How much does it cost to sell a house?

We are often asked how much does it cost to selll a house? The truth is selling a house can be an expensive process, with a number of things to consider. With a host of fees and charges to think about, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t despair.

In our comprehensive guide, we delve into the typical costs when selling a house in the UK. We explore major expenses like estate agent’s and solicitor fees for selling a house. We also look at the less obvious items such as the legal requirement for an energy performance certificate, storage, and removals. Finally, we look at how best to prepare your property for viewings whilst keeping your costs down. Join us as we answer the question – how much does it cost to sell a house in 2024?

1. 1. How much will it cost to sell my house?
      1.1 The basic costs associated with a house sale
      1.2 How much does it cost to sell an average house?
   2. Estate Agent’s fees explained
      2.1 What do estate agents do?
      2.2 How much should I pay an estate agent?
      2.3 How to find a good estate agent
      2.4 Online vs High Street estate agent?
      2.5 Estate agent alternatives
   3. Conveyancing costs for selling a house
      3.1 Legal fees (Approx. £500 – £1,000)
      3.2 Disbursements (Approx. £200)
      3.3 Conveyancer or solicitor?
   4. Getting an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) or Home Report (Scotland)
      4.1 What is an (EPC)?
      4.2 Why do you need an EPC?
      4.3 How to obtain an EPC or Home Report
   5. Removal fees and storage costs
      5.1 Removal Fees (£120 – £4000)
      5.2 Storage Costs (from £25 a week)
      5.3 House clearance help?
   6. Other costs when preparing to sell
      6.1 Repairs (£100’s to £1000’s)
      6.2 Cleaning (Approx. £200 depending on how big your house is)
      6.3 Staging (£100’s to £1000’s)
   7. Does selling a mortgaged house cost more?
   8. Capital Gains Tax considerations

1. How much will it cost to sell a house?

Selling house costs can prove expensive and there are many things to consider. In this chapter, we look at the standard costs associated with selling a property in the UK as well as the average cost of selling a house.

1.1 The basic house selling costs

There are several costs that are typically associated with selling a house in the UK. These costs can vary depending on various factors such as the sale price of the property, its location, size, and whether it is mortgaged.

Here we summarise the typical fees and costs for selling a house:

The most expensive cost when selling a house is likely to be the estate agent’s fees, followed by your conveyancers’ fees, and finally your moving fees.

Many house sales have further costs associated with selling. These include things like additional marketing requirements, mortgages, leasehold property, and capital gains tax.

However, the four charges in the above table will apply to almost every property transaction.

1.2 What is the average cost to sell a house?

To determine the cost of selling an “average” house, we first need to define what “average” means. According to the House Price Index in December 2022, the average sale price of a house in the UK was £294,000. For the purpose of this calculation, we will use this figure and assume that the property is an unmortgaged freehold home.

According to research, the average estate agent’s fee is 1.42% of a property’s sale price. Therefore, the estate agent’s fee for our average property would be approximately £4,174.80 (£294,000 x 1.42%).

For legal representation, you could then hire a reputable online conveyancer for approximately £730, which would include all associated costs. While opinions on online conveyancing firms vary, higher-end online companies tend to be both efficient and effective and are suitable for most house sales.

Moving on to actual moving costs. Assuming a house has three bedrooms, data from Reallymoving.com suggests that a removal company would cost, on average, £796.

Lastly, it is mandatory to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which can be created by a registered domestic energy assessor. HM Government offers a service to find registered assessors online. You can generally find many local providers who will charge between £45 – £50 to create an EPC for a three-bed property.

Add all these costs together, and you will find the average cost to sell a house today is £5,750.

2. Estate Agent’s fees explained

As you come to market your property, you will normally list it with one or more estate agents in order to find the best possible buyer.

Paying your estate agent is typically one of the biggest fees to sell a house, partially because they typically charge based upon a percentage value of your sale price.

Lots of different estate agents are available. However, they may charge very differently and offer very different levels of service.

2.1 What do estate agents do?

Your estate agent should provide you with a number of important services.

Firstly, they will help you arrive at an open market value of your house. This is very important, as homeowners have a tendency to overvalue their own homes. It’s human nature. Knowing the fair market price of your property is crucial because it impacts your marketing strategy. By listing your house at too high a price you can ensure little interest. By listing it at too low a price you can miss out on potential profits.

