For owners of commercial buildings
How to Sell a Commercial Property Quickly
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 6 min read
The short answer
To sell a commercial property quickly, choose the route first: an agent, an auction, a direct buyer or a joint venture. Then clear what slows every sale: the title, the leases, the EPC and the planning history.
- An agent tests the open market, but the timetable depends on marketing, offers and the buyer's checks.
- An auction fixes the terms in advance, but the price is whatever the room pays on the day.
- A direct buyer skips the marketing period; a joint venture pays later, from what the building becomes.
- In England, empty property relief ends after 3 months, or 6 months for industrial premises, so an empty building costs more each month.
How to sell a commercial property quickly starts with the route, not the price. You can sell through an agent, at auction, to a direct buyer, or into a joint venture. Each route trades speed against price and control differently.
If the building is empty, rates and insurance keep running while you wait. Many buyers also struggle to price what planning could add.
The routes then share the same delays. A messy title, unclear leases, a missing EPC or a community listing can hold up any sale. Fixing these early saves time on every route.
This guide covers England, with the energy rules for England and Wales. It sets out each route, how the timing works, what each one costs, and why an empty building gets dearer every month.
If you need to sell commercial property fast, a direct buyer is one option to compare. We are a London developer with an in-house build team, so we can price the work a building needs. Our free appraisal shows what a direct sale, a sale with planning or a partnership could mean for you.
Four ways to sell a commercial property
Most owners choose between four routes. They differ in who sets the price, who controls the timing, and when you are paid.
- Estate agent. The agent markets the building on the open market and negotiates with buyers. You usually get the widest field of bidders.
- Auction. The building goes into a catalogue with a legal pack. The terms are fixed before the sale, and the highest bid wins.
- Direct buyer. You sell to a developer or investor without marketing. The buyer prices the building as it stands, including its risks.
- Joint venture. You put the building into a scheme with a developer. You are paid from what the building becomes, not on day one.
An open-market sale suits a clean, lettable building that many buyers want. A direct buyer or auction suits a building that needs work, is empty, or carries planning or lease problems.
A joint venture suits an owner who can wait and wants a share of the uplift. It needs a partner who can fund, design and build the scheme. Our construction team is in-house, so we can price and build a scheme ourselves.
Not sure which route suits your building? Ask for our free appraisal and we will compare them for you.
How long each route takes
No public source sets a standard timetable for a commercial sale. The timing depends on the route, the building and how ready your papers are.
- Agent sale. Marketing, viewings, offers, the buyer's survey and the legal work run one after another. Each stage takes time, and a buyer can still withdraw before exchange.
- Auction. The catalogue date and the sale conditions fix the timetable in advance. The legal pack must be ready before the auction.
- Direct buyer. There is no marketing period. The buyer's checks and the legal work still need to happen.
- Joint venture. You agree terms early, but you are paid as the scheme goes through planning, build and sale.
Some deadlines are set by law, whichever route you choose. If the building is listed as an asset of community value, you must tell the council before you sell. Under the Localism Act 2011, a 6-week interim moratorium follows.
If a community group asks to bid in that time, the moratorium runs for 6 months in total. Exemptions exist, so check the listing and take legal advice early.
Craftex has been in the market for 10 years, since 2016. Our Development Director, Rob Barton, acquired £225M+ of land in previous housebuilding roles.
Send us the address, and a director will look at your building before you commit to a route.
What each route costs
Every route has legal costs on your side. Beyond that, the costs fall in different places, and some are hidden in the price rather than shown as a fee.
| Route | Fees you agree | Where the price can give way |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | Agency fee and marketing, set in the agency agreement | Price renegotiated after the buyer's survey |
| Auction | Entry fee and any costs set in the auction terms | The price is whatever the room bids |
| Direct buyer | Usually no agency fee | The offer prices in the building's risks |
| Joint venture | Set by the agreement | Your return depends on the scheme |
Ask every agent and auction house for their fees in writing before you sign. Agency agreements differ on sole rights, length and when a fee becomes payable.
Holding costs count as well. Rates, insurance, security and repairs run until completion. A slower route at a higher headline price can leave you with less.
Tax matters too. VAT, Capital Gains Tax and the fixtures in the building can all affect the net figure. Our guide to capital allowances on commercial property explains the fixtures point. Nothing here is tax advice, so speak to your accountant.
Want to see your routes before another rates bill lands? Ask for a free appraisal.
We used Craftex for a shop-to-flat conversion in Chelsea — turning an old retail space into two rental units. Access wasn’t the easiest, but the guys handled it well, no drama. Quote was clear, no hidden extras, and they actually stuck to it, which is rare. Finish came out solid, exactly what we needed for rentals. Joe (PM) kept things ticking and communication was always on point. All in all, smooth job — would use them again for sure.👍
The empty rates and insurance clock
An empty building keeps costing money while it is for sale. In England, empty property relief removes business rates for 3 months from when the building becomes empty.
Industrial premises, such as warehouses, get a further 3 months. Listed buildings, and buildings with a rateable value under £2,900, are relieved until they are reoccupied. After the relief ends, most owners pay full business rates.
Insurance is the second clock. Check your policy: insurers often attach conditions to an unoccupied building. Tell your insurer when the building becomes empty, and keep to any conditions it sets.
Our guide to business rates on empty commercial property sets out the reliefs and options in full. If the building is an office, see what to do with an empty office building before you decide to sell.
What slows a sale: title, tenants, EPC and MEES
Most delays come from papers the buyer asks for after the price is agreed. Collect them before you choose a route.
Title. The buyer's solicitor checks ownership, boundaries, rights of way and any restrictions on the title. Gaps or errors here are a common reason for delay.
Tenants. If the building is let, the buyer reads every lease. Have the leases, rent schedule, break dates and any disputes ready.
EPC. GOV.UK says you must have an EPC when you sell business premises. You can be fined between £500 and £5,000 if you do not make one available to a buyer. An EPC is valid for 10 years.
MEES. The minimum energy efficiency standard applies to rented non-domestic property in England and Wales. Since 1 April 2023, a let building generally needs at least an E rating, unless an exemption is registered.
GOV.UK says a registered exemption may not pass to a new owner on sale. A buyer who plans to let an F or G building will therefore price in the upgrade. Our guide to the brown discount explains how weak ratings affect value.
Gaps on this list are common. Send us what you have; a director reads the title and planning history as part of the free appraisal.
Choosing the route for your building
Start with what matters most to you: the date, the price or a share of the upside. Then look at the building as a buyer would.
A clean, let building with a good EPC can do well on the open market. An empty building with weak ratings, short leases or planning potential often suits a direct buyer or a partner. That buyer can price the work and the planning.
Where it fits, we buy the building. We also partner on schemes that support £3M to £150M of development value, across London and the South East.
Ready to compare your options? Send us the address for a free appraisal. A director checks the title, the planning record and your rates bills, then phones you before the working day ends.
This is a developer's opinion of your routes. It is not a valuation, and we are not RICS valuers.
Papers to have ready before you sell
- Title documents and plans for the whole building
- Every lease, the rent schedule and break dates
- A valid EPC, and any MEES exemption on the register
- Planning history and any building control sign-offs
- Business rates bills and the date the building became empty
- Any asset of community value listing
