National Homebuyers: Comprehensive Review (2024)
Updated June 2024
We have returned a year later to review national homebuyers. Find out how their house-buying service hold up a year on?
National Homebuyers is a cash house buyer that services homeowners and estate agents in the United Kingdom.
Their big claim is that they’ll “buy any house, in any condition and in any location within the UK, within a timescale that best suits you.”
But will they really buy ANY house? And are their offers really all that fair and transparent? Or are they just another middle man looking to low-ball homeowners on the sale of their properties?
In the following review, we explore everything there is to know about National Homebuyers so that you can decide for yourself!
Let’s dive in!
National Homebuyers is a UK-based home buying company that offers quick and hassle-free solutions to homeowners looking to sell their homes fast, regardless of the property's condition or location.
They specialize in buying properties directly from homeowners, providing cash offers and completing the sale within a timeframe that suits the seller.
What you'll find in this article
In this article, we've put together the most comprehensive online review of National Homebuyers.
Below is a listing of all the information you'll find in our review, so you can easily navigate the page quickly and pick which section you want to read.
National Homebuyers - Main Details
National Homebuyers is a UK-based company that buys houses, with its headquarters located in West Sussex, England.
They serve homeowners across the United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Founded in 2003, the company has since gained a reputation for providing fast and hassle-free property-buying solutions.
National Homebuyers has received many positive reviews on various online platforms, such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews, with many customers praising their efficient and professional service.
National Homebuyers claims to be a genuine cash buyer, meaning they have the funds available to purchase properties directly from homeowners without the need for financing or relying on third-party investors.
On their website, National Homebuyers also provides helpful resources and guides for homeowners looking to sell their properties, including a free online valuation tool and a comprehensive FAQ section.
National Homebuyers Factsheet
*Data updated and correct as of 09/06/2024
Fact Check
- Number of employees?
- What is their aim to buy time-frame?
- How many sales have they agreed?
- Number TrustPilot reviews?
- Number of Google reviews?
- When were they incorporated?
- What are their Opening times?
- Which Locations do they buy in?
- Is a house inspection needed?
- What is their website?
National Homebuyers
- 11 active on LinkedIn
- 7-28+
- N/A
- 581 reviews
- 238 reviews
- Founded in 2003
- Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
- Anywhere in the UK
- No, they buy any property
- National homebuyers website
What Services Do National Homebuyers Offer?
National Homebuyers offers a range of services aimed at providing fast and hassle-free solutions to homeowners who are looking to sell their properties quickly.
Some of the services offered by National Homebuyers include:
- Quick property sale: National Homebuyers purchases properties directly from homeowners, providing cash offers and completing the sale within a timeframe that suits the seller.
- No obligation cash offer: They provide a no-obligation offer to homeowners, meaning sellers are not required to accept if they are not satisfied.
- Purchase any property: National Homebuyers purchases properties in any condition, regardless of the condition, location, or the reason for sale.
- No fees or commissions: They do not charge any fees or commissions for their services, and there are no hidden costs, allowing sellers to save on the cost of disposing off their property.
- Free valuation: National Homebuyers provides a free online valuation tool for homeowners to get an estimate of their property's value.
Is National Homebuyers Legit?
Our research indicates that National Homebuyers is a legitimate company that has been operating in the UK for about 20 years. They have a relatively good online reputation and several positive reviews from satisfied customers on sites like TrustPilot and Google Reviews.
They do expect you to sign a contract relatively early in the process, however, as with any company, you should always conduct your own investigation and due diligence before signing a contract.
To ensure you're getting the greatest price for your house, it's also a good idea to compare National Homebuyers with other quick sale property companies.
How National Homebuyers Works
Like most cash buyers, National Homebuyers offers a simple, straightforward process for selling your home.
Here's how it works:
- Request a valuation: You can request a free, no-obligation valuation of your property from National Homebuyers. You can do this online or by calling them.
- Receive an offer: Based on the valuation, National Homebuyers will make a cash offer to purchase your property. They typically offer between 75-85% of the market value of your home.
- Accept the offer: If you're happy with the offer, you can accept it and proceed to the next step.
- Complete the sale: National Homebuyers will handle all the legal paperwork and arrange for a survey of your property. Once everything is in order, they'll complete the sale and transfer the funds to your account.
