Local estate agent or online agent like housenetwork.co.uk?

googler

eglons wrote: »

Personally I cant see the current bricks and mortar agent model working long term, more and more property stock is going to the internet agents and there will be a tipping point where the bricks and mortar agents cant sustain the model...

Since you seem to be intimately involved with the nuts and bolts of housenetwork, and would seem to have something to gain by their success, do you need to declare an interest?

MissMotivation

eglons wrote: »

Yeah, sorry I dont mean to have a go at agents, like every profession there are good and bad out there. The fees they charge really do irk people but for the reasons you mentioned they have to charge them to sustain the business model. There will always be people who want to be completely hands off and who want local support, the agent gives them that at a cost, others will see the benefit of a little self-effort in terms of several thousand pounds. Both sets of people choose the right agent for them.

Personally I cant see the current bricks and mortar agent model working long term, more and more property stock is going to the internet agents and there will be a tipping point where the bricks and mortar agents cant sustain the model... it's pretty much happened in the states already... whether it's a good thing I think the jury is out as it will adversely affect those who really need local support, but maybe the rebalancing will create a new competitive market for online agents and create some sort of local presence hybrid... who knows. All I know is that I wont be using a High Street agent again, too many bad experiences, I'd rather have a bad experience and save thousands!

Choosing an online agent....is just that, a choice! You can do all your shopping online now, however, there are still supermarkets! When 100% of the public are online and those that are already online stop wanting to use High Street agents then that is when I see a problem. For the moment they are not a threat.

Vincenzo

iandv wrote: »

In the Sunday Telegraph there was an article stating that by 2015 many more of us could be using online estate agents, similar to what has happened with the travel industry and online bookings. There are still traditional travel agents but if you put the effort in looking you can get better deals online - cutting old the middle man.

This is the conclusion I am coming to. On an average priced home of £165,000 in the UK based on the average commission of 1.75% + VAT for a no sale no fee contract sole agency you would be paying

A traditional estate agent = £3392
An online estate agent would cost = £395

If the majority of vendors now look online for homes what are we paying the extra £2997 for ?

Just to have if shown in the estate agents shop, every 4-6 weeks in the local paper and to have them show vendors around the property?

I am meeting with a traditional estate agent tommorrow regading my property, any ideas on what questions I should be asking him, especially with the rise of these online agents?

This would be true if the price achieved via both routes is the same. I would argue that a good local agent could potentially achieve a higher price and a quicker sale. At least this is the conclusion I came to for my impending property sale.....

If you are staying in the same area they can also be invaluable in finding your next house. The agents I am about to go on with have already given me a heads up on a house that may fit the bill and is due to come onto the market in the coming weeks.

Grolsch30

Hi,

Interesting thread.

I am in the same position,


We would like to put our property on the market and contemplating either trying to sell it privately or via housenetwork or a normal estate agent.

The fees going private or via an online agent would be minimal compared to a standard estate agent but then I am not to sure I would get the housebuyers through the door. I have no reasoning behind this, maybe it's because this online selling feels pretty new compared to your high street agent.

Has anyone compiled a HIPS pack privately?
How long are HIPS packs valid for?
If i chose to go via housenetwork and use there HIPS service and the house does not sell can I use that HIPS pack myself privately or if I then decide to use an estate agent use the HIPS pack to get a discount from the EA high street fees as they would not need to compile one.

We are not in a rush to sell our property, when we come to put it on the market we will have a property to move into already (abroad) so we will not be under pressure to sell.

The upfront fees are of a slight concern but i suppose it is neccessary as it would be difficult for a online agent to adopt a no sale no fee product.


Can someone also clear up for me why I (The seller), need to have conveyancing?

Never sold a house before so this is all very much new to me but the way i see it i need to have the following:

Estate Agent/ Online Agent or Private
Solicitor
Convayor?

eglons

googler wrote: »

Since you seem to be intimately involved with the nuts and bolts of housenetwork, and would seem to have something to gain by their success, do you need to declare an interest?

I'm not trying to sell Housenetwork, just answering your rather sweeping assumptions about online agents earlier in this thread. As I say it's an individual choice whether you go online or high street and then it's a choice of your chosen type of agent... Housenetwork were one of the first and most established, but it's up to the individual to decide if they are the best for them.

googler

OK, fair enough, you're not in their employ or otherwise acting as a marketing agent for them;

Going back to post 21, though - do you have anything to back up the assertion that things in the USA have tipped toward exclusively online 'real estate', as opposed to bricks, mortar and real live agents?

eglons

googler wrote: »

OK, fair enough, you're not in their employ or otherwise acting as a marketing agent for them;

Going back to post 21, though - do you have anything to back up the assertion that things in the USA have tipped toward exclusively online 'real estate', as opposed to bricks, mortar and real live agents?

I have worked for them doing technical stuff but I make my own decisions about the quality of my employers products (I certainly wouldn't be buying stuff from everyone I've worked for )

You've got me on the evidence thing, I've had a look around and cant back it up, it's one of those things I've been told and just absorbed as true I guess

googler

eglons wrote: »

I have worked for them doing technical stuff but I make my own decisions about the quality of my employers products (I certainly wouldn't be buying stuff from everyone I've worked for )

You've got me on the evidence thing, I've had a look around and cant back it up, it's one of those things I've been told and just absorbed as true I guess

OK, that's cool.

Respect for your second para. There's not many folk around here would take a step back in this manner.....

timmyt

OP - an internet EA has the advantage of price, as they will not usually cary out viewings. Fine for many.

They will use Rightmove which is the key forum.

Many local agents say they admit that their windows is not their main souce of business compared o rightmove, and many use the press just to keep their name out there but not to sell a house.

yes, local agents will chase a chain, but so do all the agents in the cain, and internet ones will too.

tough call, but pyscologically, bricks and mortar is seen as best, where ou can go to for a winge or problem.

i will be selling soon, and we shall use an internet one because thoese locals around us are not very good....and do not get me on using a national agent/chain. NEVER!