Caporegime
Unless you go online and save thousands. Still it's better than it was. Used to be 3% was common.
Whos used online estate agents? Good/bad news?
- Thread starter Buffman
- Start date
Unless you go online and save thousands. Still it's better than it was. Used to be 3% was common.
Caporegime
Purplebricks, as far as I can tell, is the worst of the lot. I don't think highstreet agents are actually any better in general, you just get lucky or not.
Gone with purplebricks... Time will tell but the rep seems good and very prompt to follow up. Paid Sunday and should be on rightmove etc friday!
Well my experience with my local and recommended estate agent has been pretty awful. I've been trying to get them to get in touch with me for about 3 weeks (the house has been on the market for 4, 1 viewing and that's all I know). Yesterday someone finally got in touch and I've found out that the manager 'is no longer working for us' and his email account isn't monitored, his phone is routed to a system that never routes it to the office, the office never answers as they're understaffed and they've had numerous IT issues with their emails. So I've just told them I want the house off the market and I want the exclusivity arrangement voided as IMO they have not fulfilled their part of the contract.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Aug 2005
- Posts
- 3,612
I'm using my local agent and they've been pretty much spot on. They were highly recommend from a local community facebook page and they've responded to all my queries within an hour usually.
Best of luck. We had PB and the rep did literally nothing. It's an incredibly shady company that I certainly wouldn't want anything to do with again.
Get a good LPE, though and you should be ok.
Ours has been quite good but hes obviously got a lot of jobs on/not paid enough to dedicate time to individual properties. One negative is that i had to write all the descriptions for the property for rightmove etc (although i dedicated an hour or so to this and think i wrote it quite well)
What is an LPE? Conveyancer?
Well a week after our reps taken photos, 10 viewings 4 offers (maybe 5 if one today comes in) and an offer 25k over asking (beyond the value of the area but thats just luck that they needed to buy).
Overall i think the purplebricks system works, the only thing i would say is that the UI isn't the easiest to deal with and having to book viewings online *may* put some people off. I would presume those who are interested though would endeavour regardless. My property is a bungalow and there's been plenty older/retired folks come to look.
After a strongly worded email to the 'interim' manager they're released me from the contract and taken my house off the market. I'm wondering whether to use an online one and manage it myself (I don't think I would mind) or try another local one.
I viewed a house through purple bricks the other day. I had to download the app in order to make the booking, I was doing it on behalf of my mother. She's fine with phones, but doesn't use apps and if she was on her own she'd have had a really big problem trying to make the booking and almost certainly would have just given up and not bothered.
So I can see how you may lose out on viewings with Purple bricks if some of the potential buyers aren't too tech savvy and you can't just make a call to the estate agent.
So I can see how you may lose out on viewings with Purple bricks if some of the potential buyers aren't too tech savvy and you can't just make a call to the estate agent.
Associate
Just viewed and bought a house who had purple bricks as the agent, saw on rightmove/zoopla had to make an account and book a viewing through purplebricks website. I Liked it and then had to make offers through purplebricks site and seller finally accepted after his purple bricks agent rang me and negotiated a little. I think they are all roughly the same, as long as it is on rightmove/zoopla with good pictures and attractive price then that is all it takes.
Just to add, personally the agent who we viewed the house with was not knowledgeable about the property and just kept saying I can imagine a Xmas tree here. So maybe just give them a briefing about what to say.
Just to add, personally the agent who we viewed the house with was not knowledgeable about the property and just kept saying I can imagine a Xmas tree here. So maybe just give them a briefing about what to say.
Caporegime
Being shown around by the owners is almost invariably better. They will always know more about the house and area than the estate agents.
I have been shown round many houses by various agents and none of them knew anything about the house. They just made stupid comments like now nice the horrific decor was or did highly frustrating stuff like not having a key to open the back door to view the garden!
The only thing they did know was how much their commission was....
If you can, always speak to the vendor directly.
The only thing they did know was how much their commission was....
If you can, always speak to the vendor directly.
Associate
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2020
- Posts
- 1
We listed with Doorsteps, at £99 the price is right, we took our own pictures on my mobile phone. They looked a lot better than most estate agents listings.
They are quite responsive on email.
A couple of downsides are they are a bit spammy, they push their conveyancing and mortgage affiliates to you and your buyer. To be fair regular agents can do this too. I also think their website could be slicker too.
That being said, we were listed on all the major websites and agreed a sale in just 4 days.
One of my frustrations on the buying side with estate agents was fitting into their diary, but with an online agent if you have the time you can show people around at their convenience. Since all the China virus madness we've been working from home so we were available 7 days a week. I think that is a big plus and and doorsteps has saved us thousands in commission compared to a high street agent.
They are quite responsive on email.
A couple of downsides are they are a bit spammy, they push their conveyancing and mortgage affiliates to you and your buyer. To be fair regular agents can do this too. I also think their website could be slicker too.
That being said, we were listed on all the major websites and agreed a sale in just 4 days.
One of my frustrations on the buying side with estate agents was fitting into their diary, but with an online agent if you have the time you can show people around at their convenience. Since all the China virus madness we've been working from home so we were available 7 days a week. I think that is a big plus and and doorsteps has saved us thousands in commission compared to a high street agent.
£99? that's nuts. Even PB is £800 or so and is a damn sight cheaper than a local agent.
I guess all they offer is a right move add and a diary for people to book into? I guess that is all you need now if you are happy to negotiate the sale yourself.
I guess all they offer is a right move add and a diary for people to book into? I guess that is all you need now if you are happy to negotiate the sale yourself.