26th March 2018
When thinking about moving house, 98% of us turn to online property portals such as Rightmove and onthemarket.com. How we buy and sell homes is changing, with a new breed of ‘online only estate agents’. But what does this option actually entail, and what benefit do they offer?
Online only estate agents claim to lower overheads to sell your home for less. Most charge a fixed fee, and will list your property on the main online portals. It might sound positive but there are some serious issues to consider.
The online only agent’s fixed fee will have to be paid - whether you sell the property or not. And in many cases, upfront. So if they don’t sell the property, you’ll be left out of pocket.
Some simply offer to list your property, others will organise viewings. If you don’t check what you actually get, you might end up paying more for the services you want. For example, you might have to organise viewings yourself. Are you comfortable showing strangers around your home?
Online only estate agents don’t have a database of clients - so they can only be reactive. They will simply wait for enquiries to come in, because they aren’t actively searching. Full service estate agents are proactively looking to find you a buyer - as well as negotiating with the buyer directly. Unless you pay extra for the service, with online only estate agents you’ll have to do the negotiations.
Full Service Estate Agents still have online services, but they also offer a lot more. From branches on the high street that you can visit to phone calls and emails, Full Service offers it all - with an online presence still very much a main component.
Trust and peace of mind are invaluable. Experienced Full Service Estate Agents offer professional guidance and support throughout the process. They also are on-hand to chase and negotiate on your behalf. Plus, they’re already proactively marketing to buyers in your area. They’ll have much better knowledge of the local market.
If you think a Full Service Estate Agent is the way for you, explore how Maslen Estate Agents can help. With one of the highest completion rates in Brighton & Hove, we’re dedicated to finding the right home for you.