If your property has damp, structural issues, outdated electrics, or simply hasn't been maintained — traditional estate agents may struggle to sell it. Most residential buyers need a mortgage, and mortgage lenders often refuse to lend on properties in poor condition. That eliminates most of the buyer pool before you even start. Howsold's auction model brings cash investors and developers directly to your property — buyers who don't need a mortgage and actively want renovation projects.
Indicative estimate only · No obligation · No commitment
Our AI-powered tool analyses live sold prices and local market data to give you an indicative estimate.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.
A property in poor condition faces a specific problem in private treaty: the buyer pool is dramatically smaller. Most residential buyers need a mortgage. Mortgage lenders send a surveyor, and if the surveyor identifies significant issues — damp, structural movement, lack of amenities, non-standard construction, contaminated land — the lender may refuse to lend. The property becomes effectively unmortgageable, and the agent's marketing suddenly has no audience.
Quick-buy companies will make an offer — but at a steep discount, often 20–30% below what an investor buyer would pay, because they're pricing in their own profit margin on top of the renovation cost. You're paying for their convenience twice.
Howsold's auction model solves both problems. Our buyer network includes cash investors and developers who don't need mortgage approval and actively seek properties that need work. Competitive bidding between multiple investors can help achieve a price that reflects the property's genuine value in its current condition — not a single company's discounted offer.
Properties in poor condition will typically sell for less than equivalent properties in good condition. But competitive bidding is designed to help achieve the best price the current market will pay — and with zero seller fees, you keep every penny of it.
Howsold connects properties in any condition with investors and developers who want them. Competitive bidding, a committed buyer from day one, and zero seller fees. No repairs, no viewings with buyers who can't get a mortgage, no wasted months.
Property Redress Scheme member. Individual results vary.
Get a Free Estimate →¹ ~26% of UK private treaty sales fell through in 2025 (Quick Move Now). Auction reservation terms require buyers to commit financially before proceeding. † Based on Howsold sales to date. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Not a quick-buy company offering 70p on the pound. An auction model that brings investors and developers to compete for your property as-is.
Damp, structural issues, fire damage, outdated electrics, no central heating — all accepted. Our investor buyers factor renovation costs into their bids. You don't need to spend a penny before selling.
Our buyer network includes professional developers, portfolio investors, and refurbishment specialists who actively seek properties that need work. Multiple buyers competing is designed to drive the price toward the property's genuine current value.
You pay Howsold nothing. No commission, no listing fee, no hidden costs. When the property is in poor condition and the sale price may be lower, keeping every penny matters even more. The buyer pays the reservation fee.
The winning buyer pays a non-refundable reservation fee (typically 4.5% inc VAT, minimum £6,600). No risk of the sale falling through because a mortgage surveyor flagged an issue. Cash buyers don't need lender approval.
With cash investor buyers, there's no mortgage chain, no lender approval, and no survey delays. We target exchange and completion within 56 days. Individual timelines may vary.
The number one reason properties in poor condition fail to sell through traditional agents is mortgage survey rejection. Cash investor buyers remove this problem entirely. No survey, no lender, no rejection.
Call us on 0151 203 8283 or use our free estimate tool. Describe the property's condition honestly — we'll give you a realistic indicative estimate and tell you whether auction is the right route. No obligation, no sugar-coating.
Your property is listed in its current condition — no repairs, no staging. We contact our pre-qualified investor and developer network the same day. The fixed auction date creates urgency from day one.
Investors compete. The winning buyer pays a reservation fee and is committed from day one. No mortgage survey to fail. We target exchange and completion within 56 days. Zero Howsold seller fees.
