Buyers opting for internet property agents
UK property owners seeking to sell on a budget are saving thousands of pounds on estate agent fees by using the Internet in a trend that moves away from traditional High Street agents, it is claimed.
According to House Network the UK’s largest branch free estate agency, it has saved clients over £13 million in traditional estate agency fees in England and Wales since is started six years ago.
‘The fact that we no longer operate an expensive high street branch service means that we can cut our commission fees significantly and pass that saving onto the client,’ said Graham Lock of House Network.
‘People are genuinely beginning to gain confidence in using a hybrid estate agency and there is a steady realisation that having a high street presence is perhaps not what it used to be, particularly with the emergence of the online portals decorating most high street doors and windows in this ever-changing market place,’ he added.
Client Shauna Wyldeck-Estrada, who saved £7,425 (based on 1.5% agent commission), said she believes that buying and selling has been changed fore ever by the Internet. ‘From the beginning it was a painless process; we were able to put up our own photos without any problem. We have used House Network as an estate agent and as the solicitors in the selling of our property and the buying our new property. They do everything but show people round your house. This is definitely the future in house buying/selling,’ she said.
‘We put our house on the market on the Saturday 4th September. The photographer came round the day before and took some excellent shots, over 30 of them. Our website was created within 24 hours and we had a viewer by the Monday. The whole experience was great. That viewer put an offer in a week later which we have accepted, we couldn’t believe we sold our home in a week,’ said Ian Fench who saved £3,525.
‘Not only did they save us a lot of money, but they were better and more efficient than any high street estate agent I have used,’ he added.
It was amore comfortable experience for Michael and Jean Harvey. ‘We have previously had a property on the market and frankly I was upset at the way the agent would come in with a viewer, and my wife and I were pretty much ignored,’ said Michael.
‘With House Network we met each prospective purchaser, could chat to them and tell them a bit about us and the house, and then leave them to it. I felt more comfortable meeting the viewers personally. And we saved money. People we know who have sold houses were staggered when we compared costs of selling,’ he added.