Traditional high street estate agents are taking a hit from online estate agents – and for many reasons. Both buyers and sellers of property are looking to online methods more and more to list and buy their homes.
The move to online is symptomatic of today’s hectic lifestyles, the prevalence of smartphones and cross-platform advertising and user interfaces in our lives.
But is selling your home online any better than the traditional route? This post makes a comparison between high street and online property agents.
Selling Quickly
If time is your priority it really makes sense to sell with an online property agent, as they not only offer more convenient contact hours, but the vast majority of online agents have a proven track record for faster sales with lower financial outlay. Consultations are performed on the basis of information given by you.
Agent Fees
Because of the business model of online property agents, they, unlike traditional estate agents are able to offer you flat rate fees for selling your property. This way can often save you a tidy sum. Money in your pocket instead of the agent’s is what every buyer wants from a sale.
Traditional agents will charge you a percentage of the sale price of your house, which more often than not is a significant amount that is ideally avoided. It may seem like a meagre sum of 1-2%, but with a house of higher value, this can diminish the earnings you stand to gain with other selling options.
Viewings and Admin
Again, the business model of online agents allows for much more flexibility on your part. Services provided by House Network include lots of time saving options for home sellers, including the organisation of viewings, collation of documents and liaison with relevant legal parties.
Another benefit of going with an online agency to sell your house is that they are experts in the digital field and can make sure your home is displayed online to all the right people, which means a quicker sale for you and a better experience.
Valuation
Online valuations may seem on the face of it to be a risk if you’re looking to sell your home. However, the accuracy of valuations online is validated by a superior system of algorithms, data collation from local authorities and years of expertise.
Overall, the benefits of selling your home with an online property agent really work for those who want flexibility, a quick sale and low hassle.
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Interesting read as we are just thinking of putting our home on the market. I might just do a little experiment and put those algorithms to the test to see how the online valuation compares with one from a traditional estate agent.