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Who has sold a property using an online estate agent?
Comments
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Are you suggesting it's a bad thing to have those job roles done by different people?
Yes, I am.
I think if someone phones up and asks something about the property and/or the area, it's better to have someone at the end of the phone who either has actually been to the property, or, if that's not achievable, then at least someone who is actually in the same area, who knows something about the town or county from being there - not someone merely reading it off the screen, based on what the visiting valuer noticed when he was there ...0 -
There is nothing to stop anyone advertising their own property on the internet is there or anywhere else for that matter?
We are on with a high street estate agent why? Because they sell the most properties in this area and there are plenty of agents to choose from, ours are not a national firm, they are local and they know the area very well. They always vet the purchasers and give you plenty of information on them before they view. Plus they always phone the next day for feed back and phone to let you know what's been said. We have had 4 viewings in 2 weeks so not bad and one 2nd viewing and hopeful of an offer tomorrow. The bottom line is they SELL properties and that's how they make their money and still have branches and offices on the high street locally.
I also think a lot of people actually prefer to negotiate through a 3rd party, it stops it getting too personal. Plus I like the idea that if and when we sell I can pop just up the road and into the agents and the solicitors next door quickly and easily for signing anything, last minute papers etc.
They have been professional so far, asking us about building regs etc. I know all the girls in the office by name and if they get us a good price then it will be worth the 1.25% fee.
I wouldn't rule out trying an online one though if this doesn't work.The most wasted day is one in which we have not laughed.0 -
Yes, I am.
I think if someone phones up and asks something about the property and/or the area, it's better to have someone at the end of the phone who either has actually been to the property, or, if that's not achievable, then at least someone who is actually in the same area, who knows something about the town or county from being there - not someone merely reading it off the screen, based on what the visiting valuer noticed when he was there ...
In theory, yes it would be lovely to be able to phone someone who had intimate personal knowledge of the house and the area, and who would give honest impartial advice.
But let's face it, that doesn't happen anyway with high street EAs.
Even the few who have the detailed factual knowledge aren't going to speak impartially; they will talk up the positives and ignore the negatives. They're hardly going to say "I know the area well and it's a bit rough, plus the crime rate has recently increased on that road", are they?!
Faced with the choice as a buyer, I'd rather be read facts off a screen from someone who isn't on commission then go and do my own independent research on the house and the area (which includes starting a thread about it on MSE - I got some brilliant advice recently from several people on here about an area I didn't know. Priceless compared to anything an EA would ever tell me).0 -
I don't trust ANY agent, online or high street. I think it's all a con. There are many reasons why estate agents have such an unsavoury reputation.
You think any type of agent who tries to make their living from selling other folk's houses for them is 'conning' them?
Why?
Why is this any different from any other service industry?0 -
mysterywoman10 wrote: »There is nothing to stop anyone advertising their own property on the internet is there or anywhere else for that matter?
Nothing stopping them, but the difficulty is getting the property somewhere where it will be seen by enough people. The portals such as Rightmove, Primelocation et al accept listings only from EAs.
The individual owner could set up their own website, put it on Gumtree, eBay, Craigslist, or any of the self-selling sites, but how many would look there?
The flipside to the owner advertising and selling their own property is that the buyer is left with no consumer protection. The Properties Misdescriptions Act, Consumer Protection Regulations, Estate Agency Act, etc. do not cover private sales. The reason the portals only accept ads from EAs is that the EAs are expected to abide by all this, essentially so that the portal won't get sued by irate buyers who find that the properties they bought don't match the description on the portal.0 -
mysterywoman10 wrote: »I also think a lot of people actually prefer to negotiate through a 3rd party, it stops it getting too personal.
That's what solicitors are for. Don't need an agent on top of that.0 -
Nothing stopping them, but the difficulty is getting the property somewhere where it will be seen by enough people. The portals such as Rightmove, Primelocation et al accept listings only from EAs.
The individual owner could set up their own website, put it on Gumtree, eBay, Craigslist, or any of the self-selling sites, but how many would look there?
The flipside to the owner advertising and selling their own property is that the buyer is left with no consumer protection. The Properties Misdescriptions Act, Consumer Protection Regulations, Estate Agency Act, etc. do not cover private sales. The reason the portals only accept ads from EAs is that the EAs are expected to abide by all this, essentially so that the portal won't get sued by irate buyers who find that the properties they bought don't match the description on the portal.
Really? So what does this mean then? (From official EA literature)
"Whilst care has been exercised in the preparation of these particulars, statements about the property must not be relied upon as representations or statements of fact. Prospective purchasers must make and rely upon their own enquiries and those of their professional representatives. The company accept no liability for any error contained in these particulars".
So, what the fark are the EAs doing again? You're making out that they underwrite the misdescriptions act but all you do, you excuse for a human being, is say you can't even be held liable for misdescriptions!!
The reason Rightmove only let EAs advertise is that EAs have the monopoly and if they opened it up to anybody, jumped up little men like you would pull your properties off the website and transfer to primelocation. But at some point - mark my words - in the next few years, rightmove, or a site like it, will democratise house selling in the major databases and totally come to dominate. The same way airbnb is putting travel agents out of business, you are going the same way. But hey it's fine. It might produce a crisis enough for you to go and actually get some A levels...0 -
That's what solicitors are for. Don't need an agent on top of that.
Solicitors don't leave their offices. How would they handle negotiations if a buyer made an offer at a viewing?
Even when solicitor firms double as estate agencies, as many in Scotland do, the solicitors and paralegals handle the legal work in the office, and a selection of administrators function as the 'property department', effectively an estate agency within the firm.0 -
... all you do, you excuse for a human being ...
...if they opened it up to anybody, jumped up little men like you would ...
... might produce a crisis enough for you to go and actually get some A levels...
At first I thought you might be open to intelligent discourse on the topic, but it seems that all you're good for is petty insults.
Go insult your own family, or your own workmates, and see how well they take it.lessonlearned wrote: »Yep - bitter and twisted all right. And rude into the bargain.0 -
At first I thought you might be open to intelligent discourse on the topic, but it seems that all you're good for is petty insults.
Go insult your own family, or your own workmates, and see how well they take it.
Googler - this is why I stopped posting replies to the OP.
After 30 years in the business, like you, I could have given Lit Up some very valuable insider tips and advice as to how to market the property.
I would have done it for free, just like I have done for other posters on these boards.
However, Lit Up plainly knows it all and clearly doesn't need our help.
;) 0
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