Scottish Cash House Offer Calculator
Estimate and compare the potential net proceeds from an open-market sale, a property auction, and a direct cash buyer. This is an educational tool, not a guaranteed offer.
Enter your property details
What a surveyor or Home Report might value the property at.
These are industry averages. Adjust them to match your quotes.
Your Indicative Results
What This Calculator Can and Cannot Tell You
Transparency is critical when making significant property decisions.
What it does
- Highlights hidden costs: Demonstrates how agent fees, VAT, Home Reports, and conveyancing reduce your gross sale price.
- Reveals holding costs: Calculates the financial impact of council tax, utilities, and mortgage payments during the average 4–6 month open-market sale period.
- Compares net proceeds: Shows the difference between the "headline" price an agent promises and the actual cash you might walk away with.
What it DOES NOT do
- Provide a valuation: This tool cannot inspect your property's condition or check the Land Register for local comparables.
- Guarantee an offer: SB Properties UK does not use automated algorithms to buy houses. We assess real factors like cladding, factoring debts, and condition.
- Predict the market: A house is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay. Open market prices can fluctuate heavily based on mortgage rates and demand.
Visual Breakdown: Net Proceeds vs Deductions
How a Direct Property Offer May Be Assessed
If you request a genuine, property-specific assessment from us, here is exactly what we look at before presenting a figure.
1. Comparable Sold-Property Evidence
We look at the Land Register of Scotland to see what similar properties in your street actually sold for—not just what agents listed them for. Asking prices and "Offers Over" figures are marketing tools; completed sales provide the reality.
2. Property Condition and Repair Requirements
If your property requires modernization, clearance, or has structural issues (e.g., roof repairs on a traditional tenement), we must calculate the cost of bringing it up to standard. Mainstream buyers often walk away from Category 2 or 3 repairs on a Home Report.
3. Mortgageability and Buyer Demand
Issues like non-standard construction, absent EWS1 forms (cladding documentation), or short leases drastically reduce the open-market buyer pool. A cash buyer takes on these risks.
4. Legal, Title, and Occupancy Risks
Are there tenants in situ? Are there outstanding factoring debts or Notices of Potential Liability? We evaluate the legal work required to unpick complex title situations.
5. Finance, Holding, and Resale Costs
A professional cash buyer must factor in their own costs: LBTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax), legal fees to buy and eventually resell, empty property council tax, and insurance while holding the asset.
Worked Scottish Property Examples
Illustrative scenarios demonstrating how different sales routes perform.
Example 1: A Glasgow flat in reasonable condition
Scenario: Market Value £150,000. No major repairs needed.
Open Market: The property achieves its full £150,000 value. However, the seller pays £500 for a Home Report, £350 for marketing, £2,250 in agent fees (inc VAT), and £1,200 in legal fees. It takes 4 months to sell, during which the seller pays £2,000 in mortgage and bills. Net Proceeds: £143,700 over 4-5 months.
Direct Sale: The seller accepts a direct offer of 85% (£127,500). They pay no agent fees or Home Report costs. Legal fees are £1,200. The sale completes in 1 month, costing only £500 in holding costs. Net Proceeds: £125,800 over 4 weeks with zero fall-through risk.
Example 2: An inherited property requiring clearance and repairs
Scenario: Market Value £120,000 (if renovated). Currently requires £15,000 in modernization to be mortgageable.
Open Market: The property struggles to sell because first-time buyers cannot secure mortgages on it. The seller must fund £15,000 upfront for repairs, plus £1,000 for clearance, before marketing.
Direct Sale: A cash buyer purchases the property "as-is" for £90,000. The seller avoids the £15k upfront outlay, the stress of managing contractors, and months of empty-property council tax. Learn more about selling a property in poor condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this calculator guarantee the price you will pay for my house?
No. The calculator is an educational tool. It uses indicative percentages to demonstrate how a direct offer compares to the costs of selling on the open market. Any formal offer from SB Properties UK is based on an individual assessment of your specific property.
Why do cash buyers offer below market value?
A direct cash buyer provides speed, certainty, and pays in cash without requiring mortgage approval. In exchange for absorbing the holding costs, market risks, and conveyancing time, the offer is typically below the theoretical maximum open-market value. Read our full breakdown of costs here.
Do I still need a Home Report for a direct sale?
Usually, no. In Scotland, a Home Report is legally required when marketing a property to the public. If you sell directly and privately before marketing, this requirement is not triggered, saving you the upfront cost. Read our Home Report guide.
Request a Property-Specific Assessment
Skip the estimates. Tell us about your property and we will provide a genuine, no-obligation review based on actual data. No pressure, no hassle.
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