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Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.Purplebricks, Yopa or private
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We sold and bought privately at the same time, but when things like that happen there are usually special circumstances, including a highly desirable area and people who know each other or on a local grapevine.
For example, we tapped into staff seeking property close to a regional hospital and bought a friend's house. Even though we lost our first buyer, we got another in days.
Without the special location, we'd have struggled.0 -
I don't think I would entertain a house that was being privately sold. if you do wish to go down that path maybe look at the £100 pound estate agents, that way your property will make it onto rightmove/zoopla etc..
although i viewed a property listed by one of those £100 specials and it took over a week for them to get back to me to arrangle a viewing.
Yeah. It would be private through doorsteps so I’d still get the listing on the big sites. I get what you mean. You do worry there is something a bit uneasy when dealing with that.0 -
The house we have recently bought was sold through PB, we had no issues and the vendor also said they're pretty good. However, we went to see another property being sold through PB and it was disgusting! The house was absolutely filthy, holes in the walls, drawer fronts missing from the kitchen etc. The vendor was doing the viewings himself and had his fully grown son in the property who wouldn't leave his room which left us unable to view one of the bedrooms and the en suite. This isn't usually the kind of things you expect to happen with EA led sales and to be honest, it really put us off the property.
We sold using an actual EA and the service was great. Arranged a fixed discounted fee and told us about the properties she had coming up for sale before they went on the market. She found a potential buyer for our house before it was advertised and it ended up being sold for full home report value after less than 24 hours on the market. The EA cost us hundreds of pounds but I really doubt we would have sold our house as quickly if we'd used PB for example. Our sale went pear-shaped afterward but I can't really blame her for that
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I agree they need to charge that much to cover their bases but that doesn’t make it good value in all instances. The ones in more expensive houses subsidise the ones in less expensive houses. Plus the ones with lots of quirks versus the standard new build. I guess that’s where my bias comes in because my property is very standard, no quirks, safe searches etc.
I’m not too trusting in letting other people look after such important things as If something is going wrong id rather be at the forefront rather than dealing with a middle person. It’s probably where I differ as I assume people would prefer the reverse.
PBs average completion rate is around 30% but they get paid on 100% of instruction and still cant make a profit. PB still have to rely on investor money just to keep trading and they have a huge staff turnover because the Local Experts just cant make a decent living.
Here are some figures for you taken directly from their own website
Current Listings - 38821
FS - 20594
SSTC - 18221
3 in 10 will fall through so 5468
12759 will complete = 32.8%
They have no incentive to make sure your sale completes as they have already been paid.0 -
This question is best considered in the context of the type of property you are looking to sell and the market of the location that you are selling in. If the market is buoyant, then perhaps one of the cheaper agents is better because you will sell in any event, and its all about getting people through the door, which with plenty of buyers, wont be a problem.
If you are in a flat market then i would go with an agent who would have the same incentive as me for the property to be sold.
paying 1% plus VAT is worth it in almost all cases. The agents will probably get you more exposure and be able to get you closer to the asking price. If you go with a cheap agent, people will know you are paying less, and will probably offer you less (i would).0 -
A quality high street estate agent will often now work for 1% or less.
A good high street estate agent will most likely cover their fee's in the higher price and managing the sale properly.0 -
A case in point was the retirement bungalow we refurbished, which we wanted £146k for, so advertised at £150k.A quality high street estate agent will often now work for 1% or less.
A good high street estate agent will most likely cover their fee's in the higher price and managing the sale properly.
It took some time in a slightly special market like that, but eventually the agent rang to say they had the £146k on the table, but they could probably push it up to cover their fee. Would we like them to try that? Would we....!
Ten minutes later, they rang back to say the deal was done at £148950.
Quite apart from getting the price we were after, the agent also shielded us from direct negotiation with an 82 year old, which is something we wouldn't have relished....though she turned out to be well-loaded and ripped our several quite expensive things we'd just put in!:rotfl:0 -
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I thought Doorsteps just did the listings for you on their basic package. In short, you’re just paying to get it listed on Rightmove, etc.
Yes, and that puts it on nationwide & worldwide view of the general public, in order to publicise it to them.
How does that qualify as "private"?
Surely a private sale is one in which you find your buyer and conclude the sale without making this known to the public?0
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