Key takeaways
- Part-exchange means selling your current home directly to the park operator, or a specialist company working with the park, instead of listing it on the open market.
- The offer is based on valuations from local estate agents, but it reflects a quick, guaranteed sale rather than your home's best possible asking price. Get an independent valuation too, so you know what you're trading.
- Many schemes cover the legal fees on the sale of your existing home. Confirm exactly what's included before you agree, since this varies by scheme.
- Stamp duty doesn't usually apply on either side of a typical part-exchange into a park home: not on selling your existing house, and not on the pitch itself, since most park homes sit under a licence to occupy rather than a purchase of land.
- Completion is usually measured in weeks, not months, but exact timings vary by park and provider. Confirm dates in writing before you commit.
What part-exchange actually means
Instead of listing your current home for sale and waiting for a buyer, the park operator, or a specialist part-exchange company working alongside the park, buys your existing property directly from you. You complete on the park home and the sale of your old home at the same time, so there's no chain and no waiting on someone else's buyer.
This is different from a normal house sale in one key way: you're not selling on the open market to the highest bidder. You're accepting a direct offer from a single buyer in exchange for speed and certainty.
This guide covers exchanging a traditional bricks-and-mortar home for a park home, the scenario most part-exchange schemes are built around. If you already own a static caravan, lodge or park home and want to trade up or move to a different park, that is usually a separate arrangement, ask the individual park directly, since availability and terms vary.
How the valuation and offer work
Most schemes work the same basic way. You provide details of two or three local estate agents, those agents value your home, and the provider uses those valuations to make you a formal offer. The exact number of agents and the process for choosing them varies by scheme, so ask upfront.
That offer typically reflects what your home could realistically sell for within a set period, not the highest price it might eventually fetch with a patient sale. That's the trade-off built into every part-exchange deal, and it's worth going in with your eyes open rather than assuming you'll get full open-market value.
The trade-off: speed against price
A part-exchange deal removes the two things that make a normal house sale stressful: waiting for a buyer, and the risk of that buyer pulling out partway through. In return, you're likely accepting a lower figure than you might get from a patient, well-marketed sale on the open market.
Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on your priorities. If you need to move on a fixed timeline, or you'd rather have certainty than chase the top price, part-exchange can make sense. If getting the maximum possible price matters more than speed, a normal sale through an estate agent gives you more room to hold out for it.
Fees and who pays what
Many part-exchange schemes cover the legal costs of selling your existing home as part of the deal. This is common across the schemes we've seen, but it isn't universal and the details differ, so get it confirmed in writing rather than assuming it's included.
On tax: Stamp Duty Land Tax is a buyer's tax, charged to whoever is acquiring an interest in land or property, not the person selling it. As the seller in the part-exchange leg of the deal, you don't pay it. Separately, most park homes sit under a licence to occupy a pitch rather than a purchase of land, so stamp duty doesn't usually apply to the park home purchase either. See our guide to stamp duty and park homes for the full detail, since the actual terms of your agreement matter more than the label on it.
Timing: how long it actually takes
Part-exchange is generally faster than a normal sale, since there's no chain and no buyer to wait on. Some schemes complete within a matter of weeks rather than months, and some allow you to stay in your existing home for a short period after completion while you organise your move. Exact timings and any post-completion arrangement vary by provider and by park, so get the dates confirmed directly rather than assuming a standard timeline.
What to check before you agree
- Get an independent valuation on your current home, separate from the scheme's own offer, so you have something to compare it against
- Ask exactly what's included in "no legal fees," and what isn't
- Confirm the number of estate agents used for the valuation and how the final offer is calculated
- Ask what happens if a survey or search raises an issue on the park home side of the deal
- Get the completion date, and any post-completion stay-on period, confirmed in writing
- Check whether you can walk away from the deal, and at what point it becomes binding
Comparison: part-exchange against a normal open-market sale
Part-exchange isn't about getting the highest possible price for your old home, it's about certainty. If a guaranteed sale and a fixed moving date matter more to you than squeezing out every last pound, it's worth looking at seriously. Just get an independent valuation alongside the offer, so you know exactly what you're trading before you agree to it.
— Justin Allitt, Sell My Group
Frequently asked questions
What is part-exchange for a park home?
It's where the park operator, or a specialist company working with the park, buys your existing home directly from you, so you can move into your new park home without listing your old property on the open market or waiting on a buyer.
Will I get full market value for my home?
Not usually. The offer is based on estate agent valuations but reflects a quick, guaranteed sale rather than the top price a patient sale might achieve. Get an independent valuation as well, so you can weigh the offer against it.
Do I pay stamp duty if I part-exchange my house for a park home?
Usually not on either side. Stamp duty is a buyer's tax, so you don't pay it on selling your existing home, and most park homes sit under a pitch licence rather than a land purchase, so it doesn't usually apply to the new home either.
How long does part-exchange take?
Often a matter of weeks rather than months, since there's no chain to wait on. Exact timings vary by provider and park, so get your completion date confirmed in writing.
Do I still pay legal fees?
Often not, many schemes cover the legal costs of selling your existing home as part of the deal. This isn't universal, so confirm exactly what's covered before you agree.
Can I part-exchange if I only own a caravan or park home, not a house?
This guide covers exchanging a bricks-and-mortar property for a park home. If you already own a static caravan, lodge or park home, a straight house-to-park-home part-exchange will not apply to you, ask the park directly about their own trade-in or upgrade scheme instead.