3 Key things to remember when selling your home through an Online estate agent

May 20, 2016

While house prices have begun to decline in recent weeks, experts are optimistic that both demand and property values will gather momentum during the summer. So even though just 10% of chartered surveyors reported a rise in the level of demand for real estate in April (compared with 47% in March), the warmer weather and improved economic sentiment will see growth return during the third financial quarter. This means that those with a desire to sell their home should target the summer as a window of opportunity and begin to lay their foundations now.

3 key pieces of advice when selling your home through an Online Estate agent

If you are planning to sell your home, you are increasingly likely to partner with an online estate agent. These entities are increasingly popular in the modern age, so here are three key pieces of advice when dealing with a virtual agent: –

  1. You will be entitled to a free valuation

Online estate agents are renowned for their fluid and flexible service, and this is reflected in the offer of a free valuation for clients. This is a universal feature across all online agents, and it provides you with valuable insight into the potential value of your home in the real-time market. By securing your valuation now, you can estimate the potential increase once property values begin to rise once more and establish a price point that the market can bear. Such a valuation is usually charged by traditional agents, so do not overlook this when you go online.

  1. Online Estate Agents charge a fixed, transparent fee

In general terms, traditional agents tend to charge a fixed percentage of the final resale value of your home, and this sum is usually payable upon completion. Until the price is agreed, however, it is impossible to determine exactly how much you will pay, and this can create confusion and significant misunderstandings. In contrast, online agents usually charge a transparent fee that is fixed regardless of the final resale value, meaning that you can plan your finances more accurately and enter a deal with greater confidence.

This fee is usually in the region of £300 to £700, so check with your individual provider to confirm this.

  1. High quality visuals are crucial to the sale of your home

Online agents are becoming increasingly popular, primarily because these entities have the capacity to market your home outside of the local area. This makes it accessible to people who live further afield but may be looking to relocate to your area, and this explains why the UK’s leading online agent has completed an incredible £2.83 billion in sales since its inception.

To capitalise on this, it is crucial that you capture the essence of your home in high resolution images. By identifying the key selling features that define your home and then marketing these through compelling imagery, you can clearly present the unique value proposition of your property to clients.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

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