Secondly, estate agents will market your house to try and find potential buyers. At a bare minimum, this will involve creating listings market leading websites such Zoopla.co.uk and Rightmove.co.uk. But some agents will include the utilisation of print advertisements, extensive social media campaigns, targeted emails, in-shop advertising and more.

Thirdly, they will help you with negotiations as potential buyers make offers. A good estate agent can often get more than the listing price for a property, while a poor estate agent will typically be haggled down.

Lastly, estate agents should be able to provide guidance on the legal aspects of selling. However, caution should be taken when following their conveyancing recommendations as they may have referral contracts in place enabling them to earn a commission for doing very little.

2.2 How much should I pay an estate agent?

As we stated previously, the average UK estate agent fee is 1.42% of a property’s value. However, prices can vary from as low as 0.75% to as high as 3.6%, depending on the agent and the terms of the agreement.

It seems an obvious place to save money, right? Wrong! Going for a bargain basement estate agent often leads to a very simple service only such as just listing a property on Rightmove and Zoopla and forgetting about it. While not all cheap agents are this bad, you are often better off hiring a mid-priced estate agent for a whole raft of reasons including:

1. In most cases, higher agents’ fees generally lead to a higher sales value as the agent has greater motivation to achieve this.
2. More expensive estate agents are likely to include more services in their basic rate, without charging extra for essential items.
3. If an agency is willing to leave some of its own money on the table, it may indicate that they are also willing to leave yours.

What do estate agents charge extra for?

The services included in an estate agency’s quotation can vary significantly. At the worst end of the scale, some agents charge separate fees for floor plans, decent photographs, accompanied viewings, negotiation, and even the For Sale sign. Even towards the higher end, there are several services that you may need to pay extra for.

• A multi-agency sale contract (approx. +1.5%): When you agree to an estate agent selling your house you will sign a contract agreeing to the terms of the deal. These contracts come in two forms – ‘sole agency’ and ‘multi-agency’. A sole agency contract means that the estate agent has exclusive rights to market your property, while a multi-agency contract allows you to instruct multiple agents at once. Multi-agency contracts can be created on both a shared payment and a winner-takes-all basis. We recommend using a winner-takes-all approach as it can seriously motivate your estate agent. Estate agents understand the desirability of a multiple-agency contract and will typically charge a substantial amount more for it with the average multi-agency quote being 3% of the sale price.
• A Premium or Featured Listing (approx. £125): Estate agents often charge extra for premium listings on Zoopla and Rightmove. A featured listing takes your property to the top of the page, ensuring it is the first one visible to all potential customers. Although this generates more traffic, the quality of customers tends to be low, and whether it helps generate more potential buyers is uncertain. However, if offered for free, it is worth taking. A premium listing simply highlights your property on the webpage and is generally considered fairly worthless by experts.
• An Enhanced Marketing Package (£250+): An enhanced marketing package is just that It is a series of techniques used to increase a property’s appeal. Marketing buzzwords such as ultimate, platinum, or VIP are sometimes used to describe this package, which typically includes high-end photography, including 3D models, twilight photos, and drone shots, as well as fluff pieces in newspapers and magazines. Paying for an enhanced marketing package may be a good idea if you are selling a higher value property, but it is rarely worthwhile for regular property.

Remember to haggle with your estate agent!

It is important to negotiate with your preferred estate agent. Strangely, the reason you want to do this is not really to get a better price, but rather to test how skilled a negotiator the agent is.

Given they will be handling the negotiations surrounding your property transaction, if they immediately start dropping their fee how well do you think they will do when negotiating a good price for your property?

A good estate agent should be able to justify their fee and may take or offer you a creative deal based on performance incentives. These can involve a bonus for selling the property within a certain timeframe or for above a certain price point.

2.3 How to find a good estate agent

Strangely, the secret to success here is to ignore the price an agent is trying to charge you to sell but instead look to the other statistics. After all, the actual cost of selling a house is only one of many considerations.

You are not looking for the best estate agent in the world, you are looking for the best estate agent for your property.  Use comparison websites such as Getagent.co.uk, Allagents.co.uk, and Netagent.com as well as Google and Trustpilot to find reviews, and look at what kind of properties local agents have sold recently.

Ideally, you should look for an agent who has sold lots of property that is similar to yours. The clients of an agent who specialises in large country houses are not going to be interested in your three-bed semi, and vice versa.

In addition to online resources, be sure to explore other options. Some of the best estate agents may not be listed on comparison sites. Take the time to research and speak with multiple agents before making a final decision.

