How Does Selling to a Cash Buyer Actually Work, Step by Step?

How long does each stage actually take?

The timeline below reflects a typical SmoothSale transaction where the title is straightforward and both parties are ready to move.

• Enquiry to indicative offer: 24 to 48 hours
• Property visit: Within 5 to 7 days of enquiry
• Written offer confirmed: Same day as visit, or within 24 hours
• Solicitors instructed: Seller’s choice – same week typically
• Conveyancing: 7 to 21 days depending on title complexity
• Exchange and completion: Often on the same day

Total: 7 to 28 days in most cases. Leasehold properties, shared ownership, and properties with title complications can take longer. If your situation has a specific deadline — a court date, a probate timeline, a mortgage arrears position – tell the buyer at the outset so the process can be structured around it.

What should you check before accepting a cash offer?

Before you accept any cash offer, these are the questions worth asking:

Is the buyer NAPB registered? Check napb.co.uk directly. If they are not listed, you have no way of knowing what conduct standards apply to how they operate.

Is the offer in writing? A verbal offer has no standing. An NAPB-registered buyer will always put their offer in writing before asking you to proceed.

Can they provide proof of funds? A genuine direct buyer has the cash available and can provide confirmation from their solicitor that funds are in place. If a buyer is vague about this, they may be a broker or lead generator rather than a direct purchaser.

Are there any fees? There should not be. A reputable buyer covers the seller’s legal costs. If you are being asked to pay anything upfront, for a valuation, an admin fee, or legal costs, walk away.

What is the complaints procedure? Every NAPB member must have one and must make it available. Asking about it before you proceed tells you a great deal about the company.

What happens after completion?

Completion is the point at which the funds transfer and the legal ownership of the property passes to the buyer. On completion day:

Your solicitor receives the purchase funds from the buyer’s solicitor. Any outstanding mortgage is redeemed from those funds. The remaining balance, your net proceeds, is paid to you, usually on the same day. You hand over the keys.

There is no waiting period after completion. Unlike a traditional sale where you might be part of a chain with moving vans coordinating across multiple properties, a cash sale completion is a single transaction. When it completes, it is done.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to sell to a cash buyer?

Most cash sales with a direct buyer complete in 7 to 28 days from the date the offer is accepted. The exact timeline depends on how quickly solicitors can complete the conveyancing, whether any title issues arise, and when you need to vacate the property. A traditional estate agency sale averages 152 days from listing to completion. Selling to a cash buyer removes the chain, the mortgage lender, and most of the waiting, which is where the majority of that time goes in a standard sale.

Do I need a solicitor to sell to a cash buyer?

Yes. Even in a cash sale, you need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal transfer of ownership. The difference is that in a cash sale, you are not waiting for a mortgage lender’s solicitor to complete their own checks — which removes one of the most common sources of delay in a traditional sale. Reputable cash buyers, including SmoothSale, cover the seller’s legal fees as part of the transaction. You should always instruct your own solicitor independently, not use one recommended by the buyer.

Will a cash buyer survey my property?

es. A genuine direct cash buyer will carry out a property survey or internal valuation visit before confirming their final offer. This is how they verify the condition of the property and identify anything that would affect their ability to resell it. Under the NAPB Code of Practice, any reduction to an initial offer must be based on a documented reason, such as a significant defect identified by survey, and explained in writing. An offer that drops with no documented reason, or under time pressure at the last minute, is a warning sign.

What is the difference between a cash buyer and an estate agent?

An estate agent markets your property to find a buyer on the open market. They do not buy it themselves. The buyer they find may be using a mortgage, which introduces a lender, a chain, and significant uncertainty. A direct cash buyer purchases your property themselves, using their own funds, with no chain and no mortgage lender involved. This is why a cash sale can complete in days rather than months. The trade-off is that the offer will be below market value — typically 75 to 85 percent — in exchange for that speed and certainty.

Can a cash buyer pull out after making an offer?

Technically, any party can withdraw from a property sale before exchange of contracts. However, a reputable NAPB-registered cash buyer commits to their offer in writing and will not reduce or withdraw it without a documented reason, such as a significant defect identified by survey. This is one of the key reasons NAPB membership matters: it creates a conduct standard around offer certainty that unregulated buyers are not bound by. Always get your offer in writing and ask the buyer to confirm they are NAPB registered before proceeding.

What fees do I pay when selling to a cash buyer?

With a reputable direct cash buyer, the fees you pay should be zero. SmoothSale covers the seller’s legal fees as part of every transaction. There are no estate agent commissions, no survey fees for the seller, and no hidden deductions from the agreed offer. The offer you receive is the amount you receive at completion. This is in contrast to a traditional sale, where estate agent fees, legal fees, and other holding costs can reduce your net proceeds by £9,000 to £15,000 or more depending on the property value and sale duration.