What’s The Best Way to Sell a Wimpey No-Fines House? [My 5 Top Tips]

Selling a Wimpey No-Fines house can be a long, stressful and challenging task. Misconceptions about the non-standard construction type can, and does, put lots of buyers off.

So, can you sell a Wimpey No-Fines house?

You can sell a Wimpey No-Fines house. It can take longer to find a buyer due to the non-standard construction type. If you have the luxury of time, then selling with a good, local estate agent should get you the best price for your home. If you prioritise speed and certainty, then auction is your best option.

In this article, we will explore what makes it difficult to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house. I will also give you my top tips for overcoming the challenges and improving your chances of achieving a sale.

We will also uncover the best way for you to sell your Wimpey No-Fines house depending on what you prioritise the most: time or money.

In fact, we've designed a free quiz to help you do just that. Hit the red button below to get started. (We can also connect you with companies we know and trust who can help you sell).

1. What makes it difficult to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house?

Unfortunately, selling a Wimpey No-Fines house tends to be harder and take longer because of the construction type.

Many buyers simply avoid all non-standard construction properties altogether. Others will be put off by common misconceptions, such as Wimpey No-Fines houses being defective (they are not).

If properly maintained, Wimpey No-Fines houses can make great homes and are often on sizeable plots.  

Let’s take a look at some of the challenges you might face when trying to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house:

1. Stigma associated with non-standard construction. Many buyers and estate agents alike will have misconceptions about Wimpey No-Fines homes, such as they are “defective”. It can be very difficult to sell this type of house if prospective buyers are being fed false information.
2. Fewer mortgage providers willing to lend. You can get a mortgage on a Wimpey No-fines house. However, buyers will have fewer providers to choose from. Mortgages may also have less favourable terms (such as a higher deposit), which may limit your buyer pool.
3. Can be harder and more expensive to insure. You can get home insurance on Wimpey No-Fines houses. But not all insurers will offer cover because of the “non-standard” construction type. Buyers may also be faced with higher premiums, which could put some people off.
4. More expensive to maintain. Although not found to be defective, Wimpey No-Fines houses can still develop problems like cracking. A specialist may have to get involved due to the construction type, which generally means higher fees.
5. Future saleability. Buyers are also going to consider how easy it might be to sell the house in the future. Non-standard construction properties are generally harder to sell. This could put some buyers off.  

Read on to find out my top tips on how you can improve your chances of selling a Wimpey No-Fines house. But first, let’s look at the best ways to sell a Wimpey No-Fines home.

2. What is the best way to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house?

The best way to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house will depend on what you prioritise most: time or money. If you have the luxury of time, then selling with a good, local estate agent will generally get you the best price for your home. If you prioritise speed and certainty over achieving the best price, then auction is your best option.

Let’s delve into the pros and cons of each option, so you have all the information you need to make the right decision for you.

2.1 When to sell your Wimpey No-Fines house with an estate agent

If you want to achieve the best price possible, then selling your Wimpey No-Fines house with a good, local estate agent is the best option for you. It just might take time.

Try to pick an agent who has a good understanding of Wimpey No-Fines houses and how they perform in the local market. The last thing you want is an uninformed agent putting potential buyers off.

Make sure you set a realistic asking price. This will increase your chances of getting more people through the door and might drive up the price in the process.

Although you’re likely to achieve the best price selling with an estate agent, it does come with some disadvantages:

• Can take a long time. It takes around 25 weeks on average to sell a house, according to a 2022 study by Zoopla. Selling a Wimpey No-Fines property is likely to take longer, as lots of buyers will be put off from the outset. Another big problem is that it takes around 22 of those weeks to get to the stage where the transaction becomes legally binding! This brings us on to our next point…
• Buyers can pull out. Our research has revealed that 31% of all house sales fall through at least once before completion! According to our research, the most common reason why house sales fall through is “a change of heart or circumstances”. Unfortunately, non-standard construction homes carry a lot of stigma. Buyers might get frightened speaking to friends and family and end up pulling out.
• Inexperienced agents. As I said above, there are many misconceptions about the quality and durability of Wimpey No-Fines houses. Make sure that your agent knows this type of house is mortgageable, insurable, and NOT defective. You want your agent to dispel any myths to buyers, not reinforce them.

If you don’t have the luxury of time, then selling your Wimpey No-Fines home by auction might be a better option for you…

2.2 When to sell your Wimpey No-Fines house by auction

If you want to achieve a faster and more certain sale, then selling your Wimpey No-Fines house by auction is the best option for you. Selling by auction is also a good plan B if you’re not having much luck selling with an estate agent. (Take our free home-selling quiz to see what's going to be right for you).

In general, selling by auction is much faster than selling with an estate agent. You will also have a much higher chance of achieving a sale.