Illustrative figures based on stated assumptions. Not financial advice. Individual results will vary.
| Quick-Buy Cash Company | Traditional Estate Agent | HOWSOLD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical offer/sale price | ~£200,000–£212,500 (15–20% below) | ~£250,000 (if it sells) | Competitive bidding result |
| Seller fees | Often £0 (built into discount) | £3,750–£6,000 (1.5–2% + VAT) | £0 |
| Timeline | 4–8 weeks | 20+ weeks average | Target 56 days |
| Buyer committed? | Yes | No — can walk any time | Yes — reservation fee paid |
| Fall-through risk | Very low | ~26% nationally | Reduced by reservation fee |
| Price mechanism | Single company sets price | Single buyer negotiates | Multiple buyers compete |
| Illustrative net proceeds¹ | ~£200,000–£212,500 | ~£244,000 after fees (if it sells) | Market price + £0 fees |
Sellers remain responsible for their own legal/conveyancing costs (typically £1,000–£2,500). Howsold fees are £0. Individual results vary. Not financial advice.
¹ Illustrative only on a £250,000 property. Quick-buy assumed at 15–20% below market. Agent at 1.5% + VAT. Individual results will vary. Not financial advice.
The Modern Method of Auction is a conditional online property auction used across the UK. Unlike traditional 28-day auctions, it allows both cash and mortgage buyers to participate — widening the buyer pool and increasing competition.
Properties in poor condition naturally attract investor and developer buyers — people who make a living from renovation. The Modern Method of Auction brings multiple investors together to compete for your property, rather than relying on a single buyer's discounted offer. Cash buyers don't need mortgage approval, so the survey rejection problem vanishes entirely.
Cash investors bypass the mortgage problem The biggest barrier to selling a problem property — mortgage survey rejection — doesn't apply to cash investors. Our buyer network is dominated by cash-ready purchasers who don't need lender approval.
Competition between investors drives price A single quick-buy company sets its own price. Multiple investors competing through auction bid against each other. Competition squeezes the discount that a single buyer would otherwise take.
Reservation fee prevents fall-throughs The buyer pays 4.5% inc VAT (minimum £6,600) upfront. If they walk away, they forfeit the fee. No risk of the sale collapsing after months of marketing — a problem that is especially damaging for properties that have already been hard to sell.
Sell in any condition, nationally Damp, subsidence, fire damage, structural issues, Japanese knotweed, short lease, non-standard construction — all accepted. Your property is marketed to our national investor network for maximum competition.
Yes. Howsold sells properties in any condition — from minor cosmetic issues to major structural problems. Our buyer network includes investors and developers who actively seek renovation projects. You do not need to carry out any repairs or improvements before selling.
Our competitive bidding process brings multiple buyers together, which can help drive the price toward a fair reflection of the property's current condition and potential. Combined with zero Howsold seller fees, your net proceeds may compare favourably to other routes — though individual results will vary. Properties in poor condition will typically sell for less than equivalent properties in good condition.
Yes. Properties that standard mortgage lenders will not lend on — due to structural issues, lack of amenities, non-standard construction, or other factors — can still be sold through Howsold. Many of our buyers are cash purchasers who do not need mortgage approval. This removes one of the biggest barriers to selling a property in poor condition.
Zero Howsold fees. The buyer pays the reservation fee (4.5% inc VAT or £6,600 minimum), not you. Sellers remain responsible for their own legal and conveyancing costs, typically £1,000–£2,500. Everything is confirmed in writing before you sign anything.
No. Sell the property exactly as it is. Our investor buyers factor the cost of renovation into their bids and many actively prefer to purchase properties that need work — it is their business model. Spending money on repairs before an auction sale is usually unnecessary and may not increase your net proceeds.
If bidding doesn't reach your reserve price and no pre-auction offer suits you, the property doesn't sell and you pay Howsold nothing. We can re-run in the following month's auction with any adjustments discussed beforehand.
Yes. We are members of the Property Redress Scheme. Finance introductions via Melius (FCA-authorised) — a referral fee will apply if a referral is made, and will be disclosed to you. Howsold is a trading name of Latomus Capital Limited (Company No. 15497250), registered in England & Wales.
An honest, indicative estimate. No obligation. No need to repair anything first.
Our AI-powered tool analyses live sold prices and local market data to give you an indicative estimate.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.