2.4 Online vs High Street estate agents

Online estate agencies, like the heavily advertised Purple Bricks and Yopa, theoretically offer far lower prices than brick-and-mortar high street agencies. As a result, selling a house costs less typically by employing an online agent.

However, do not be fooled. Online agents typically charge on an upfront payment basis. This means that you will need to pay them even if they do not sell your house. Given recent evidence has shown these online firms successfully sell less than half the time, this is rarely a risk worth taking.

Most high street estate agencies offer their services on a no-sale no-fee basis. You should choose an estate agent who operates like this. This is not only to save you money if they fail but also to help to incentivise the estate agency to succeed.

While in recent years online agents have started offering no-sale no-fee contracts, high street agents services still tend to be more complete in helping the seller. For example they can really help in the event that you need to repair your house chain. Here their experience can prove invaluable.

You should only consider an online only upfront payment service when you have an immaculately put-together property in an extremely desirable area, and even then, they do not come highly recommended.

2.5 Estate agent alternatives

There are three broad alternatives to using an estate agent and each has its upsides and downsides.

• DIY: Theoretically, going DIY can involve launching a massive self-directed advertising campaign about your property, pinning flyers on every telegraph pole within a hundred miles. Realistically, however, if you want to take that approach, you are simply better off hiring an estate agent. They have much more experience in the area and know how to market properties efficiently and effectively. The only reason to really go DIY is if you already have a perfect buyer lined up as this will help dramtically reduce your home selling costs. Perhaps you are selling to a friend or family member? If this is the case, you can simply hire a conveyancer, and carry out the estate agent’s limited role yourself, for free.
• Auction Houses: Auction houses often charge higher fees than estate agents to list properties at live auctions, often 2.5%, but are guaranteed to generate at least a certain amount of interest, especially if a property has a bit of development potential. Be careful when picking your reserve price, as if it is too low or high respectively, it can cause your property to either sell for less than you want to get for it or not attract enough interest to sell. In addition, for properties which have little development potential auction houses can be ineffective at getting a good price.Online auctions, using the modern method of auction can also be effective. In these auctions, a wider pool of buyers is available, and the buyer is responsible for paying for the auction fees.
• Cash House Buyer: Another option available to people looking to sell is cash house buying firms. Companies like this will make an offer on pretty much any house in the UK, but it will be substantially lower than what it is worth on the open market, often by as much as 20%. None-the-less, when you consider the savings due to opportunity cost, estate agency fees, and no haggling, this method can be very viable for some sellers.

3. Conveyancing costs for selling a house

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer. It’s an essential part of selling a house and involves various costs, including legal fees, searches, and other related expenses.

While a poor conveyancer can cause you serious problems, when selling you typically do not need to hire a top-flight conveyancing solicitor. Their job is simpler, and less risky than when you are buying property, as in the UK property sales work on a buyer-beware basis.

Legal costs to sell a house are typically split into two subtypes, legal fees, and disbursements.

3.1 Legal Fees (Approx. £500 – £1,000)

Conveyancing legal fees are the fees charged by a conveyancer for their services. These fees cover the cost of the conveyancer’s time and expertise in handling the legal aspects of a property transaction, including reviewing, and preparing contracts, conducting searches, and managing the exchange of funds.

The costs associated with these legal fees can vary widely depending on the conveyancer in question and your needs and requirements. For example, if you are selling a property with a mortgage, that necessitates additional work and an additional fee.

How much are solicitors fees to sell a house?

Traditional conveyancing solicitors can be more expensive. Here, legal fees for selling a house can be as high as £1,500 or more, depending on the value of the property. However, there are now many online conveyancers that offer fixed-price services at a much lower cost, with a good product available from as little as £500.

When choosing a conveyancer, it’s important to do your research and compare quotes from different providers to ensure that you are getting the best deal. Be sure to check what is included in the fee and whether there are any additional costs that you may incur.

3.2 Disbursements (Approx. £200)

Disbursements are payments made by your conveyancer on your behalf to an outside agency. When selling a property, these tend to have a fixed cost and include telegraphic transfer fees (£20 – £50 each), official copies of the title register and plan (£3 each), ID checks (£6 – £20), and indemnity insurance.

It’s important to note that some disbursements are specific to leasehold properties. For example, if you’re selling a leasehold property, you’ll typically have to pay the freeholder for a copy of the leasehold information pack, which can often be as much as £300.

Your conveyancer will usually pay for this document and add it to your bill as a disbursement. In addition to this disbursement, your conveyancer will normally charge you a supplemental fee for the extra work dealing with the leasehold paperwork, which can often be as much as £200.

