What is it with the 'Sticks' when it comes to online property?

John_M_Business

We're selling our maisonette in London and moving out of town, but are currenty incredibly frustrated as it seems that Estate Agents (and private vendors for that matter) haven't got a clue about how to market a property online. This makes our search for the next move arduous as it means we have to visit these places and 'door-hop' all the agents to really find out what's on the market at the moment.

If you go to Right Move or Find a Property or similar and look at properties in London, about 80% of the time you'll have a proper full DESCRIPTION, at least 3 good quality PHOTOGRAPHS and a FLOORPLAN too (although the private vendors often don't).

If you look outside of London (for example Hampshire), 80% of the time you get an incomplete or inconsistent DESCRIPTION, terrible PHOTOGRAPHS (if any at all) and no FLOORPLAN.

Why is this so beyond them? Surely they want to market / sell their properties online?

dougk_2

Surely key to buying a home "in the sticks" is knowing the area. This can only really be done by paying a visit.

After looking at lots of houses in North Hampshire / Berkshire over the last year my advice is ignore EA's to start with and just drive around the areas you are interested in and looking out for Sale signs. Though you will miss those that don't have signs, you will not waste so much time overall looking at houses that don't match the description EA's give.

I lost count how many houses seemed nice by the particulars, only to be in horrid locations or have other problems when they were viewed.

Take a weekend away and just drive around!

John_M_Business

We know where we want to live - but are too busy to spend days meandering around streets of a town we are familiar with just to see whether agents have been bothered to put up signs.

It's just laziness, really (on the part of Estate Agents).

cattie

Yes I too found it very frustrating when trying to search online for a property outside of London to only find the bare essentials of a house listed. Quite often there were no room sizes quoted, which is surely the first thing a buyer is interested in. Plus there were hardly ever any internal pictures, whereas a virtual tour would have been very welcome to at least show what era the kitchen & bathroom came out of.

flea72

its prob because most people who live in the sticks, tend to just use the details to find out what road a house is located on and how many rooms it has

you then make a viewing based on that, so you can see what the decor, etc. is like

and what with very few places in the sticks having broadband access, online pics, take ages to load and are therefore a pita

if you live in an area, you tend to be able to know what the houses are like - perhaps your prob is you are looking in areas, you have little knowledge of, and therefore need more info, than other people would, to make a decision whether to take the time to travel and have proper viewings

its much easier just to go on EA mailing lists and let them post you all the details - as its a quick and easy way to compare properties from various agents

bridiej

Not sure about the broadband thing, we live in the sticks in kent (no mains sewers, no gas!) but have had broadband for about 12 months now. I'd have thought most estate agencies have access to broadband as most are in the larger towns, although I know one or two in smaller villages so may not have access.

flea72

no, the agencies most prob have BB being in the towns, but people living in the sticks dont tend to have it, so wouldnt want to look at the pics, as they would take too long to load - so theres no need for the EA to take more than one pic of the house exterior and maybe of the garden

the only time you want to see interior shots, is when you want to have a trunk at a neighbours house lol

TheDink

I've just been looking for a house in Devon and have done all of my searching on line, without any problem what so ever. Many of the websites have multiple pictures, floorplans and in some cases virtual tours.

If there's a property on Right Move that might or might not be of interest, try the actual estate agents' website as the next port of call. They often have more pictures and details on there than they pass to Right Move (or similar websites).

garysletters

I've found that a lot of estate agents dont advise you of new suitable properties even if you register with them.
I registered my details with about 8 agents around an area I wanted to find property. I gave quite specific details of what I wanted. Only one agent has ever got back to me with leads (lots of them).
I have also since found out that other agents have had properties matching my criteria on their books. I've missed out. I live over 200 miles from this area so cant keep checking regularly. You rely on them doing their job.

lush_walrus

I think the main reason that agents in London draw up things such as floor plans where as non London agents dont it due to profits...

Just think, how much you are paying for your agents in comparison to how much the average agent out of London receives in commission per property.

Most London agents also work under very competitive circumstances, where as rural agents also have less competition.

I personally wouldnt decide on whether I viewed a property in accordance to a floor plan, at least it would be further down my list.

When I am choosing my propertys I choose in the order of.

A) Area / location
Appearance externally
C) Room sizes

That generally gives me enough information to deside whether it is worth a trip or not.

Also, although I can appreciate that London agents may update their internet faster than rural agents, the best way to find what you are looking for remains to make it very clear what you are looking for and build a personal relationship with agents who are in the area you wish to buy.

I with my partner own a few agents, and like it or not I know how our staff work, if they like you or understand what you are looking for and you pop into their mind when a new property comes up then you will be the first people called. Prior to anything else, putting things on the internet, window, advertising all take up time, where as a phone call immediately when the house comes up for sale takes no time.

Simple really, as with everything people are between you and you getting what you want, get to the people and your chance of finding what you want can only get easier and easier!!!!

lush_walrus

garysletters wrote:

I've found that a lot of estate agents dont advise you of new suitable properties even if you register with them.
I registered my details with about 8 agents around an area I wanted to find property. I gave quite specific details of what I wanted. Only one agent has ever got back to me with leads (lots of them).
I have also since found out that other agents have had properties matching my criteria on their books. I've missed out. I live over 200 miles from this area so cant keep checking regularly. You rely on them doing their job.

Im sure the agents are doing there job, but bare in mind the market as it is there are many many buyers around and still in lots of areas not as many properties. Some price ranges there can be 100 or more applicants, they may well start calling around, but as I said above, they will always call the people who they know are serious buyers first, and may never get to you.

Call them often even if you are out of the area and put yourself to the front of their mind!