A sale falling through is one of the most frustrating parts of selling. You may have planned your move, and now you are back at the start. It is rarely the property’s fault. More often the buyer’s mortgage, their own sale or a survey result caused the problem.
First, find out exactly why
Ask your agent and solicitor what happened. The answer tells you what to change:
- The buyer’s mortgage or their own sale failed. Next time, check how ready a buyer is before accepting their offer.
- A survey found problems. Get quotes for the work, so you can respond quickly to the next buyer’s survey, or consider a buyer who expects to deal with condition.
- The price was renegotiated. Look again at whether the asking price was realistic.
- The buyer changed their mind. Sometimes there is nothing you could have done.
If your property is not selling at all
When a property has been on the market for months with little interest, the usual causes are the price, the presentation or a property that does not suit mortgage buyers. Reducing the price again and again rarely fixes the last of these. It may be the route, not the property, that needs changing.
Choosing the next route
- If certainty now matters more than the highest price, a cash buyer or private investor can avoid chains and mortgage problems.
- Auction gives a fixed timetable, and a traditional auction makes the sale binding when the hammer falls.
- If you still want full market value and can wait, going back to the open market with a sharper price, better marketing or a different estate agent can work.
Steps that reduce the risk next time
- Ask your solicitor to prepare the paperwork and order searches early.
- Check any buyer’s mortgage agreement in principle, deposit and chain position before accepting.
- Keep in regular touch with the solicitors on both sides, so problems are spotted early.
We will look at what actually went wrong, not just relist the property and hope, and tell you which route gives you the best chance of completing this time.