Good question. People have diverse reasons for selling their homes. Not all sellers require a fast house sale, but for some the thought of waiting 3-12 months in anunhappy situation is simply too long. If your property is struggling to sell on the open market or you just want a quick no-fuss house sale and are prepared to pay a bit less than the over-inflated valuations of estate agents then you should consider using a company that specialises in buying properties for cash.

Most house buyers have the luxury of lots of time to pick and choose exactly which property they want to buy, particularly true in the current economic climate when house prices are falling and house buyers are keen to pay the lowest possible price. This is fine if you don’t need to sell your home fast and can just wait until the next link in the chain is able to move or prices stabilize. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. The chain may collapse and you lose the house you are trying to buy; leaving you stranded for another 3-12 months. So, if you need to sell your house fast there are companies who can help.How does it work? Easy, most sites buying properties for cash have an online quick quote or application form - you just fill in your details to get things underway. They then research your specific area and contact you with an offer (subject to survey) based on a range of factors. If this is roughly in the range you require then an independent surveyor will come and value your property. As long as there are no major issues affecting the valuation the whole process can be completed in 3-5 weeks.The normal estate agent route can take between 3-12 months to sell, depending on the buoyancy of the market in your area. To ensure that you sign with them, rather than Joe Bloggs down the road, estate agents will often over-inflate their estimate of how much your property will sell for and then get you to drop your price after a couple of months with no offers.

This might not be the right solution for your situation but it is worth considering all your options if you need to sell your home fast.