The cheapest way to sell a house
The cheapest way to sell a house is privately, with no agent fee, though you still pay a conveyancer and need an EPC. Next cheapest is an online agent’s fixed fee, typically £500 to £1,500. A high street fee averages about 1.3% including VAT. The cheapest fee is not always the best net result, because the price achieved matters more.
This guide compares the options from the lowest headline cost upwards, sets out the other costs of selling and shows how to judge the net result rather than the fee alone.
In this guide: The options compared | Selling privately | Online fixed fee | Negotiated high street fee | No sale, no fee | Other selling costs | Why the cheapest fee is not always best | Questions
The options compared
| Option | Agent fee | When paid | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling privately | None | Not applicable | You do all the marketing, viewings and negotiation, with limited access to the main portals |
| Online agent, fixed fee | Typically £500 to £1,500 | Often upfront, kept if the home does not sell | Less hands-on service; you may conduct viewings |
| Online agent, pay on completion | Usually more than the upfront price | On completion | Costs more than paying upfront |
| High street agent, negotiated percentage | Usually 1% to 1.8%; average about 1.3% including VAT | On completion | Higher fee for a full local service |
| High street agent, multi-agency | Usually 2.5% to 3.6% | On completion | Highest fee; only the agent that sells is paid |
Sources: Rightmove fees guide, read 20 October 2026; Which?, “Estate agent fees and contracts”, updated 8 June 2026.
On a home at the UK average price of £272,611 (HM Land Registry, July 2026), a fee of 1.3% including VAT comes to £3,543.94. A fixed fee of £1,000 would be £2,543.94 less.
Selling privately
You can sell your home without an estate agent. You pay no agent fee but take on all the agent’s work: pricing the home, preparing the particulars and photographs, finding buyers, conducting viewings, negotiating and following the sale through to completion.
The main limitation is reach. Most buyers search on the property portals. The portals take their listings from agents: Rightmove, for example, says it is not an estate agent and directs homeowners to an agent who can advertise there. Without an agent, you rely on other routes, such as a buyer you already know, local advertising or private sale websites.
Selling privately works best when you already have a buyer, for example a neighbour, a relative or a tenant. You still need a conveyancer and, in England and Wales, a valid Energy Performance Certificate before you market the home. In Scotland you must provide a Home Report, which includes a survey and valuation, a property questionnaire and an energy report.
Online estate agent with a fixed fee
Online agents typically charge a fixed fee of £500 to £1,500, whatever the price of your home. They list your home on the portals and handle enquiries centrally. Many expect you to show buyers round yourself and charge extra for accompanied viewings.
The fee is often payable upfront and kept even if your home does not sell. Some online agents offer to take payment on completion, usually at a higher price. Check what the package includes: photographs, a floorplan, a for sale board, the EPC and a premium portal listing are often extras. Our guide to online estate agents explains what to compare.
Negotiated high street percentage
High street agents usually charge a percentage of the sale price, payable when the sale completes. On sole agency the fee is usually 1% to 1.8% and can reach 2.5%; the average paid in 2025 was about 1.3% including VAT.
Fees are negotiable. Ask at least three local agents for a written quote including VAT and use the lowest credible quote to negotiate with the agent you prefer. Agree a sole agency contract rather than multi-agency, which usually costs 2.5% to 3.6%. Avoid sole selling rights.
No sale, no fee
“No sale, no fee” means you pay only if the sale completes. Most high street percentage fees work this way. Some online agents also offer a pay on completion option. It removes the risk of paying for a sale that never happens.
Check the contract for terms that override it. A “ready, willing and able purchaser” clause can make you liable for the fee if the agent finds a buyer and you then withdraw, even though no sale completes. Withdrawal fees, marketing fees and minimum fees can also apply.
How to cut agent and other selling costs
- Compare several agents before you choose, including high street and online agents. Get every quote in writing including VAT.
- Negotiate the percentage. A written quote from a competing agent is the strongest argument.
- Choose sole agency rather than multi-agency. Avoid sole selling rights.
- Keep the tie-in period short, so you can change agent without paying twice.
- Pay only for extras you need. Decide whether you need accompanied viewings, a board or a premium listing.
- Get conveyancing quotes from more than one firm and ask whether the price is fixed.
- Check your mortgage for early repayment charges and exit fees. Time the sale to avoid them if you can.
- Order your own EPC if the agent charges more than an accredited assessor.
Other costs of selling
The agent’s fee is not the only cost. Which? (January 2026, citing Reallymoving) gives these averages:
| Cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Conveyancing | £2,182 on average |
| Energy Performance Certificate | About £65, up to £120 |
| Removals | £709 on average |
| Mortgage early repayment charge or exit fee | Depends on your lender and deal |
An EPC is valid for ten years, so you may already have one. You can check the government’s EPC register before paying for a new one.
Why the cheapest fee is not always the best net result
What matters is the money you keep: the sale price less the agent’s fee and the other costs. A lower fee is worth less than it looks if the agent achieves a lower price or the sale takes longer or falls through.
On a home sold at £272,611, the difference between a 1.3% fee (£3,543.94) and a £1,000 fixed fee is £2,543.94. That is 0.93% of the price. If the higher-fee agent achieves a price more than 0.93% higher, it leaves you better off; if not, the cheaper option wins.
The average lowest traditional agent fee is 0.87% including VAT, which would be £2,371.72 on the same home, £1,172.22 less than the 1.3% average.\*
To judge which is likely in your case, compare agents on their track record as well as their fee: how many homes like yours they have sold nearby, how long the sales took and how close the prices came to the asking prices. See how to choose an estate agent.
\*Based on the average lowest traditional agent fee of 0.87% (including VAT) found by NetAnAgent compared with the Which? average agent fee of 1.3% (including VAT), excluding online agents.
Quick-sale companies and auctions
Quick-sale companies, cash buyers and auctions can sell a home fast, but they are rarely the cheapest route. Quick-sale companies usually buy below market value. Auctions carry their own fees and deadlines. Read every term and get independent advice before agreeing to either.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to sell a house?
Selling privately, because there is no agent fee, but you lose access to the main portals and do all the work. With an agent, an online fixed fee of £500 to £1,500 is usually the cheapest headline cost.
Can I sell my house without an estate agent?
Yes. You can sell privately and pay no agent fee. You still need a conveyancer and an EPC (a Home Report in Scotland). You will also handle marketing, viewings and negotiation yourself.
How much does it cost to sell a house in the UK?
Typical costs are the agent’s fee (about 1.3% including VAT on average; £500 to £1,500 for an online fixed fee), conveyancing at £2,182 on average, an EPC at about £65 and removals at £709 on average, plus any mortgage early repayment charge.
Is a no sale, no fee agent worth it?
It removes the risk of paying for a sale that never completes. Check the contract for a ready, willing and able purchaser clause, withdrawal fees or minimum fees, which can make you pay even without a sale.
Can I negotiate estate agent fees?
Yes. Get written quotes including VAT from at least three agents and use them to negotiate. Agreeing sole agency and a short tie-in period also helps.
The quickest way to see what agents near you would charge is to compare them. Enter your postcode on easyProperty to see local high street and online estate agents’ fees side by side, free and without obligation. To work out the cost on your own home, use our estate agent fees calculator.
