housenetwork - a review

Hoof_Hearted

The angst of the traditional estate agent is understandable as a better and cheaper model of house selling gains ground. It's a money saving website and during a house move EA fees are often the biggest expense.

Davesnave

Windsorcastle wrote: »

Before all the rabid, bitter high street EAs come on here to accuse me of being a HN employee, I'm not.

You have a decent quantity of posts to your name, so presumably you understand what MSE Forums are for by now and how they work.

So, why would anyone want to cast aspersions on your motives for posting a positive review?

Genuine question.

googler

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

... during a house move EA fees are often the biggest expense.

Largely due to the fact that the EAs do the most unpaid work out of anyone involved in the transaction (i.e. solicitors, surveyors, mortgage advisors etc.), surely?

Or are you suggesting that the solicitors, surveyors, etc. are deserving of more pay than the EAs?

safsnowball

MisterEE wrote: »

Hi,

I'm looking for some input from a customer of House Network. My house is in need of renovation but I’d like to put it on the market now in the hope that someone who can appreciate the potential of the house will buy it. In the mean time, I plan to slowly redecorate the house, which means photos will become dated. Does House Network allow you to upload/update the photos of your home?

This is perhaps my only blocker to giving House Network a try, since my local estate agents didn’t show much desire to sell it.

Yes you have control over your online advert and can upload new photos, delete ones you don't like etc

Windsorcastle

Davesnave wrote: »

You have a decent quantity of posts to your name, so presumably you understand what MSE Forums are for by now and how they work.

So, why would anyone want to cast aspersions on your motives for posting a positive review?

Genuine question.

Hi Dave, simply because every time someone posts a positive view of House Network here, a couple of people, clearly with an axe to grind, post snide responses to undermine them by insinuating they are on the payroll! So I just want to emphasise I am a genuine punter, I think they are miles better than any high street agent I've ever used before, and I'm not trying to make a fast buck for myself. That's all ...

googler

Windsorcastle wrote: »

Hi Dave, simply because every time someone posts a positive view of House Network here, a couple of people, clearly with an axe to grind, post snide responses to undermine them by insinuating they are on the payroll!

Didn't say they were on the payroll, said they're posting for personal gain, i.e. someone quotes their code, they get a backhander from HN. There's a difference.

If they were long-term posters, nothing would be said, but when a string of two, three, maybe more, all happen along and it's the first time they've visited this forum ...... and they're likely being prompted to come here by HN, else why would they happen to find this forum in particular?

Davesnave

Windsorcastle wrote: »

Hi Dave, simply because every time someone posts a positive view of House Network here, a couple of people, clearly with an axe to grind, post snide responses ..

Not every time. Usually it happens when someone with zero previous posts comes here, praises HN to the skies and departs, having added their 'Discount Code' in the hope of a backhander.

That's a complete negation of what this site stands for.

Not surprisingly, a couple of posts like that were removed this week. To be honest, they did HN no favours either.

Windsorcastle

Davesnave wrote: »

Not every time. Usually it happens when someone with zero previous posts comes here, praises HN to the skies and departs, having added their 'Discount Code' in the hope of a backhander.

That's a complete negation of what this site stands for.

Not surprisingly, a couple of posts like that were removed this week. To be honest, they did HN no favours either.

Fair enough Dave, if that is what's been happening. I have only dipped in and out of this thread as it is now running to over 400 posts, but I felt sorry for people who were being shot down for recommedning HN. Maybe I'm not cynical enough yet to have spotted all the suspicious first-time posters you refer to. However, I have the impression HN is not that over-staffed that they have people who have the spare time or inclination to come on MSE specifically for that purpose! I think they are a fairly small operation but I could be wrong...

Mathmotaz

Hi all,

I posted a week or so ago with my initial impressions of HN, but I see it has been removed as it was my first post and I quoted my discount code. I can understand that, so I won't give my code again. Just want to add my experience to the forum to help others who, like I was, are wary of using an online HN.

The gist is that we have found them to be great. The photos the took are off a very high quality (tried to post a link but can't, if you want to see them search on Rightmove for a 1 bed flat on Anne street, york, for 130k - 140k which is under offer), and they made a floorplan which is more than what other local EAs do. The listing went live on Rightmove etc less than 24hrs after the photos were taken, we had two viewings that same day and had an offer by the next morning. So, can't complain at all, and would definitely recommend them as they are so cheap. Going to try their conveyancing too, will report back on how that goes.

M

Davesnave

Mathmotaz wrote: »

Hi all,

I posted a week or so ago with my initial impressions of HN, but I see it has been removed as it was my first post and I quoted my discount code.
M

This post won't be removed by the mods, especially as you've given detail which enables others to ID the property.

Sorry the earlier one was removed, but you now understand that people can't tell real from fake with no details or track record.

Any newbie can post details on this thread and we'll put up the link, but you're one of the first to actually do so:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40352764.html

Looking at the Rightmove ad, I'd say they did a good job for you (though I'd have removed the dustbin in Pic 1!) You're right, a floor plan isn't always standard fare from some EAs, which it certainly ought to be.

Hope the sale goes ahead problem free, and please return to report on the conveyancing in due course.