Is the Use of Online Estate Agents the Best Way to Sell Your Home?
BARNSLEY, England, November 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
The Internet is fast becoming the marketplace of choice for sellers, buyers and renters of property. The opportunity to market a house or flat around the clock and without the need to make the trip to a brick-and-mortar estate agent is proving increasingly popular, as it is a far more convenient and flexible option. However, there are some notable drawbacks to using online estate agents, as well as some interesting alternatives.
A 24-hours-a-day marketplace
Both buyers and sellers often find it difficult to find the time a property transaction requires - particularly during office hours. However, an online agent is always open for business, which gives people flexible and convenient access to the resources they need. Instead of taking time off work or sacrificing precious spare time, buyers and sellers can organise their affairs without ever leaving the comfort of their own home.
A cheaper service
In most cases, online agents are substantially undercutting their brick-and-mortar competitors - partly because of their lower overheads. In return for a 'no-frills' service, the major online estate agents are charging substantially lower commissions. According to the Property Ombudsmen, more than £2 billion was spent on agent's fees in 2012 alone - a figure that is certain to drop as online agents continue to grow in popularity.
In return for a flat fee, online agents will provide a professional listing on their website, a set of high-quality photos, between 6 and 12 months of marketing, a floor-plan and a formal valuation. Most estate agents will also offer a telephone enquiry service - answering queries from interested parties and arranging viewings. And because these services can cost less than £100 (for the cheapest online estate agents), it is easy to see why they are so popular with sellers.
The drawbacks of online estate agents
Despite the greatly reduced cost and increased convenience delivered by online estate agents, there are some important disadvantages associated with foregoing the services of a traditional estate agent. For instance, sellers won't have the expertise, personal relationship and undivided attention that an agent often provides. Without this expertise and human involvement, sellers run the risk of achieving a lower final sale price.
There is also a lot to be said for having a real relationship with an agent when things go wrong. If buyers pull out or a sale encounters legal problems, a personal agent will have detailed, first-hand knowledge of the property. This knowledge could be invaluable when attempting to tackle problems and achieve a sale in the shortest possible time.
Alternatives to traditional estate agents
Many property owners restrict themselves to a choice between selling their home privately, using a brick-and-mortar estate agent or enlisting the services of an online agent. However, there is an alternative - fast home-buying services such as the convenient service provided by Flying Homes. Whether sellers want to avoid the hassle that comes with selling a home or they need to sell quickly, these services provide an almost guaranteed buyer at a price very close to the property's market value. Indeed, Flying Homes achieves an average of 94 percent of market value for their clients - an impressive figure given the fact that similar companies often achieve between 70 percent and 80 percent.
So, instead of spending time, money and effort on selling a home - with no guarantee of success - homeowners can now put the sale of their property in the hands of a fast-sale specialist. Flying Homes has thousands of clients up and down the country with the funds to buy already available. Removing the problems that property chains and finance applications can cause speeds up the sale process considerably, and that gives owners a fair price without the hassle and stress usually involved with more traditional property sales.
How homeowners sell their property should depend on their specific situation. However, where a quick house sale is vital, using the express service offered by companies such as Flying Homes could be the most sensible course of action.
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