Relocation has a fixed deadline — a job start, a school term, a new lease beginning. Traditional estate agents operate on their own timeline, not yours. Howsold gives you A target completion date you can plan your entire move around.
Indicative estimate only · No obligation · No commitment
Enter your postcode — indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.
The average UK property sale takes over 20 weeks from listing to completion. For most relocating sellers, that timeline is simply incompatible with their plans. A new employer expecting you to start in 10 weeks. A school intake in September. A rental agreement beginning on the 1st of the month.
Traditional estate agents have no mechanism to reliably compress this timeline. They list your property, wait for offers, negotiate, and then wait for the conveyancing process — which averages 12–16 weeks post-offer. If the buyer pulls out — and 26% do — the process starts again from scratch.
The financial cost of carrying two sets of property expenses during an extended sale is significant. Mortgage repayments, council tax, insurance, and maintenance on your old property while you're already paying rent or a mortgage in your new location can amount to £1,500–£3,000+ per month, depending on property size and mortgage balance.
Howsold solves this with a fixed auction date set from the moment you list — a target completion window you can give to your employer, your removal company, and your new landlord. Combined with a committed buyer via reservation fee, and a process you can manage entirely remotely, Howsold is built for exactly this situation.
Howsold uses the Modern Method of Auction to deliver competitive buyers, a committed sale, and zero seller fees — with a target 56-day completion window you can actually plan around.
Member of the Property Redress Scheme
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. Not a traditional estate agent. A genuinely better model — built for sellers who need speed, certainty, and fair value.
Your auction date is set from day one. We target exchange and completion within 56 days of a buyer committing. That is a target date to give to your new employer, your removal company, and your accommodation in the new location.
The reservation fee means your buyer is financially committed before solicitors are even instructed. The 26% fall-through risk that would otherwise blow up your relocation plans is near-eliminated from the moment a buyer commits.
Moving is expensive. At 1.5% plus VAT on a £275,000 property, estate agent commission costs you £4,950. Howsold charges you nothing. That money is available for your removal costs, deposit, or simply the financial cushion of starting somewhere new.
You don't need to be physically present at any point. We handle buyer communications and the auction process. Your solicitor manages legal completion remotely by post and email. You can manage this sale from your new city, your new country, or anywhere.
From the moment you instruct us, we contact our pre-qualified buyer network. Over 70% of our properties sell before the auction date — which means faster certainty, and often completion significantly ahead of the auction deadline.
If you have a specific date you need to complete by, tell us when you instruct us. We'll structure the auction date and marketing timeline to give you the best achievable chance of hitting your target.
Share your hard deadline with us from the start — job date, school term, removal booking. We build the auction date and listing timeline backwards from your target to maximise the probability of completion on time.
Your auction date is fixed and we begin working our buyer network immediately. Over 70% of our properties sell before the auction date, often significantly faster — giving you certainty well ahead of your deadline.
Reservation fee paid — buyer committed. We target exchange and completion within 56 days. Zero Howsold seller fees. Plan your move around a firm target date.
Illustrative figures based on stated assumptions — see footnote. Not financial advice.
| Traditional Estate Agent | HOWSOLD | |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed completion timeline? | No — 20+ week average, open-ended | Yes — target 56 days from committed buyer |
| Buyer committed from day one? | No — can pull out until exchange | Yes — reservation fee paid immediately |
| Manageable entirely remotely? | Difficult — viewings, decisions, chasing | Yes — we manage the entire process |
| Seller fees | £3,000–£5,000+ at 1.5–2% + VAT | £0 |
| Fall-through risk during your relocation? | ~26% — could destroy your plans | Near-eliminated by reservation fee |
| Deadline alignment | Agent's timeline — not yours | Structured around your specific deadline |
| Net result (illustrative) | Lower after fees & fall-through risk | £0 Howsold fees + your deadline met |
Sellers remain responsible for their own legal and conveyancing costs, typically £1,000–£2,500. Howsold fees are £0. Individual results vary. Not financial advice.
Illustrative comparison on a £275,000 property. Estate agent at 1.5% + VAT. Not financial advice. Individual timelines may vary.
The Modern Method of Auction (MMA) is a conditional online property auction combining competitive bidding with a committed buyer structure — where buyers can use mortgage finance and sellers receive a financially committed buyer from day one.
For relocating sellers, the critical advantages are the fixed auction date — a target date built into the process from the moment you list — and the reservation fee, which near-eliminates the fall-through risk that could derail a relocation you've already committed to.
The entire process is compatible with remote management. We handle buyer engagement and the auction. Your UK solicitor handles legal completion — which can be done remotely by post and email from wherever you are in the world. You do not need to be physically present at any stage.
Fixed auction date = a real completion point for your move Give your employer, landlord, and removal company a target completion date. Not a vague estimate, not 'probably by' — a specific target date built into the process.
Reservation fee = your plans don't collapse The buyer's financial commitment near-eliminates the fall-through risk that would otherwise blow up your relocation timetable. A committed buyer completes.
Fully remote process We handle buyer communications and the auction. Your UK solicitor handles legal completion remotely. No physical presence required at any stage — from anywhere in the world.
Over 70% sold before the auction date Most properties sell to our pre-qualified buyer network before the auction deadline. For relocating sellers, this often means completion significantly ahead of your target date.
Tell us your deadline when you instruct us and we'll structure the listing around it. Our target is 56 days from a buyer committing — with pre-auction sales often happening much faster. Note that timelines can be affected by legal and buyer-side factors outside our control.
Yes. We handle buyer communications and the auction throughout. Your UK solicitor manages legal completion remotely by post and email. We do not require your physical presence at any stage.
This is a common situation we handle regularly — sellers who've relocated and are carrying the costs of an unsold property. We can list, market, and manage the sale entirely on your behalf.
If circumstances change before a buyer has paid a reservation fee, you can withdraw the property without cost. Once a buyer has paid a reservation fee, withdrawal has contractual implications — please discuss with your solicitor before making any decision.
Your UK solicitor handles completion on your behalf, typically by post and email. You may need to sign documents remotely or provide a power of attorney. Your solicitor will advise on the specific requirements for your situation.
Yes — your property will be marketed on Rightmove and other major portals as part of the auction process, alongside direct approaches to our pre-qualified buyer network. Maximum exposure with minimal effort required from you.
The buyer pays a reservation fee of 4.5% inc VAT or £6,600 inc VAT, whichever is greater. This is paid by the buyer — not by you — and is the financial commitment that keeps them committed to completing your sale.
We can market and sell a tenanted property to our investor buyer network without requiring vacant possession. Discuss your tenancy situation with us when you get in touch and we'll advise on the best approach for your specific circumstances.
Enter your postcode for an indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices in your area. No obligation, no commitment.
Enter your postcode — indicative estimate based on comparable sold prices.
Indicative estimate only. Based on comparable sold prices and AI analysis — AI can make mistakes. Not a formal valuation or professional appraisal.