The main benefits of selling your Wimpey No-Fines house by auction are:

1. Speed. Selling by auction is one of the fastest ways to sell your house (and much faster than selling with an estate agent). An auction sale can be agreed in as little as 6-8 weeks. With an estate agent sale, you have the risk of buyers pulling out which can delay your onward purchase.
2. Certainty. Auctions offer a greater deal of certainty. Less than 1% of sales agreed by traditional auction fall through. In contrast, around 31% of all house sales fall through at least once before completion if sold with an estate agent. With Wimpey No-Fines homes, this figure might be even higher as buyers might get cold feet.
3. Success rate. On average, estate agents only sell around 51% of the houses they take on. By comparison, auctions have an average success rate of 78%.
4. Ease. An estate agent sale is notoriously difficult, stressful, and frustrating. Auctions work to set timeframes that everyone has legally committed to. This means all parties involved are more hands-on and proactive, which results in a less stressful sale.
5. Experience. Auctioneers tend to have more experience dealing with non-standard construction properties than many estate agents.
6. Pricing. Unlike some estate agents, auctioneers are less likely to overvalue your property to win business. Instead, they’ll price the property in a competitive manner to draw in as many interested buyers as possible. This increases the chances of sparking a bidding war and driving up that price.

If you think auction might be right for you, take the free quiz I've designed for you. If auction is the best option, I can connect you with my #1 leading auction house in your area:

3. My top tips on improving your chances of selling a Wimpey No-Fines house

It can be difficult trying to sell a Wimpey No-Fines house, but it’s by no means impossible. The good news is there are things you can do to improve your chances of finding a buyer.

Here are some of my top tips that should make selling a Wimpey No-Fines house much less stressful…

3.1 Pick the right estate agent or auction house

It’s important that you pick the right estate agent or auctioneer to improve your chances of selling a Wimpey No-Fines house.

• Estate agent. You want to make sure the estate agent comes across as proactive and motivated. They should have a good knowledge of the local area and, most importantly, experience selling Wimpey No-Fines houses.
• Auction house. Different auction houses specialise in different types of property, price brackets, and regions. I’ve written an entire guide to finding the best auction house in the UK here.

If you’re looking to save a lot of the homework, headaches, and guesswork, I can help. Follow this link to get a direct referral to my #1 Leading Auction House. You can get a free auction appraisal and have all your auction questions answered (for free) in the next 24 hours.

3.2 Consider alternative selling methods

If you’re struggling to sell on the open market, be open to considering alternative methods of sale. If time is your priority, selling your underpinned home by auction could be a better option for you.

3.3 Research Wimpey No-Fines friendly insurers and mortgage providers

Generally, it can be harder and more expensive to insure and get a mortgage on a Wimpey No-Fines home. This is because of the perceived risks associated with a non-standard construction house.

Buyers may have worries around the insurability and mortgageability of a Wimpey No-Fines home.

Try to provide interested parties with options of “Wimpey No-Fines-friendly” lenders and insurers. This will make the property much more appealing to potential buyers.

A good starting point would be to provide the details of your insurer and lender. It’s worth giving them a ring though to double check that they still insure and lend on Wimpey No-Fines houses, as criteria does change.  

3.4 Price the house appropriately

You can improve your chances of selling your Wimpey No-Fines house by setting a realistic asking price. This will help generate lots of interest and get more potential buyers through the front door, or bidding on your lot, depending on the sale method.

If you’re selling with an estate agent, shop around and get 2-3 valuations. Estate agents will often over-value properties to try and win your business.

Don’t just go with the highest price. Trying to sell a house that’s been overvalued is a lot harder than a realistically priced house.

If you’re selling by auction, generally if you set the lowest price possible, you’ll get the most interest. More interest leads to more competition, which leads to the highest price in the end.

Your auctioneer will be best placed to advise you on reserve and guide prices. But you need to make sure you’ve considered the price you need to achieve (e.g. to cover your mortgage and pay fees).

You also need to consider what’s the lowest price you’d really be comfortable with. Auctions do come with a bit of risk, and the property might end up selling for the reserve price. So, make sure you’re comfortable with the figure.

You can read more about how auction prices work in my article, “How To Auction A House: Your 15-Step Guide To Success”.

3.5 Present the property well

Tidying and decluttering your Wimpey No-Fines house is a cheap but effective way to appeal to more buyers.

It costs nothing but can make a dramatic difference to the marketing photographs and success of your viewings.

You can learn more about Wimpey No-Fines houses by reading our article “Wimpey No-Fines: The Complete Guide [Top 10 Most Popular Questions]”.

Still not sure about the best way to sell your Wimpey No-Fines home? Our free quiz is designed to help guide you in the right direction: