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Buying a home

Best ways to buy a house in the UK

Mortgage, auction, cash, or a part-buy scheme? Use this hub to match the route to your deposit, deadline and appetite for risk — especially if you are selling at the same time.

Full buying guide Mortgage vs auction

Selling first? Start with your situation

Your options

Four common ways people buy

Each route funds the purchase differently. That funding model is what sellers feel as speed — or delay — on the other side of the deal.

  • Buy with a mortgage

    The default route for most UK home moves

    Best for
    Buyers with deposit, income evidence and time for surveys + lender checks
    Typical timeline
    Often 8–16+ weeks once an offer is accepted

    Pros

    • Access to a larger purchase price than cash alone
    • Wide choice of open-market homes
    • Can compete on price when you are Decision in Principle-ready

    Watch-outs

    • Subject to valuation, underwriting and lender delays
    • Chains break if anyone’s mortgage slips
    • Harder for unmortgageable or “cash buyers only” stock

    How mortgage buying works

  • Buy at auction

    Speed and competition — with less room to change your mind

    Best for
    Confident buyers who can fund quickly and have checked legal packs
    Typical timeline
    Exchange often immediate; completion commonly ~28 days

    Pros

    • Clear completion framework after the hammer falls
    • Can unlock unusual or problem property
    • Less “gazumping” theatre than a long open-market chase

    Watch-outs

    • Buyer fees and deposits are real costs
    • Limited time to dig into the legal pack
    • Mortgage lenders can be cautious — many auction buyers use cash or bridging

    Mortgage vs auction compared

  • Buy with cash (no mortgage)

    Funded purchase without a lender in the middle

    Best for
    Investors, downsizers with equity, or anyone who can complete without borrowing
    Typical timeline
    Can complete in weeks when solicitors are ready

    Pros

    • Stronger negotiating position — sellers value certainty
    • No lender valuation delays
    • Often the only realistic route for problem stock

    Watch-outs

    • Ties up capital you could invest elsewhere
    • Still need surveys, searches and a good solicitor
    • Cash does not mean “skip due diligence”

    Cash buying checklist

  • Shared ownership & part-buy routes

    Buy a share, rent the rest — with scheme rules attached

    Best for
    Eligible first-time buyers stretching a smaller deposit
    Typical timeline
    Similar legal timeline to a mortgage purchase, plus scheme paperwork

    Pros

    • Lower deposit barrier on qualifying homes
    • Can staircasse (buy more shares) over time on many schemes

    Watch-outs

    • Service charges, rent on the unsold share, and resale rules
    • Smaller pool of available properties
    • Not a shortcut if your deadline is urgent

Selling and buying at once?

If your purchase depends on sale proceeds, the slow side usually wins — unless you plan the overlap. Many movers sell fast for cash to hit a job start, school date or emigration window, then buy with a mortgage (via a broker such as MortgagesRM) or cash once funds are clear. Others use a short bridge when dates do not match.

We buy houses for cash nationwide when sellers need a dated completion. If that is the missing piece of your move, request a free cash offer or read how a cash sale works.

Need the sale sorted before you buy?

Get a free cash offer within 24 hours if your purchase depends on a completion date you can trust.

Get cash offer Call 0800 123 4567