sandspider Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Hi all Thinking about selling our house. Had a few agents round, and they've all given the spiel about why they're the best etc. and why they charge thousands of pounds to take a few pictures, put your property on rightmove etc. and do a few viewings. They do all think the property is in a nice area and should sell quickly. Just wondering, has anyone tried the online only type agents? Considerably cheaper at £500 or so. I know you get what you pay for, and I know we'd have to do viewings, chase solicitors etc. ourselves but think it might be worth it for the savings. Has anyone tried the online only agents? Good or bad experiences? And can anyone recommend a good one? In the South West ideally, though I suppose as they're online only it matters less... Cheers, SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 A bit of advice from the Mrs, don't. You may be lucky, but she has had previous issues with clients that used on line estate agents. 20 years experience with well established estate agents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglebert Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 If you don't mind doing all the work, then the online ones can work, but don't forget, all Estate Agent fees are negotiable, they want your business, so let them fight for it, we got a very very good deal that encouraged them to get us a higher price recently, we both ended up happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 They (well the good ones) do allot more than just put a picture of your house in the window with a price on it. The customer list is matched to each property on the market, there's a fair bit of phone calls to prospective buyers negotiating sales from your property to those at the bottom of the ladder. Which I doubt on line estate agents would do. Plus go through all the legal sices of the sale in particular make sure the buyer's have the fund's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 They (well the good ones) do allot more than just put a picture of your house in the window with a price on it. The customer list is matched to each property on the market, there's a fair bit of phone calls to prospective buyers negotiating sales from your property to those at the bottom of the ladder. Which I doubt on line estate agents would do. Plus go through all the legal sices of the sale in particular make sure the buyer's have the fund's. If only my estate agent did all of the above I'm about to pay someone for taking photos, putting them on Rightmove and showing some people round. They royally messed up the communication and refused to tell me the buyers' mortgage valuer's total valuation, which was zero, due to a mortgage prerequisite not being fulfilled. I'm always the one calling or chasing them on matters. Their payment is getting witheld - let's see how quick they are to call to find out where the money is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twitchynik Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 If only my estate agent did all of the above I'm about to pay someone for taking photos, putting them on Rightmove and showing some people round. They royally messed up the communication and refused to tell me the buyers' mortgage valuer's total valuation, which was zero, due to a mortgage prerequisite not being fulfilled. I'm always the one calling or chasing them on matters. Their payment is getting witheld - let's see how quick they are to call to find out where the money is. Sounds like Bonnells by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SO3isme Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 I've not met anyone yet who has tried one of these online agencies so I can't answer the original question. I can say that when I worked in an estate agent the sales team had to work extremely hard at times to keep the sale process on track especially where there was a chain involved. Even relatively simple sales take months and need constant chasing of all the parties (esp solicitors). I like to save money as much as the next person; but unless I had nothing else to do, I would use a 'traditional' agent if I were selling my house today. The obvious caveats are that you need to choose your agent carefully and never forget that you are ultimately in charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Any one of us can become an estate agent, there is no regulation except voluntary codes of practice and a few laws to try to control the worst excesses. So you have the full spectrum from totally brilliant to dodgy beyond belief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 If only my estate agent did all of the above I'm about to pay someone for taking photos, putting them on Rightmove and showing some people round. They royally messed up the communication and refused to tell me the buyers' mortgage valuer's total valuation, which was zero, due to a mortgage prerequisite not being fulfilled. I'm always the one calling or chasing them on matters. Their payment is getting witheld - let's see how quick they are to call to find out where the money is. If you are not happy with the service they are giving / or not giving you tell them to do one, they should provide you with a service, that's why you pay them. There are plenty of estate agents that are very good, and there are a few that are run by Fly Boys that talk the talk but have just learnt to actually walk themselves, Imagine a young lad of 20 coming round to value your property thats in the 1/2 to 3/4 million price range a totally bespoke property. he comes knocking at your door with those silly pointed shoes that are 6inches longer than his feet hair all nicely gelled up into spikes, his little ipad in his hand It doesnt go down too well with the majority of sellers. If you get the idea that they dont seem to know what they are doing then they probably aren't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Put it on Facebook, there's most probably a group for people looking to buy / sell and often people night see something their friends are after and tag them too. Youd probably hit a bigger audience as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philscreens Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Estate agents by far the best people to sell your property . They are extremely hard working,honest and value for money Don't waste your time online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Estate agents by far the best people to sell your property . They are extremely hard working,honest and value for money Don't waste your time online Are you taking the **** or are you an estate Agent ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Estate agents by far the best people to sell your property . They are extremely hard working,honest and value for money Don't waste your time online What a load of old tosh . they are rip off merchants and paracites . harnser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Try it yourself harnser and you will see the difference. A good agent finds a buyer chases said buyer and their solicitor through the process and keeps you out of it. If a sale falls through they find another buyer and it starts again. At the end of it they get paid not till. Bargain hard and you will get their fee below 1% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 (edited) What a load of old tosh . they are rip off merchants and paracites . harnser. well that's an opinion, fine I am certainly not going to start squabbling over opinions. But, I am sure that my wifey would not get the thanks that she does, and a few box's of chocolates, flowers, and offers of meals, and plenty of thank you cards from both sellers and buyers of properties that she has finalized the sale of, If she was seen as a rip off merchant or a parasite That includes a few thank you's from property owners who's houses have been sold further up the chain or down at the bottom, quite often nothing moves in the chain at all unless the one goes through at the bottom. In such cases she could have dealings with all involved in the chain to complete just one sale tied to her office. Its her Job, her profession, its what she is good at Edited August 9, 2015 by Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 What a load of old tosh . they are rip off merchants and paracites . harnser. I tend to agree with you on that, I've bought 3 houses recently to rent out and had nothing but trouble...even reported one estate agent to the ombudsman for trying to make up a false offer....I use a third party now as I can't stand to speak to them...but there are good ones out there I'm sure, but I've never met one yet.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 I tend to agree with you on that, I've bought 3 houses recently to rent out and had nothing but trouble...even reported one estate agent to the ombudsman for trying to make up a false offer....I use a third party now as I can't stand to speak to them...but there are good ones out there I'm sure, but I've never met one yet.. I've never met a straight one! And I know two very well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philscreens Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 Are you taking the **** or are you an estate Agent ? Yes was taking the **** I print thousands of for sale boards per year vested interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 We are thinking of moving house in the next 2/3 years. No particular rush apart from the pressures of 1/2 acre of grass, 200yds of hedges and a 400 yo house that needs constant attention but we are thinking of doing our own web site. SWMBO has designed websites before and we have looked at enough houses on-line to know what is required. Our concern is a house that is unique: the oldest in our village, lots of very old/original features, small stream at bottom of garden etc etc. Just don't see high street agents doing it justice and cost to us £50! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuji Shooter Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I don't think agents sell houses, people buy houses. I mean its not like they try to sell to people who are not in the market is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 We are thinking of moving house in the next 2/3 years. No particular rush apart from the pressures of 1/2 acre of grass, 200yds of hedges and a 400 yo house that needs constant attention but we are thinking of doing our own web site. SWMBO has designed websites before and we have looked at enough houses on-line to know what is required. Our concern is a house that is unique: the oldest in our village, lots of very old/original features, small stream at bottom of garden etc etc. Just don't see high street agents doing it justice and cost to us £50! I wouldn't bother with your own website. It needs to be on Rightmove/zoopla and that's it. We used an upmarket national agency to sell ours recently and they admitted themselves that everything goes through Rightmove nowadays. There is little value in their specific marketing campaigns, adverts etc and they said that most of that is for their brand awareness more than specifically selling your house (so you are paying them to advertise themselves!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 The whole way houses are sold in the Uk is pretty disfunctional and estate agents are, in my experience, pretty dreadful as a bunch but the online version seems to be a whole new level of awful. I have banned my agent from accepting any offers if anyone is using an online agency having had multiple "offers" turn out to be no hoper's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Sounds like Bonnells by any chance? No, its not them..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Thanks for the input, all. As said by others, my previous experiences with estate agents have been (at best) not great - stuff made up, misunderstandings / lies told, offers not passed on accurately etc. But if the online ones are even worse I might have to bite the bullet. Perhaps the best option is to find the best local agent possible and negotiate hard. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 It's a sad state of affairs when you're paying a middle man thousands of pounds to 'handle' your sale and make sure it goes through smoothly, whilst your conveyancer is busting their balls to come to a legal agreement with the other side's solicitor, whilst wading through a mountain of paperwork, all for a fraction of what the agent gets paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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