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Property/DIY

Anybody used an online estate agents? (esp Scotland)

26 replies

FergusSingsTheBlues · 14/02/2013 16:59

Im in a bit of a dilemma..... Can cough up 1k up front to sell my flat via an online EA, or go through the usual process with high st agent, which will cost me just over 3k.

Don't know why, but Im feeling really nervous that the flat wont sell, and I might end up forking out twice....

The online EA is Scottish House Move...they have had great reviews...but Im scared and could do with some advice! is this wise? My cautious gut is telling me to stick with what I know.

In truth, my flat is in very good order, is in a property hot spot, cost about 50p many moons ago, and we are o ky aiming to be out by October or so, no rush. Given all that, I would think that the risk of not selling at an acceptable price is low...but could do with sone advice!

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MrsJamin · 15/02/2013 20:39

If you can wait a while then it might be worth a go. We considered it then in the end got a good % deal from a local EA and accepted a good offer 10 days from it being on rightmove. £1k sounds like a lot from an online EA - we found some as cheap as £250 which included placement on rightmove. However we considered these as drawbacks:

  • Buyers might perceive us as cheapskates and thus might see the house in that way, like we had cut corners with it which is not true. Viewers then might only put in cheeky offers rather than near to the asking price.
  • We didn't want to do viewings ourselves as I am a SAHM and DH works out of the house. It's actually quite awkward meeting a vendor when you are looking around someone's house as you feel like it's their house and not potentially yours.
  • Local EAs have local people in their shops and know the local market, have people phoning them up asking for houses which are on sale.
  • You'd have to probably write the blurb, write the floorplan and take the photos, which we were happy not to do.
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FergusSingsTheBlues · 15/02/2013 21:15

Ive decided to go for it, partly because we have two properties to sell which doubles the fees. The other flat is going to make a loss, so we are trying to stem that.

I did wonder about the branding of us as cheapskates tbh, but everybody i spoke to said that the estate agent made no different as the critical advertising was rightmove.

The 1k breaks down into:

Commission @ 480
Home report @ 300
Rightmove premium @ 100
Board @ 40

I think not too bad?

They are doing the photos, floor plan and information. Even doing the viewings for me if any come up while i m having my baby, and I have copy approval over all. In reality this is ideal as i am a writer, so mkting doesnt faze me....i prefer to have control.

Well see how it goes....im excited but terrified...

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MrsJamin · 15/02/2013 21:37

Sounds like you've thought this through - good luck!

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gregssausageroll · 16/02/2013 09:09

Before you do, what area are you in? And what do you reckon your HR will value at? Pm me if you like but £3k doesn't sound right.

Rightmove isn't necessarily the best tool in Scotland - it really depends where you are.

And honestly, when they say they are doing viewings etc where are their staff coming from and are you sure there is no additional cost for viewing. Where does an online estate agent get staff from to cover every area of Scotland? Something not sitting right with me on that side.

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gregssausageroll · 16/02/2013 09:10

And photos, floor plan, brochure, advertising and viewings all in £480? I don't think so, please double check the small print.

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 16/02/2013 09:33

Hi, flat = 290k avg from three EAs, factoring in advertising and home report and commission, yes, came to 3k.

Im in the west end, G12, and as as the company does rightmove, s1homes and zoopla, think thats it covered tbh.

They are not doing ALL viewings, just ones while Im away having a baby, going to my mums for two weeks, so really would prefer some done while im gone.

Plan is to set up a session one afternoon or evening and do a run of viewings...For 30 quid.....ordinarily, have no problem in conducting the viewings, ive been a LL for 15 years so used to showing people around etc. But will like the initial deluge (fingers crossed) dealt with while im out of the way with my kids....

Im going to offer them more if it hits a certain price though as otherwise where is their motivation to negotiate hard? Thats the only outstanding issue I have.

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gregssausageroll · 16/02/2013 10:16

Seems like you have it covered. Iam not sure of the Glasgow market. The only additional comment I would make is to check GSPC doesn't take more coverage than rightmove. In Edinburgh espc is used more than rightmove etc.

Glasgow agents seem very expensive. If you were marketing through me your costs would be

Listing fee for schedules, floor plan, advertising, boards etc £195 plus vat
Home report £400 plus vat
Commission 0.85 percent with no viewings plus £10 per viewing while you were away or 1 percent to do all viewings.

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gregssausageroll · 16/02/2013 10:33

Actually, just thought about that and we are close to £3k too!

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 16/02/2013 12:26

Rightmove and s1homes seem to be the main portals. We have two flats and ive just lost my job, so really cant afford the upfront costs, it does work out so expensive.

Just out of interest, what would get you going to REALLY plug a property? My husband reckoned offering them 500 quid if it went above a certain threshold. Im happy to do that, just wondering if such incentivisation works?

