Administering an estate and selling an inherited house is demanding enough without a slow estate agent adding months of uncertainty. Howsold gives executors and beneficiaries a defined process, committed buyers, and zero seller fees — so you can close this chapter and move forward.
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.
According to Todays Wills & Probate, 1 in 10 properties on the UK market is a probate sale. For most executors, selling the deceased's property is the most significant and most stressful element of estate administration.
Traditional estate agents are rarely equipped for the specific requirements of probate property sales. They push for renovation and staging that beneficiaries don't want to fund. They often require vacant possession that takes weeks or months to achieve. And their average sale timeline of 6–9 months keeps the estate open, delays distributions to beneficiaries, and accumulates carrying costs throughout.
An empty inherited property still attracts full council tax (after 6 months in most cases), insurance premiums, utility standing charges, and maintenance costs. On a modest property, a 6-month sale process can easily accumulate £3,000–£5,000 in carrying costs that reduce what beneficiaries ultimately receive.
Howsold is designed to move inherited and probate properties quickly, cleanly, and with zero seller fees — so more of the estate's value reaches the people it should.
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.
We understand the specific constraints of probate sales — including that formal exchange cannot occur until grant of probate is received. We structure our process around your legal timeline, not the other way around.
Howsold charges sellers nothing. On a £250,000 inherited house, zero fees versus a 1.5% agent is an extra £3,750 available for distribution to beneficiaries.
We approach our network of cash buyers and investors immediately on listing. Inherited properties — particularly those in as-is condition — often attract strong investor interest because our buyers see value where traditional agents see problems.
Your auction date is set from the moment we list. All executors, co-owners, and beneficiaries can see a defined completion horizon. No open-ended waiting, no vague 'probably a few months' from an agent.
Every Howsold buyer pays a non-refundable reservation fee before proceeding. This financial commitment near-eliminates the 26% fall-through risk that would otherwise force a painful restart of estate administration.
Our investor buyers buy properties exactly as they are. You don't need to clear contents, repaint, replace carpets, or fix anything before selling. This is one of the most significant practical advantages over every traditional estate agent.
We'll establish whether grant of probate has been received, how many executors are involved, and structure the listing to align with your legal timeline — whether probate is complete or still being processed.
We begin working our buyer network from day one. Executors and beneficiaries receive a clear auction date to communicate across the estate administration. Most inherited properties see pre-auction interest quickly.
The buyer commits via reservation terms. We target exchange and completion within 56 days. Zero Howsold fees. Clean proceeds to the estate for legal distribution to beneficiaries.
Illustrative figures based on stated assumptions — see footnote. Not financial advice.
| Traditional Estate Agent | Quick-Buy Company | HOWSOLD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller fees | £3,750–£6,000 (1.5–2% + VAT) | Often 0% (but price discount) | £0 |
| As-is sale accepted? | Requires clearance and staging usually | Yes | Yes — no renovation needed |
| Works with probate timeline? | Can list but exchange delayed regardless | Sometimes | Yes — auction timed to your probate |
| Buyer commitment | None until exchange of contracts | Yes | Yes — reservation fee paid upfront |
| Timeline from instruction | 6–9 months average to completion | 4–8 weeks (lower price) | Target 56 days from agreed sale |
| Fall-through risk | ~26% nationally | Very low | Near-eliminated by reservation fee |
| Net result (illustrative) | Lower after fees & fall-through risk | Lower after fees & fall-through risk | £0 Howsold fees + competitive market price |
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 £250,000 probate property. Estate agent at 1.5% + VAT. Quick-buy assumed at 15% below market. Not financial or tax advice — take independent advice for your situation.
The Modern Method of Auction (MMA) is a conditional online property auction. It combines competitive bidding with a committed buyer structure, and allows buyers to use mortgage finance — giving sellers both speed and a wider buyer pool.
For probate and inherited properties specifically, MMA offers three distinct advantages. First, the as-is sale environment: our investor buyers don't need show-home presentation — they buy properties in original condition and factor renovation into their offer. Second, the timeline flexibility: the auction date can be structured around when grant of probate is expected. Third, the audit trail: the auction process generates timestamped documentation of how the property was marketed and sold — valuable for executor accountability and, where relevant, demonstrating an arm's-length transaction.
Buyer pays the reservation fee — you pay nothing The buyer pays 4.5% inc VAT (min £6,600) to reserve your property. If they withdraw, they forfeit the fee. This is the financial mechanism that keeps buyers committed.
Auction date aligned with probate timeline We can list the property and generate buyer interest before grant of probate arrives — then time the auction date to align with when you expect to receive it.
Inherited properties bought as-is No skips, no decorators, no staging. Our investors buy inherited properties exactly as they are — furniture, contents, and all. Clearance is optional and can happen after completion if you prefer.
Documented evidence for executor accountability The auction process produces a clear record of how the property was marketed and what price was achieved — useful context that the property was marketed transparently and that a competitive price was sought — though we recommend your solicitor advise on what evidence is needed for estate administration purposes.
You can market the property and agree a sale before probate is granted, but formal exchange of contracts cannot occur until the grant has been received. We can structure the auction date to align with your expected probate timeline — so interested buyers are ready to proceed as soon as the grant arrives.
No. Our investor buyers purchase properties in as-is condition, including with contents in place. You don't need to clear anything before listing. If contents do need clearing for practical reasons, this can happen in parallel with the sale process or even after completion in some cases.
This is very common in estate sales. We work with all parties and can communicate through respective solicitors where preferred. Any offer or auction result is presented to all executors before any decision is taken. All executors should obtain independent legal advice on their duties and responsibilities.
CGT may apply on any increase in value between the probate valuation (at date of death) and the eventual sale price. Inheritance Tax is typically settled before probate is granted, paid from the estate itself. We are not tax advisers and cannot advise on your specific tax position — please take independent professional tax advice.
This is one of the most common situations we encounter with inherited properties. Our investor and developer buyers specifically look for properties requiring renovation. You may be genuinely surprised by the competitive interest — buyers who see value where traditional agents see difficulty.
We target exchange and completion within approximately 56 days of a buyer committing. This is significantly faster than the 6–9 month average for traditional estate agent probate sales, and dramatically reduces the carrying costs accumulated during the sale period.
Not for the Howsold process itself. However, a formal RICS valuation at the date of death is typically required for Inheritance Tax and CGT reporting purposes — this is completely separate from our indicative market estimate. We recommend confirming this with your solicitor or tax adviser, and obtaining an independent RICS valuation if required.
Properties occupied by a family member under a licence or informal arrangement can be sold, but the occupier's status will affect buyer interest and the sale structure. Please mention this when you contact us and we'll advise on your options.
Yes. We work with probate solicitors regularly. We can provide all necessary documentation, marketing evidence, and auction results directly to the estate's solicitors for inclusion in the estate accounts.
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.