📝 TL;DR
Selling commercial property is a gruelling process, often stretching over a year, plagued by hidden costs and complexities like managing paperwork and dealing with unreliable agents. Skip the hassle by approaching specialist commercial buyers who promise a quicker sale, saving you time and stress.
If you need to sell commercial property fast, months of marketing and uncertainty are usually the last thing you want. Whether you own an office, shop, warehouse or mixed-use building, finding the right commercial property buyers can make a big difference to how straightforward the sale feels.
Property Saviour buys commercial property directly for cash. That can be useful if you want to sell your commercial property quickly, or sell a commercial building without waiting for an estate agent to find a buyer, relying on mortgage finance or taking the property to auction.
As direct buyers of commercial property, we look at most types of building, vacant or tenanted, anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales. That includes:
If the building is let, our guide to selling a tenanted commercial property explains how a sale with the tenant in place works.
A little preparation at the start can save a lot of time later. Before you market the property or accept an offer, it helps to have the main paperwork ready.
If you are still working out the best way to sell, our guide to putting a commercial property up for sale goes into more detail about the process.
For many owners, this is the biggest frustration. A traditional commercial sale can take months from the first listing through to completion.
A typical UK commercial sale through an agent takes around 6 to 12 months, and larger or more complicated properties can take longer. The stages can look like this:
| Stage | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Preparation and documentation | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Marketing and viewings | 4 to 12 weeks |
| Offer negotiation | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Due diligence and legal work | 8 to 16 weeks |
| Exchange and completion | 1 to 2 weeks |
That waiting time matters if the building is empty. Insurance, utilities, maintenance, mortgage costs and business rates can continue while you are trying to find a buyer. If that is a concern, our guide to business rates on empty commercial property may also be useful.
There is no single right way to sell every commercial property. If you have plenty of time and your main priority is achieving the highest possible price, a commercial estate agent may be the better route.
The difficulty is that the process can be unpredictable. Commercial agents may recommend a price reduction after the property has been marketed for a while, buyers can pull out before exchange, and some agency agreements tie sellers in for several months.
Agent fees can also be significant. Commercial estate agent commission is typically around 1% to 3% of the sale price.
Commercial property cash buyers offer a different route. Rather than marketing the building and waiting for someone else to buy it, you deal directly with the company purchasing the property. For sellers who care more about certainty and speed than testing the market for the highest possible price, that can be much simpler.
Auction can be attractive because you have a fixed auction date and the chance of competitive bidding. However, there are costs to consider before you decide.
Auction entry fees are typically £300 to £1,500, with legal pack costs of £500 to £1,000 and commission of 2% to 3.5% if the property sells. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the sale does not complete and you may still have paid some of those costs.
If you are weighing up the two routes, our guide to why properties go to auction explains more about when auction can make sense.
There is no easier way to sell a house today.
David inherited a mixed-use building in Nottingham after his father passed away. The ground floor was a vacant retail unit, with residential flats above it.
He first instructed a commercial estate agent. After 12 weeks without a serious offer, the agent suggested reducing the price by 15%. David decided not to do that and tried auction instead, but the property failed to sell.
By the time he contacted Property Saviour, the failed auction and eight months of holding costs had already cost him more than £9,000. We assessed the property, made a written offer within 48 hours and completed in three weeks. David used his own solicitor and received £1,500 towards his legal fees.
These are sales we have completed for owners whose buildings were difficult to sell any other way.
Before accepting an offer, it is worth checking who you are dealing with. Not every company advertising itself as a cash buyer funds purchases in the same way.
Companies House is a useful place to start. You can check how long a company has been trading and look at the charges registered against it. If you want extra reassurance, ask for written proof of funds before signing anything.
You can also look at previous sales and reviews before making a decision. Property Saviour’s success stories include sellers who have dealt with a range of difficult property situations.
The process is short because there is no marketing period and no lender involved.
| Method of sale | Value achieved | Fees | Timeframe | Is sale guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agents | 90–95% | 1–5% | 3–6 months | No – one in three sales collapse |
| Auctioneers | 70–80% | 2% plus | 2–3 months | No – half of properties don’t sell |
| Property Saviour | 70–80% | £0 | 10–28 days | Yes – 99% success rate |
The amount offered will depend on the property and the selling method. Property Saviour’s pricing approach is based on 70% of a realistic open market valuation.
The 30% difference is broken down as follows:
| Cost Element | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Legal costs | 2% |
| Holding costs, including insurance, council tax, utilities and cleaning | 3% |
| Stamp duty | 5% |
| Resale costs | 5% |
| Gross profit before tax | 15% |
| Total deducted from realistic valuation | 30% |
There are no surprise deductions after the offer is made. The figure agreed at the start is the figure paid on completion day.
If you would rather stay in the building after selling, read our guide to commercial sale and leaseback.
Inherited commercial property can be more complicated than a straightforward sale. Probate, tenants, mixed-use space and other legal issues can all affect when the property can be sold.
David’s example above is one situation where an inherited commercial property became expensive to hold while different selling methods were tried. If you are dealing with something similar, our guide to selling an inherited commercial property covers the subject in more detail.
For some sellers, the open market is the right answer. For others, the time and uncertainty involved simply do not fit their circumstances.
Property Saviour buys directly rather than acting as an estate agent. There is no estate agent commission, you can use your own solicitor, and we put £1,500 towards your legal fees. You can also choose a completion date that suits your situation.
That can be particularly useful if the property has already struggled to sell, is costing money while empty, has tenants in place or forms part of an inheritance.
We make a formal written offer within 48 hours of assessing the property. After that the timescale depends on the legal work, and you choose the completion date. A sale through a commercial agent typically takes around 6 to 12 months.
We buy offices, shops and retail units, warehouses, light industrial units, mixed-use buildings, restaurants and takeaways, garages and other commercial buildings, whether vacant or tenanted.
Yes. We buy commercial property with tenants in place, including buildings where the tenants have no written lease.
Property Saviour offers 70% of a realistic open market valuation. The figure agreed at the start is the figure paid on completion day.
There is no estate agent commission. You use your own solicitor and we put £1,500 towards your legal fees.
Sale and leaseback can be an option if you want to release the capital in the building and carry on trading from it. Our guide to commercial sale and leaseback explains how it works.
If you are thinking about selling an office, shop, warehouse or mixed-use building, you can speak to Property Saviour about your options without any obligation to proceed.
Tell us a little about the property and your circumstances. We can then explain whether a direct cash purchase is suitable and what the next steps would look like.
Call us or complete the online form to request a callback.
Whether you’re facing a tricky sale, navigating probate, or simply looking to sell fast without hassle, you’re in the right place. Our blog is packed with practical advice, expert insights, and real-life tips to help homeowners, landlords, and executors across England, Scotland and Wales make informed decisions — whatever the condition of their property.