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 16/02/2013 12:27

Where are you based, greggs? We are trying to move to stirling/dunblane

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gregssausageroll · 16/02/2013 12:53

£500 is a lot of money and could possibly work given you won't actually know the people on the end of the phone. We wouldn't take it where I work because we give the same effort to a £50k flat as a £500k property but that is face to face.

Not far from Stirling area. A bit further east covering fife up to perth.

If you want me to look at anything for you though give me a shout.

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 17/02/2013 05:56

Thanks. If you think it would be insulting in some way, I won't talk to them about the commission...im just aware that the usual incentive is missing, and although its also about luck in the current mkt, want to maximise my chances of getting a decent return as we are hoping to be able to move to a house with a garden, which to us living in studentville, seems like the height of luxury. And we know my husbands bachelor pad will sell at a loss, so need to mitigate that.

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gregssausageroll · 18/02/2013 13:27

Hi

No, not insulting but I just think they should be negotiating hard regardless. That said you are never likely to meet the people you are speaking to on the phone. The bonus would effectively go to the company though so you have no way of ensuring they did their absolute best for you unless the bonus went to the actual negotiator who does the work for you.

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 18/02/2013 14:04

Thats true, i never thought of that. I might playit by ear then. And see.

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aufaniae · 18/02/2013 16:21

We used an online EA, //www.housenetwork.co.uk

They did good quality pics, floorplan and listed us on all the major sites for £600 all-in IIRC.

(Boards were extra).

Does this agent only list you on Rightmove? Or is that extra? If they don't list you on all the major sites, I'd say they're not worth it IMO.

Does House Network cover Scotland?

FWIW ours sold in a matter of weeks. It was in a very popular area, so I expected it to, regardless of who it was sold through.

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juneadams · 19/02/2013 22:14

Hi you will be glad to know that I sold via ScottishHouseMove after a positive review on this site.

I paid the same as you and the property I was selling was £400k, they were really really good. I was quoted over £6K to sell and remember. Slater Hogg & Corum both quoted me £350 plus vat upfront and I only had to pay shm £49 more and that was it.

I sold in about 10 weeks. If you get Arlene as your property manager you have won a watch as she is magic, knows her stuff as do all the guys there.

As you say there are on R Move, S1, Zoopla so it is all covered, I suppose in this market don't get greedy and if you are like me in Glasgow West end there is still a demand.

So put your mind at rest, you have made a great choice and they also sold my Mums house in Stirling in less than a week !!! I am always telling people about them.

Good luck.

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juneadams · 19/02/2013 22:18

So she would need to pay you £2500 &vat £3K compared to £480 ?? You seem expensive now LOL

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 19/02/2013 22:22

Thanks June, thats really reassuring.,,.,not done this before so its all a bit daunting...did you find the home report valuation reasonable! Im getting mine on thursday, bit nervous!

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Monstermuncher · 20/02/2013 20:08

Hi Fergus, we sold our flat in G12 before Christmas with ScottishHouseMove and I highly recommend them. As June said, Arlene is a star, but then we got good service from all of the staff. We did our own viewings but that's because I prefer it that way plus we were living in it at the time. We were on the market for about 9 weeks until we accepted an offer which was pretty good considering there was a fair bit of competition property-wise. The west end does seem to be reasonably recession-proof, most things will sell eventually though there are a few folk out there who are in my opinion being a bit greedy with their asking price... Good luck!

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FergusSingsTheBlues · 21/02/2013 16:28

Thanks MM...ive just had them around....they did the photos and valuation with the surveyor....so excited!

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juneadams · 22/02/2013 00:08

Yes home report from Edward Boyd was bang on the money. Good luck..

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KleenezeJane · 27/03/2013 16:16

Glad to see the information since we are just about to market our house. Rural area between Falkirk & Stirling and want the online advertising on the the popular sites. Happy to show viewers around. Has anyone else sold recently with an online agency I'd be pleased to hear your opinion.

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emmsjones · 27/04/2013 15:48

I have been on the market for about 3 months and just accepted an offer on Friday.

I also found the service very good, great photos etc etc

I think these days all you need is advertising on Rightmove etc etc I did pay extra for the Rightmove premium advert as I thought that was well worth the extra money.

I got Scot House Move to get me a home report from DM Hall and although more expensive think that helped me.

So if you are looking for a Estate Agent in Glasgow I would really use these guys.

emma

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emmsjones · 27/04/2013 15:55

Forgot to say they have a new facebook page

www.facebook.com/scottishestateagents

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diannecarson · 31/08/2013 22:21

Thanks for this thread. I sold my property in Glasgow West End with Scottish House Move and all went very well.

All you really need is Rightmove etc and I must admit their customer service and feedback was excellent. I could not justify paying high st agents over £3000 to sell.

Take the £399 option plus Rightmove Premium ad in my view.

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