We all know how it is. You have just found your dream home and your offer for it was accepted. Now all you need to do is sell your home, a goal that won't be hard to achieve according to a real estate agent. Your property then gets listed on the market and there's a bunch of interest from prospective buyers in the days following . Soon it all quiets down. Weeks pass by, then months and you're still no closer to selling your property than when you started. An even worse scenario, your buyer gets out the day before the closing will take place.

Choosing to sell your property through an estate agent can be a very long process. The fees are also substantial, especially after you factor in the real estate agent's fees as well as the additional fees you will be paying while you wait for your home to sell. And if you don't get a fast property sale you risk losing your dream home too. In these rough circumstances, it's no wonder that moving home is said to be one of life's most difficult events.

Essentially, there are two alternatives to selling your property with a realtor. The first is to sell privately to a buyer by using the internet. The second is finding a company that buys homes direct. These companies advertise cash for property offers on the web. There are however both advantages and disadvantages with each one of these options.

Hundreds of people sell their homes in the UK privately every month. You save money on agent fees, which can be up to 3%, and you get to have complete control over the process. You also don't have to buy a Home Information Pack after they become required in June 2007 (due to the fact that private sales are exempt). There are some disadvantages to think about. If you advertise on the Internet, and want to sell a house quick, you will need to dedicate a lot of time advertising your house. You should sign up on more than one private sale site, to increase your chances, write a description and post it on the websites with nice photos. Then you will have to deal with all of the inquiries on your own as well as spend a great deal of time coming up with answers to help sell the property. You will also continue to be open to the risk of not being able to find a buyer quickly or the risk of broken chains and buyers backing out before the sale is final.

The other option when selling privately is getting in touch with companies who specialize in providing quick house sales services. You'll get an offer from them, normally within 24 to 48 hours, and the sale will take a lot less time to finalize than average. It doesn't matter what condition your home is in, and you won't have to 'sell' the home to the buyer.

However, be prepared to accept a below market value offer on the property. These companies will, in return for a fast house sale, purchase at discounts. If you are willing to make an adjustment on price, you'll have yourself an instant sale and, most importantly, one that is relaxed.

About the Author

Oliver Darraugh is a freelance online journalist. He resides in Birmingham. Website.