Estate agent fees - advice for first time seller

googler

Let's start with the capital, that's logical enough;

RM has approx 1300 pre-owned homes listed in Edinburgh - but a cursory glance at the first few pages of this search result shows a good number of these to be builder's developments, so let's say around 1250 genuine pre-owned homes on their site for an unrefined, approximate figure.

The local SPC has over 2600 listings on their portal. There's a number of EAs that operate outwith the SPC, I haven't counted those yet, their numbers would increase this total to above 2600.

Therefore - for the capital city, Rightmove has less than 50% of the available properties, before you factor in the other EAs.

You may have determined from your cursory glance that some agents use RM, but have you actually counted the available properties in any locale....?

Looking at another Scottish-specific property portal, they have 2060 listings in Edinburgh. Again, lower than the total available, but almost double what RM have.

Conclusion - Rightmove is not the dominant portal for the capital of Scotland, at least.

googler

Skinto_7 wrote: »

Im suprised at that stat googler, im in Scotand and just about to put my property on the market and wouldnt dream of doing it with an agent, no matter how good they were in other areas, who didnt advertise it on Right Move.

Generally speaking, where are you? City? Rural? Highlands?

googler

Rudess wrote: »

It's not lying, it's manipulating and that's exactly what EAs are doing, so why not do the same? You should want to save yourself money, not to finance the EA who make enough money.

Scarcely a month goes by here without someone claiming that an EA they've dealt with has made up a fictitious 'other offer' to get them to increase theirs.

If the general view is that it's wrong to do this (as it most definitely is), then surely it's also wrong for the public to make up fictitious competing rates to get the EA to reduce theirs?

googler

The local SPC in Aberdeen has over 1500 listings for the 'city and suburbs'

Again, there's agents outwith the SPC to add to that total.

Rightmove has only 9 properties listed in the city, some of which are commercial property.

Conclusion; Rightmove is not the dominant portal for Aberdeen. Not even close.

We could work our way through the other cities, but....

DreamweaverB

googler wrote: »

Conclusion; Rightmove is not the dominant portal for Aberdeen. Not even close.

Fair enough, so Rightmove is only dominant for around 90% of the UK property market then. However in the context of this thread Rightmove is but one portal that House Network uses, they also advertise your property on Findaproperty, Primelocation, Zoopla and others.

There's no getting away from the fact that for the vast majority of people an online EA will sell your house for a fraction of what a High Street EA will charge.

googler

DreamweaverB wrote: »

Fair enough, so Rightmove is only dominant for around 90% of the UK property market then.

How do you arrive at the conclusion that the Scottish housing market forms 10% of the UK market?

By value? By number of sales? Or by plucking a figure out of the air...?

DreamweaverB

googler wrote: »

How do you arrive at the conclusion that the Scottish housing market forms 10% of the UK market?

Using the number of reported sales. For the last quarter of 2011 the figures were something like 20,000 for Scotland and 173,000 for England although I can't find the site I got those figures from right now.

Did you think the Scottish housing market was considerably more than 10%?

googler

I had no percentage in mind, you're obviously better-read on those stats than me....

geoffky

Googler..are you a estate agent.?

Helen36

Thanks, everyone, for all the replies.

I did go with the estate agent with their fees, based on the fact that:
1. I know that I could do it far cheaper myself or on line, but, without wanting to give personal details, my home circumstances are about to change dramatically and I'm not going to be able to commit the time to doing it properly;
2. I agreed with the comment about it being better to pay more than have the property sit on the market at a lower %. I've looked at the marketing of the competitors and this (main high street) estate agent is considerably better than the others;
3. I couldn't lie about being offered a better rate by a competitor as I'm a useless liar! Also, if I want them to be able to trust them, then I think they should trust me;
4. The marketing fee is for premium on-line advertising, and I get it back if I use their conveyancer, which I'm happy to do.

Hoping I've made the right decision!

Helen