House Selling - Money Saving Tips

AuntyJean

My husband & I have been separated for 8 years and he now wants a divorce so we are selling the matrimonial home.

As he lives there and he wants the divorce I let him instruct the estate agent (Taylors) who said they will charge 1.85% (we live in Bristol and the house is not worth more than £130,000).

At what stage are we committed to paying this estate agent? What if I instruct my own estate agent, will we then be committed to multiple agents fees (sorry but I've never sold a house before). What would be the costs if we withdrew the estate agent and sold privately?

Please could someone also guide me on solicitors fees. Do we use the estage agents recommended or find our own? What sort of costs should we expect to pay? How much do we really need them to do? (We are doing the DIY divorce).

mossy

Thanks for this post its great. I used to work as a legal secretary in conveyancing years ago so I know the system a bit paticularly the legal side of it. We brought our house years ago and didn't go through an estate agents as we brought it from some friends of ours. I am hoping to put our house on the market as soon as possible I just have some touching up to do to it first to get it as ready as possible as I'd like a quick sale.

I have been watching the market over the last few months and have begun looking at local agents, what there website presence is, what their properties look like in the newspaper etc etc. Once its ready I am going to mystery shop a couple of my favourites and then invite some of them to do the valuation. I have been trying to work out what would be a good way to approach lowering fees and so this thread has really helped

Aunty Jean you'll need to look at your paperwork and see what your tie-ins etc are as there may well be charges etc incurred by you depending on what your actions are. One of the potentially easiest ways to move forward is to remove your property from the market for the lenght of the tiein time and then start again with new agents with a negotiated fee of course However depending on what your contract with taylors is you may be liable to pay a fee if you remove your property from the market so you best bet is to either read through the paperwork or contact them. HTH

jap1_2

Why sell through an agent anyway? I've tried with some success to sell a property privatley in order to save on agent fees and speed up the whole process. I've been using yoocan.com since it is currently free and you receive quite a good package:full page advert with yoocan.com, advertsiment on propertfinder.co.uk, and a free For Sale board. I've been using the following forum to chart my progress.http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=66614

traceybem

Thanks Marcus!! You have certainly enlightened me! I have been trying to sell my property through an estate agent for the past 6 months in Leicester without success, and now you have given me something to think about! Thank you thank you thank you richly!!

Tracey Bempah, Leicester

scottishterrier

I see this thread seems to have considerably slowed and am just about to sell a property for the first time (inherited). As the market is different from when the thread started i.e. now buyers' rather than sellers' market would anyone make any changes to the information previously posted? My mind is buzzing having gone through the whole lot but for instance can sellers still negotiate estate agents fees to bring them down? Thanks. Hazel

gazm41

I am loking into selling my house, however, the estate agents we have had round so far want between 1.5-2%. Our valuations have been between £82,000 - £86,500.

I noticed that most properties discussed on this thread are of much higher value so sould I still be looking to get an agent down to 1% even with a low value property? Or should I try to get a set price?

gorilla

I have had quotes from EA's on £100k house and they are looking at 1% + vat, but one has said he would drop to .85% + vat. I think it generally depends on the current market situation and whether or not there are new agencies opening up. Why not say one agent, who you like is offering 1.5 and see if any of the others will beat that prce?

scott2000_2

Hi, Everyone this is my first posting.

Basically I need info on how to with deal an agent who doesn't seem to be pushing a property. We are considering selling it ourselves.

I just need a few questions answered;

1) How long should the tie/lock in period last? On the Sole Agency Agreement we have it is 12 weeks.Is this legal as from what I have read in this thread 8 weeks is the maximum?
2) I we do sell privately whilst the SAR is still running are we in any way liable for the 1% commision from the agent? I have read in this thread that because we are selling privately rather than through another agent we won't be.However are there any 'loopholes' where the agent can claim 1% even if we sell privately?

HOPE YOU CAN HELP!

ruth_3

I have been trying to sell my house for the last 3 months and i am having a nightmare with the estate agents. During the first 4 weeks my property was incorrectly quoted in the estate agents window in the local paper the schedules were delayed, staff shortages need I go on!!!! i know the market has really slowed down at the moment which does not help i am also in one of the most desirable estates in my area and my house is not selling. i got 2 other estate agents out for valuations and the are at both ends of the scale I am really confused do I stay with my current estate agent or is it follish to switch at this stage what would your advice be?

eglons

On the issue of selling your house without using a "bricks and mortar" agents can I just refer people to this message I've just left, I'd say we should be added to the original article to provide a low cost private sales alternative http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1246488#post1246488