The most common reason sellers choose a quick-buy operator rather than a traditional agent is the fear of a fall-through.
Internal data from one quick-buy firm says it’s no longer financial hardship, ill health, or the death of a loved one that drives its business.
Instead it’s the fear of a full-through in the current housing market.
House Buyer Bureau analysed the reason cited by sellers when utilising the platform during 2025 – arguably before more recent delays have escalated the fall-through rate.
At 56%, the hope to avoid a fall-through made it by far the most common reason, accounting for almost twice the proportion of sellers compared to the second most common reason – getting rid of an empty property – which accounted for 29% of cases.
Family reasons were cited by 5% of sellers, whilst financial difficulties accounted for just 3%.
A further 3% opted for that kind of disposal to ensure what the firm calls ”a discreet and confidential transaction” whilst emigrating (2%), a deceased estate (1%), and ill health (1%) accounted for the remaining reasons.
Traditionally, quick-buy deals have often been associated with homeowners facing personal or financial crises.
The fall-through problem has been hogging headlines in recent weeks.
A recent Open Property Data Association survey of 5,000 recent home movers reveals that 58% of transactions fell through after the offer stage.
And it claims the average fall‑through costs buyers and sellers an estimated £2,830 in direct costs such as legal fees, surveys, mortgage costs, plus lost time.
And earlier this week Propertymark issued guidance to sellers in a bid to stop the situation getting worse.
It says vendors should be ‘Sale-Ready’ before marketing by gathering documents including Energy Performance Certificate (EPC); Planning permissions and building regulation approvals; FENSA certificates for replacement windows; Boiler and heating documentation; Leasehold information where applicable; and Warranties and guarantees for works carried out.
In response to his firm’s figures, House Buyer Bureau managing director Chris Hodgkinson says: “For many years, there was a perception that people only turned to quick sale companies as a last resort when facing financial hardship, bereavement, or other difficult life events.
“Whilst those circumstances still exist, our data shows that the biggest driver today is something very different. Sellers simply want certainty.
“The reality is that the traditional sales process has become increasingly fragile. Buyer demand remains below where many would like it to be, transactions are taking longer, and the risk of a sale falling through remains far higher than most sellers realise.”
