How DirectList works
We cut the estate agent out of the middle. Owners list directly, verified buyers make real offers, an independent verifier confirms the details, and a trusted solicitor / conveyancer handles the legal completion.
For sellers
Listing is free. You keep the commission an agent would have taken.
Step 1. Build your listing in the guided wizard
Photo templates, an auto-drafted description and a built-in floor-plan tool walk you through a complete, polished listing. Save as you go and publish when you're ready.
Step 2. Set your asking price and minimum offer
Choose your asking price and an optional minimum-offer threshold. Offers below it are politely suppressed and never reach you — no lowball noise, no time wasted.
Step 3. Receive offers from verified members only
Only paying, verified members can make offers. You see who they are, whether they've proven their funds, and exactly what they're offering.
Step 4. Accept, then verify for confidence
Accept an offer and an independent verifier confirms your declared details for a fixed fee (£499). We then open a deal and route it to a trusted solicitor / conveyancer.
For buyers
Membership keeps the marketplace serious and your details private.
Step 1. Search owner-listed homes
Browse and filter homes listed directly by their owners. Save searches and get alerts the moment a match appears.
Step 2. Become a member and verify yourself
A simple membership lets you make offers, message sellers and book viewings. Add proof of funds or a mortgage in principle to stand out as a serious buyer.
Step 3. Make an offer above the threshold
Offer at or above the seller's minimum, add any conditions, and negotiate directly. Your contact details stay private until an offer is accepted.
Step 4. Proceed on independently verified facts
Once your offer is accepted, an independent verifier confirms the seller's declared details before you proceed — then a vetted solicitor / conveyancer takes the case through to completion.
Independent verification
From face value to independently verified
Listings go live at face value, then get independently confirmed at exactly the moment it matters — when an offer is accepted.
Shown at face value
Every published listing is clearly labelled seller-declared. We take the owner's details at their word so homes reach buyers quickly.
Independently checked
When an offer is accepted, an independent verifier confirms the price, rooms, floor area, tenure, energy rating, council tax band and material information against the evidence.
Seller pays a fixed fee
Because the listing was taken at the seller's word, the seller funds this one-off fixed fee of £499 — giving the buyer confidence to proceed.
How DirectList makes money
Three transparent streams fund the platform — never a percentage of your sale price:
- Buyer membership. A subscription paid by buyers to make offers, message sellers and book viewings. View membership.
- Independent verification. A fixed £499 fee paid by the seller when an offer is accepted, to independently confirm their face-value listing.
- Legal-vendor referral. A referral and processing margin from the vetted solicitor / conveyancer panel that handles each completed sale.