Whether you’re planning on buying or selling a home, it’s likely you’re considering using the services of an estate agent. While the internet has made it possible to do pretty much the entire buying or selling process yourself, it’s still a much more convenient and easier option to go with an estate agent.
The question is, should you turn to a traditional high-street estate agency, or would an online estate agent be just as good? Here, you’ll discover how online estate agents offer flexibility and money saving opportunities to potential buyers and sellers.
Giving you a fixed fee selling service
One of the biggest advantages online estate agents bring is a fixed-fee service. Although most require an upfront payment which you won’t get back if the property isn’t sold, the fixed fee plans can save you a small fortune compared to high-street estate agents.
This is because, when you choose to sell through a traditional estate agency, you’re typically charged a percentage of the sale price. The actual percentage will differ between agencies, but say it’s 1.5%. Your fee would basically be 1.5% of the final selling price. This means, the more you sell the property for, the more fees you’ll need to pay. With the fixed fees offered by online estate agents, you pay exactly the same amount of fees regardless of how much the property sells for.
This means you could save thousands of pounds in seller’s fees and ensure you gain as much value from your property as possible.
You can choose the package which suits you
Online estate agents have a range of different sales packages on offer. The most basic allow you to carry out certain tasks yourself and save a large amount of money. For example, you’ll usually have to carry out viewings by yourself, but some online agencies do offer this service. You’ll also be expected to market the property on social media yourself, but the agency will take care of other listings such as Rightmove and Zoopla.
So, what do buyer’s get from an online agency? Well, if you go through an estate agent such as Hatched.co.uk, you’ll receive excellent mortgage advice, you can arrange viewings online and you can view a large number of properties all from the comfort of your own home.
Overall, online estate agents can be much more convenient and help buyers and sellers save a lot of money. Being able to handle most of the process online is a major bonus and you can choose to take control of as much or as little of the process as you like.
