Traditional Estate Agent or Online

cookie666

I'm looking to sell my property and had 1 estate agent so far (20 weeks, 4 viewings, no offers) so looking to change and can't decide if I should go down the Purple Brinks route and save £8K or use a normal estate agent (all seem to charge 1.5% around here). 
Do most buyers use Right Move/Zoopla etc or do estate agents warrant their high fees?   

Doozergirl

Most people use the portals. 

BUT I suspect that more sales fall through with online agents because there's no one really pushing the sale with good experience, persuasion and the drive of commission.  

I think a good agent is worth their money. 

1.5% is a lot. 

My own experience of trying to book viewings through Purple Bricks was a nightmare, especially being 100 miles away.  I just stopped looking at their houses.  I'd have had to have been desperate. 

Dellgrad12

I think it really depends on two things. How easy your house is to sell and how much work you are happy to undertake yourself.

At the end of the day the online agents are cheaper for a reason, so don’t expect to receive the same service as a high street agent because you will be disappointed.

We went with an online (Yopa) and haven’t regretted it. They charged £800 versus the £4K and above quoted from traditional agents so it was a no brainer. Having said that we were happy to do the viewings and push the solicitors etc to keep things moving. Our agent was still there though and did still help move things along.

One caveat is - don’t use the agents solicitors. Find your own good, local firm. There are lots of horror stories about the agents in house solicitors.

hazyjo

This comes up a lot.

General consensus is to use a local EA. Many don't like PB and refuse to view or buy through them.

1.5% is high. This figure is usually negotiable. I wouldn't be paying more than 1%. Make sure you also negotiate on term. You don't want to be tied in for more than 8 ish weeks.

cookie666

Cheers everyone, some great input.

ElizabethRose

Are you sure the estate agent is the problem and not the price?

cookie666

The estate agent we had gave no feedback, very frustrating, he advised the price and properties in the area have sold for similar prices.

Thrugelmir

cookie666 said:

The estate agent we had gave no feedback, very frustrating, he advised the price and properties in the area have sold for similar prices.

Then you need to ring the agent and have a discussion. They cannot read your mind. Time to reduce the price to generate interest. Though hardly surprising been quiet due to lockdown/winter months. 

Mahsroh

Worth shopping around the “traditional” estate agents too. I had 3 quotes recently to sell a house marketed at £150k. One at £3k, one at £2.5k and one at £1.5k. The two more expensive ones were well known national companies, the latter slightly more regional. They’ve also sold my parents house in recent years and they spoke highly of them, so I went with them. Don’t assume because one is quoting you £8k that they’ll all be the same ballpark. 

juliedee4663

Having viewed, offered on and eventually lost a property that was marketed by Purple Bricks I would seriously have to love a house before I viewed another one marketed by them. It was a hassle from start to finish, and once the offer is made they expect seller and vendor to communicate between themselves which I wasn't comfortable with to be honest.

AdrianC

£8k difference between PB and a trad EA would put your property as being very expensive - ~£600k+...?

So if an EA can get an additional £10k out of a buyer... or get you a sale quicker...