Is there a simple method of obtaining a list of properties for sale in an area?

cepheus

What sort of proportion of houses currently for sale can be found on the Internet via Zoopla, Rightmove or even the agents own site without contacting each estate agent separately?

A lot of houses up for sale in my area are not advertised on these sites and the main estate agents in the area don't seem to have it on their own site. Perhaps they do if you register? Are those advertised in the local papers just a small selection?

I would have expected widespread dissemination on the Internet was a must considering the rates these agents charge.

Pixie5740

It depends where you are looking. I live in Aberdeen so most properties are advertised on ASPC rather than Right Move or Zoopla.

AlexMac

I'd assumed most decent agents put almost all their property on the websites, as round here, they all say they do. And, for example, if I check 'for sale' in my area 'up to £500k' 169 results come up onZoopla and 170 on Rightmove so that seems to correlate...

but....
It also helps to get on the right side of any agents who cover your target area and price niche, as some properties never make it to the websites; case in point, our flat sold (admittedly in a popular London area) in three days to someone who was already registered with one of the three agents valuing and quoting (and way above the top price quoted by others).

So while the other EAs were thinking about confirming in writing, writing descriptions, planning to place adverts or put it on the websites; he just sold it without any of that malarkey; but it was a sellers market, and the buyer was in a very strong position, having already accepted an offer on their place locally.

So butter up the EAs and let 'em know what a strong prospect you are.

It takes a week or more to place ads in the papers so this is a fairly limited selection. The websites even seem to include some auction props these days

AdrianC

IME, Zoopla's definitely not as popular as RightMove. No estate agent's shown me anything that's not been on RM - or about to be added to it.

Rental's a different kettle of fish - but sale, RM is as near to authoritative as you're going to get.

Annie1960

Where do you live?

Here in the south everything is on Rightmove. No need to look anywhere else, but it's good to call in person to each EA's office to let them know what you're looking of so you get a call before it goes on the market.

cepheus

I'm in the South East so I must not be looking closely enough, using the filter on Rightmove correctly or the agents have entered the house details incorrectly. Perhaps the 'For Sale' sign outside the house needs to be removed?

I'm interested in finding the prices or several similar properties to my own since I may sell shortly. I can only find about half of the houses with for sale notices on Rightmove or Zoopla, both seem to cover and miss the same ones.

Eejay

If you know the postcode of the property, you should be able to find it. There was a house we couldn't find, but it's because it wasn't listed with the right number of bedrooms - it would only show up if you had no 'minimum' set.

You could also choose the option to see those that are under offer/sold STC if you haven't already.

verulamium

Some vendors don't want their homes to be listed on RM or even the EA's website for whatever reasons. A house on our street went on sale several weeks ago. It went to STC after a week (there is an EA sign outside) but curiously, isn't listed on both the EA's and RM website.

That, and the fact that some houses tend to go on sale a few days earlier before it appears on RM, it is still worth contacting EAs to see what they have on their books.

jamesperrett

The house next to us was on the market for 2 weeks before it appeared on Rightmove. I wondered if the agent was trying to avoid Rightmove's fees and sell it to someone they already had on their list?

aniahill

One of my colleagues and I were talking property and he said he wished he knew earlier to register with estate agents - I said "but you could just look on RM or Z" and he said that if they know you're accepting an offer on your home and ready to go, they put you on a shortlist of people they contact when something of interest comes in so they don't have to bother putting it on the website...

It was something I'd not considered before

Running_Horse

In answer to the opening question - no. If there was some alternative list there would be no need for Rightmove.

We sold our house during the last peak in 2007 following a morning of viewings by pre-registered clients of the EA. Not sure it ever went on RM.