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Using an online estate agent

2

Comments

  • Hmmm... someone needs to tell the chaps round our way ;) I'll get on the phone! Thanks x
  • Jhoney_2
    Jhoney_2 Posts: 1,198 Forumite
    edited 22 May 2015 at 2:00PM
    Oh wow - 1% - seems I need to get negotiating then.....thanks for your advice too. That makes a lot of sense. I'm also very tempted by the idea that they will have a 'book' of existing enquirers (perhaps I have too much faith in the sales pitches!) but I do think they will have contacts of families looking for just the type of thing we have to offer...... thanks x

    ...therefore will be looking at zoopla, RM etc and see it for sale. The local EA will not say "oh there's another house a street away that you will love - but it's not on with us, so go buy it with arkwright & co EA instead"

    That book of people ready and able to buy a house just like yours. rarely materialises in practice - although of course it could.

    To be fair, they have all the overheads so pricing may not be unjustified, but that's not my problem. The buyers are online regardless so the 'benefit to value' is minor, imo.

    When I view properties, I look at the property details etc- not the estate agent!
  • Good points!! :)
  • Surrey_EA
    Surrey_EA Posts: 2,048 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    Jhoney wrote: »
    When I view properties, I look at the property details etc- not the estate agent!

    Estate Agents don't 'sell' houses as such, I've never been able to persuade someone to buy a house they had decided wasn't right for them.

    A good EA will be able to 'sell' the idea of viewing a property that a buyer may not have considered or previously discounted for some reason.

    To a point my job stops when we get to the front door, then the house has to take over.
  • kleapatra
    kleapatra Posts: 213 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Easy answer to this - go with an online agent, if after an acceptable period it has't sold, go with one of the highstreet agents that I guarantee will write to you and offer to deduct the upfront fees you've paid from their commission. I'm with Purplebricks and so far can't fault them so I ignore the constant streams of begging letter from highstreet agents who it would seem the only difference is £2k more in fees and you get a glossy brochure printed!
    I still get a local agent to deal with through Purplebricks who answers his phone at any time of day, knows the area/market well due to having previously managed highstreet agents in the same area and does all the sales negotiations and aftersales stuff. Seems an easy decision to me...............
  • Surrey_EA
    Surrey_EA Posts: 2,048 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    kleapatra wrote: »
    I still get a local agent to deal with through Purplebricks who answers his phone at any time of day, knows the area/market well due to having previously managed highstreet agents in the same area and does all the sales negotiations and aftersales stuff. Seems an easy decision to me...............
    I suppose the local knowledge will vary considerably depending on your specific location.

    I've just been on to the Purplebricks website and searched for "my local expert" using my home postcode. The details of the chap that comes up says he covers "North Hampshire and Surrey," which is a patch that covers Basingstoke to Croydon, and everything in between. It is simply impossible to be an expert on each area over such a wide location.
  • Jhoney_2
    Jhoney_2 Posts: 1,198 Forumite
    Surrey_EA wrote: »
    Estate Agents don't 'sell' houses as such, I've never been able to persuade someone to buy a house they had decided wasn't right for them.

    A good EA will be able to 'sell' the idea of viewing a property that a buyer may not have considered or previously discounted for some reason.

    To a point my job stops when we get to the front door, then the house has to take over.

    My point is that you do not buy a house because you like the EA that the vendor is using. It's the house that counts - you get in touch via whosoever it is advertised with.

    I cannot speak for everyone, but the number of times that I have been sent/shown houses that were not appropriate simply because the house is on their books makes that benefit a bit hit and miss.

    Re your last paragraph - that's my point... it is merely a matter of access. The vendor can do viewings, answer questions (in detail?) chasing up etc and leave the rest to the online EA and then the solicitor.
  • Jhoney_2
    Jhoney_2 Posts: 1,198 Forumite
    Surrey_EA wrote: »
    I suppose the local knowledge will vary considerably depending on your specific location.

    I've just been on to the Purplebricks website and searched for "my local expert" using my home postcode. The details of the chap that comes up says he covers "North Hampshire and Surrey," which is a patch that covers Basingstoke to Croydon, and everything in between. It is simply impossible to be an expert on each area over such a wide location.

    EAs in London move around all the time too! And that includes from company to company so 'local knowledge' can be a bit hit and miss.

    Also many online EAs offer no tie in and multi agency options so read the terms as you research, as it will not be necessarily be the OEA that is forcing your hand regarding doing both online/H.St sale. The only thing I would be wary of is using their conveyancer services - in the same way as I would never use a High St EA broker.
  • Richard_Webster
    Richard_Webster Posts: 7,646 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I also believe that finding a buyer is only part of the EAs job, in fact I often consider it to be the easy bit. Navigating a successful path from offer acceptance to exchange is not always easy, and a good EA can really earn their money here.

    This is a very important point that many miss.

    Unless the agent really is local and simply works online they are not going to know the local market.

    However, much more important - are they going to check the buyer can proceed and isn't a time waster who will never sell his own place because he wants too much for it - or has no chance of getting a mortgage?
    RICHARD WEBSTER

    As a retired conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful assuming any properties concerned are in England/Wales but I accept no liability for it.
  • Jhoney_2
    Jhoney_2 Posts: 1,198 Forumite
    Well we can all speculate, but if you research them, you'll find they offer EVERYTHING required, with various optional elements.

    I'm suprised that many EA co's simply do not have any idea what choice is out there via online options and appear not to be up to speed with what their competitors are offering.
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