Should I ditch the online agent and go with a highstreet agency?

inner_grace

Hi

I live in a sought after part of an area with few properties for sale available in the 25 mile radius of my postcode. I have had my house listed on rightmove for 6 weeks by an online agent and in that time I have had 1 viewing a week booked after none for the first two weeks. Admittedly I was incorrectly advised to list my house for sale at £20,000 too much as estate agents have a terrible habit of doing this to gain business. When no one came round and a house on my road that needs renovating sold I soon realised something was a miss. After further investigation I corrected the price issue. Last week a handful of houses sold and this has left me again wondering what is going on. One agent suggested i still had it listed for 5k too much but two other agents disagree and say I have it on at the right price. All the agents seem to think that one viewing a week is not enough. A house that needed alot of work doing sold last week and was getting 3 viewings a week. So I'm wondering what to do next. I am wondering whether I should wrap the current listing up and re list with a high street agent. Or maybe people are waiting to see if theres going to be another price drop? Maybe I have been swamped by the other properties as they are slightly bigger and my small 3rd bedroom is putting people off. My partner and I can't believe what has sold in relation to the lack of interest on our home. The agents think its really strange and do not have a answer either but just say they have more selling power as they have buyers registered that they can call ect. What would you do? My previous experience with a high street agent 10 years ago was awful. I ended up listing my home on zoopla and forwarding his details onto them which made me think the internet was enough to sell.

Would love to hear your experiences and thoughts.

Thanks.

Doozergirl

Any agent that isn't already marketing your house is only interested in marketing your house. They aren't there talking to you out of the goodness of their hearts.

If you have a smaller bedroom, you need to be at less than other houses.

I don't know the difference between your idea of a house that needs work, and mine.

I do believe in online agents when the house is presented correctly. High St agents are as guilty of poor marketing as anyone.

I doubt that anyone will tell you that you're getting the right number of viewings or that you need to drop the price huge amounts if they want your business - otherwise you could just drop your price with the online and be better off for not having the massive fee. They are more likely to take you on at the current asking (or £5k less ) and you end up dropping if it is too high.

If you want to save money, it can be harsh, but posting the link up here will get you some good insight, as well as some strange comments about rugs and pots of flowers.

nubbins

My attitude has changed with regards to the onliners. Slightly different but I had a house to rent and advertised for a few motnhs with Hatched for £1295. I was in no hurry but in that timeline we only had few viewings, I then decided to change to established high street EA and it went for £1400 within a few days and has gone again for that amount 6 months later. I would try an onliner if selling a property but with no upfront payment I suspect I would end up doing the same as above after a few months. If I was you I would be looking who had sold the recent properties and giving one of them a try but with a contract and commission rate that suited you,