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

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.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

House price growth remained subdued in July

UK annual house price growth slowed to 1.8% in July, from 2.2% in June House prices were up 0.1% month on month Average time in a home is 14 years: 24 years for those owning outright and 5 years in private rented sector Three quarters of moves were within same tenure type in 2024/25 Headlines…
Read More
Breaking News

Rent hikes and tighter tenant checks as landlord costs climb

Rising costs are prompting 63% of professional landlords to raise rents, prioritise lower-risk tenants and reassess portfolios Renters face a more expensive and more selective rental market as professional property investors respond to re-emergence of realistic gilt yields, rising operating costs and regulatory change by increasing rents and reassessing tenant risk and selection criteria, according…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

North-South divide for time to move as Londoners see longest wait

New analysis reveals a north-south divide in the time it takes to move home: In London it takes 174 days on average to go from agreeing a sale to completing a move, whereas it takes 141 days in the North East Scotland is the fastest part of Great Britain at 98 days, due to the…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Dispelling the top five biggest letting agent myths

By Sophie Danes, Group Director of Property Management, Lomond   This year has seen the introduction of the seismic Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) as well as other changes affecting the private rented sector (PRS) coming into force, such as the rollout of Making Tax Digital (MTD). As a result, more than ever before, there is…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75%

Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove says: “There’s stability for now as the Bank of England holds its Base Rate as widely expected. We’ve seen average mortgage rates increase over the last few weeks as geopolitical tensions have escalated, and the average two-year fixed rate is currently coming it at 5.11%. For broader context, this…
Read More
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

Average new-build value to surpass £400,000

The latest research from UK Property Development has found that the average price of a new-build home in England is on course to exceed £400,000 by 2027, having risen steadily over the last decade alongside sustained growth across the wider British market. The research analysed average new-build house price data across Great Britain and its…
Read More