The entire process can take as little as seven days, which makes it an ideal option for homeowners who need to sell their properties quickly.
National Homebuyers also covers the costs associated with selling your property, and up to £1000 in legal fees.
Can You Haggle With National Homebuyers?
Like any company that buys properties, it's possible to try and negotiate with National Homebuyers to see if they can offer you a better price.
However, it's important to keep in mind that National Homebuyers typically offers a fair price based on the market value of your property and their own costs of buying and selling the property.
Essentially, they need to pay less than market value for your home, so that they can make a profit on their investment.
The benefit to you as a customer is that they’ll buy your property without asking any questions, and they’ll do it in a quick and convenient manner.
The Pros And Cons Of Working With National Homebuyers
Working with National Homebuyers can have both advantages and disadvantages. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
The Pros
- Quick house sale: National Homebuyers typically make a cash offer within 24 hours of receiving a request from a seller. The company doesn’t state how fast they’ll buy a home, but they mention they base completion times on the sellers’ needs.
- Guaranteed sale: National Homebuyers is a genuine cash buyer. When selling a house through them, there is no need to worry about broken property chains or any other delays that can occur when selling through traditional channels.
- No fees: National Homebuyers does not charge any fees for its services, and they’ll cover up to £1000 in legal fees.
The Cons
- Lower sale price: National Homebuyers typically offer 75-85% below market value for a property, so homeowners may not receive as much money for their home as they would through a traditional sale.
- National Homebuyers are not members of the National Association of Property Buyers or the Property Ombudsman, so they do not have to follow or abide by a strict code of conduct.
- Only part-payment of legal fees: Their coverage for solicitor costs is restricted to £1,000, whereas other companies offer to pay the fee in full.
- No team details: Though their website is comprehensive, there are no current team details or any information about the actual people who work there. Presenting names and faces can create more trust in an industry that isn’t fully regulated.
- National Homebuyers only operates between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., so it won't be easy to contact them if you have any queries outside of these hours.
- Their website is quite cluttered and is not easy to navigate, affecting the user experience.
National Homebuyers Vs. Other UK House Buying Companies
Below, we’ve highlighted some of National Homebuyers' ratings, reviews, and customer testimonials compared to other UK house buyers, such as Good Move, The Property Buying Company, Quick Move Now, or Property Solvers.
Quick Sale Firms
- Takes 6-9 months to find a buyer
- Some firms charge hidden fees
- Won't always buy any type of home
- Can take months if not true cash buyers
- Some firms do not offer complete confidentiality
- Not all quick sale firms offer a cash advance service
National Homebuyers
- Customer’s choice
- Covers up to £1000 in legal fees
- Buys any property, in any condition
- Is a true cash buyer
- Totally confidential
- May not offer cash advances
National Homebuyers Customer Reviews And Testimonials
| Trustpilot Reviews | Google Reviews | Feefo |
|---|---|---|
| 581 reviews | 238 reviews | No reviews |
| 4.1 score | 4.2 score | N/A |
| over 70 reviews 3 star or below | 24 reviews 2 star or below |
*Reviews are updated and correct as of 09/06/2024
Overall, National Homebuyers is rated satisfactory on TrustPilot and Google.
On TrustPilot, the company currently maintains a 4.1 star rating, with 74% of their reviews being rated as 5-stars. Alternatively, on Google, the company maintains a slightly higher 4.2-star rating but with half the reviews.
But what exactly are people saying about their experiences with National Homebuyers?
So let’s deeply dive into what people say about their experiences with National Homebuyers.
How is the customer service at National Homebuyers?
Many of National Homebuyers clients focus on the great service and attention they’ve received from the company. For instance, in a March 8, 2024 review, Nicola Jane wrote:
Received a letter and called to find out more. Came through to Guy who was clear and answered all my questions. Really satisfied with the customer service and now looking to have my house sold to National Homebuyers within the next 2 weeks!
Similarly, Thomas and Kath Rimmer claimed they were very happy with the experience, and as such would recommend working with the company.
We were supported by Elizabeth Corkhill who has been amazing. Quick to answer emails and address concerns. Very happy with service received. It has been a positive experience for us through what has been in essence a very traumatic time. We have been grateful for Elizabeth's support. I would recommend this company. Thank you. Thomas and Kath Rimmer.
How fast and easy is National Homebuyers’ sales process according to some reviewers?
