us one of the longest established firms in the country. We stand out as the more reliable choice compared to others. As well as excellent reviews, we belong to the necessary governing bodies. Without the right governance, it can be a bit like the Wild West in the sector.
Making the right choice
Selling your home is a big decision. When you’re looking at fast-sale companies, it’s important to think about what matters most to you. How quickly do you need to sell? What’s your financial situation? How happy do you want to be with the outcome?
If you need to sell in a matter of days Property Rescue is the top choice because we can offer the fastest buying speeds, with exceptional flexibility to ensure you get the sale you want.
In addition, we rely on independent valuations to determine pricing, and we have a very long track record of happy customers.
Get in touch with Property Rescue today. We’ll give you a free, no-obligation offer for your property.