3.3 Conveyancer or solicitor?

It is also worth considering the level of service you require. Licensed conveyancers offer a basic service, while conveyancing solicitors’ offer a more comprehensive service, and are better for more complex cases.

Generally, if your property transaction touches on another area of the law, you should hire a conveyancing solicitor, while if it is a simple transaction a licensed conveyancer will do you better.

For a property sale, house sellers fees for conveyancing work coming in at around £500 – £750 should be a good choice.

4. Getting an Energy Performance Certificate/Home Report

Selling a property in England and Wales requires a valid energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

If you are selling a property in Scotland, you instead require a more comprehensive document called a home report. A home report contains three parts: an EPC, a Property Questionnaire, and a Single Survey. The Property Questionnaire provides information about the property’s condition, while the Single Survey assesses the property’s value and condition.

4.1 What is an EPC?

An EPC is a document that assesses the energy efficiency of a property on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.

The certificate provides recommendations for improvements that could make the property more energy-efficient and reduce energy bills.

By encouraging energy-efficient choices, the government aims to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.

4.2 Why do you need an EPC?

EPCs in England and Wales are a legal requirement when selling a property. If you sell a house without one you can suffer a fine of as much as £5000.

They provide potential buyers with important information about the property’s energy efficiency and condition.

Similar to EPCs, Home Reports are a legal requirement when selling a property in Scotland. They provide potential buyers with important information about the property’s energy efficiency, as well as its value and overall condition.

4.3 How to obtain an EPC or a Home Report?

To obtain an EPC, you’ll need to contact an accredited energy assessor. The cost of an EPC varies depending on the property’s size and location but typically ranges from £40 to £120. You can find a registered energy assessor in your area by visiting the UK Government website.

To obtain a Home Report in Scotland, you’ll need to hire a chartered surveyor who is registered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The cost of a Home Report can range from £300 to £1,500 depending on the property’s size and location.

By obtaining an EPC or Home Report, you’ll not only fulfil a legal requirement but also provide potential buyers with important information about the property and help combat climate change.

5. Removal fees and storage costs

A couple of additional costs when selling a house are your removal fees and storage costs.

These expenses cover the cost of transporting your belongings from your old property to your new one and storing them if needed.

5.1 Removal Fees (£120 – £4,000)

When selling a house, it’s important to factor in the cost of removal fees. These fees cover the cost of transporting your belongings from your old property to your new one. The cost of removal fees can vary depending on several factors, including the distance between your old and new property, the volume of belongings to be moved, and the level of service required.

There are different types of removal services available to suit different budgets and needs. A full-service removal company will pack, transport, and unpack your belongings, while a self-pack service allows you to pack your own items, with the removal company providing transport only. A man-and-van service is a more affordable option, but you will need to do most of the heavy lifting yourself.

The cost of removal fees can vary widely depending on the level of service required and the distance between properties. A full-service removal company can cost anywhere from £500 to £4,000, while a self-pack service can be as little as £200. Man-and-van services typically start at around £30 per hour, but this cost can increase depending on the volume of items to be moved. Alternatively, folks with a driving license can hire a van for as little as £70, plus diesel.

Before choosing a removal company, it is important to get quotes from several providers and compare the level of service offered. Be sure to read reviews from previous customers to ensure you choose a reliable company.

5.2 Storage Costs (from £25 a week)

If you are downsizing, moving away, or moving in with family, you may need to store your belongings temporarily. There are different types of storage services available, including self-storage units and full-service storage companies. Self-storage units are a more affordable option and allow you to access your belongings whenever you need them. Full-service storage companies provide a higher level of service, including packing, transport, and storage.

The cost of storage fees can vary depending on several factors, including the duration of storage, the volume of items to be stored, and the level of service required. Self-storage units can start at around £25 per week, while full-service storage can cost anywhere from £50 to £250 per week.

5.3 House Clearance help?

Something you may want to think about is paying a company to help you clear out larger bulky items that you no longer need. This can prove a quick way to help alleviate some stress at the time of moving or for dealing with bad tenants for example.

6. Other costs when preparing to sell

When marketing a house, it is important to remember that estate agent’s fees are not the only house selling costs to consider. In addition to the fee charged by the estate agent for their services, there are also a number of other house selling fees that can quickly add up.

6.1 Repairs (£100’s to £1000’s)

While repairs may not seem like a marketing cost, making sure your house has no obvious faults increases its perceived value dramatically.