The speed and ease with which National Homebuyers proceed and complete the sale is another factor that is commended by several of the firm’s happy clients.
In a Trustpilot review, Fred Inn stated:
What a great alternative way to sell your property! The process is very easy and each member of staff that I have spoken to throughout the purchase have been friendly, polite and very helpful. A special shoutout to Ciaran who was swift at getting back to me about any questions I asked. Thank you
- Fred Inn
However, no matter how good a company might appear to be based on their overall rating, it’s impossible to keep all customers happy all the time. And in defense of the company, the number of positive reviews vastly outnumbers the number of bad reviews.
So what positive things are people saying about National Homebuyers?
Does National Homebuyers present fair offers?
However, not everyone has had positive experiences with National Homebuyers. While the company states in its marketing material that it offers 80% below market value, many unhappy clients were offered much less or, worse, had the offer lowered once they were tied into a contract.
For example, Thomas Farr left a 1-star review noting:
Received an unsolicited letter as property is on the market.
They offer £1k to legal fees and to offer to buy in cash with their substantial cash reserves. Emailed to say I was interested to discuss further and received a call from a different member of staff to the one who had provided initial contact. Whilst the call from Guy was polite, the instant off the bat was to offer £55-60k less than the market valuation.
Carlton also claims that he was offered much less below the market value of his property that he was expecting.
Received unsolicited mail asking me to contact them regarding an offer they wished to put to me regarding my property. Spoke to a gentleman calling himself Ciaran, who promptly offered £35,000 below valuation without even viewing the property. This is a company of chancers hoping to rip people off if they're in a desperate situation, which luckily I'm not.
My advise is to stay well away from this company.
- Carlton
So as you can see, there were some unhappy customers but generally people who have dealt with National Homebuyers seem to be happy with their experience.
But what do we think about the company?
National Homebuyers - Our Final Verdict
In our opinion, National Homebuyers appears to be a legitimate company to work with if you’re looking to sell your property fast.
They offer an easy way for potential sellers to request a quick cash offer for their properties, and there’s no obligation to accept if the offer is not what you’d expect. Their website is cleanly designed, professional, and easy to use.
They do appear to be a genuine cash buyer who stands by their claim of buying any property in any condition within a short amount of time.
However, their lack of regulatory oversight with authorities like The Property Ombudsman, the NAPB, and the NAEA, leave us a tad worried.
Additionally, some negative reviews stated that people were receiving unsolicited marketing materials from the company, which leaves us wondering how confidential they are with user data.
Ultimately, National Homebuyers appears to be a viable option for selling a house fast.
National Homebuyers Factsheet - (Free Download)
You can now access all the key information about National Homebuyers in the Factsheet infographic we have created below.
Simply click on the image or the link that appears after the factsheet, and it will automatically download it to your device!
| House buying company | Rating | Trustpilot score | Google score | Feefo score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housebuyers4u | 5/5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| HouseBuyFast | 4/5 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Quickmovenow | 4.5/5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.9 |
| Goodmove | 4.5/5 | 4.9 | 4.8 | No reviews |
| Property Buying Company | 4/5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | No reviews |
| Property Solvers | 4.5/5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | No reviews |
| We Buy Any House | 4/5 | 4.4 | No reviews | No reviews |
| Open Property Group | 4/5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Springbok Properties | 4/5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | No reviews |
| British Home Buyers | 4/5 | 4.9 | 4.9 | No reviews |
| Ready Steady Sell | 3.5/5 | 3.7 | No reviews | No reviews |
| We Buy Now | 4/5 | 4.4 | 4.1 | No reviews |
| SpringMove | 3.5/5 | 4.5 | No reviews | No reviews |
| TheAdvisory | 4/5 | No reviews | 5.0 | No reviews |
| Ask Susan | 3.5/5 | No reviews | 2.3 | No reviews |
| Property Cash Buyers | 3.0/5 | 1.3 | No reviews | No reviews |
| We Buy any Home | 4/5 | 4.0 | 3.9 | No reviews |
| Home House Buyers | 4/5 | 4.9 | 4.9 | No reviews |
| Smooth Sale | 4/5 | 4.9 | 4.9 | No reviews |
Browse our comprehensive reviews and expert insights to find the best company for your situation.
*Note: Review data is usually less than 12 months old, please click and read the individual reviews above for up to date details on each website.