Buyers are often willing to pay a premium for a property that is in good condition and requires little to no immediate repairs or renovations. On the other hand, a property with obvious faults such as cracked windows, a dodgy heating system, or missing roof tiles is likely to deter potential buyers or lead them to offer a lower price.

Additionally, serious issues are likely to be discovered in a pre-exchange survey, which can lead to renegotiations or even the collapse of the sale. By addressing any necessary repairs before putting your house on the market, you can increase its appeal and often command a higher sale price.

Obviously, the amount various repairs will cost varies. It can often be worth talking to an estate agent about which repairs are worth carrying out

6.2 Cleaning (Approx. £200 depending on how big your house is)

Having your house professionally cleaned before selling can be a smart move. Deep cleaning can showcase your home’s best features. For instance, a spotless kitchen can make potential buyers more interested in the space and see its potential, while a clean and fresh bathroom can make buyers feel comfortable and at ease.

Additionally, a professional cleaning service can improve the quality of listing photos. Clean and uncluttered spaces make for better photos, which can attract more potential buyers online and encourage them to schedule a viewing.

With the average cost typically only being a couple of hundred pounds, depending on how large your house is, investing in professional cleaning is a small cost compared to the potential return on investment it can bring in terms of a higher selling price and a faster sale.

6.3 Staging (£100’s to £1000’s)

Another marketing cost to consider is staging. Staging involves setting up your property to make it look more attractive to potential buyers.

This might include adding new furniture or accessories, rearranging existing furniture, or even painting rooms in neutral colours.

The cost of staging can vary widely depending on the extent of the work involved, but with professional stagers charging anywhere between £20 and £75 an hour, it is not uncommon for sellers, especially those with higher-end properties in generally good condition, to spend hundreds to thousands of pounds on this service.

7. Does selling a house with a mortgage cost more?

Yes.

When selling a mortgaged house, there are additional costs that need to be taken into consideration.

Firstly, lenders charge a fee to redeem the mortgage. This is usually a fixed administrative charge of between £50 and £300

Lenders may also charge for early repayment of the mortgage. The early repayment charge (ERC) is typically between 1% and 5% of the total loan outstanding. The ERC will only be charged if as a homeowner, when selling your property, you are still within the early repayment period. ERC’s typically reduce in the level of percentage charged as time goes by until at some point they are no longer charged. ERC’s usually last for up to a maximum of 5 years from the date the mortgage was first taken out.

As an example, let’s say that an average house has a £100,000 mortgage against it. If the lender charges a 4% early redemption charge and a £50 exit fee, the total amount the seller will have to pay would be £4,050. This would almost double the cost of selling, compared to if they owned the property outright or waited longer until the ERC may fall to a lower rate of say 1 or 2% a few years later.

In addition to these charges, conveyancers will often charge additional fees when dealing with a mortgage. This is because they have to complete more work themselves, such as communicating with the lender and settling the mortgage at completion.

One way to potentially reduce some costs is by ‘porting’ the mortgage. Porting allows a seller to move their existing mortgage from one property to another. While lenders will charge for this, porting is often a lot cheaper and quicker than having to apply for a new mortgage product.

However, If your financial situation has changed, porting a mortgage may be difficult because lenders will take your current income and earnings into account.

8. Capital Gains Tax considerations

In simple terms, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a tax charged on the profit made when you dispose of a property that is not your principal home.

If you are selling a property in the UK, it’s important to consider the potential CGT implications. This is especially the case for landlords and second homeowners.

This is because generally CGT is not charged when selling your primary residence, as you can claim Private Residence Relief (PRR), but when selling other property it will be charged at 18 or 28% dependent on if you are a basic or higher rate taxpayer.

Note that if your main residence is exceptionally expansive, has very large grounds, or is partially used as a business, you could find yourself paying capital gains tax on a portion of its value when you sell it.

In Summary

Selling a house can be a daunting and expensive process, but by understanding the various costs involved, you can prepare and budget accordingly. From estate agents’ fees to conveyancing costs, and removal fees, there are many home selling costs to consider.

In this blog, we have outlined the basic costs of selling a house, as well as more specific expenses like marketing costs, conveyancing fees, and removal and storage fees.

Remember to factor in these expenses when considering how much it will cost you to sell your house, and to seek professional advice if you are unsure about any of the fees involved.

Frequently asked questions

Here we list the most common questions we are asked. Simply click on a question for the answer.