Top 10 Tips for Using Online Estate Agents

Online estate agents are a fairly new concept and if you are about to sell your home, you may be looking in to this alternative, cheaper way to market your property. Online agencies work slightly differently from the average high street agent, so here are the top 10 tips for success with an online estate agent. 

1. Don't start marketing until your home is ready to sell  

It may sound a little too obvious, but often vendors begin to advertise their homes using some cleverly chosen photos, or even old photos that show the property in a very positive light. Make sure your home lives up to its sale package and that there are no nasty surprises for your first viewers because you forgot to mention in your sales package that you haven’t mown the back lawn for 2 years.

2. Decide how much you want to spend 

A lot of internet estate agents have a choice of different marketing packages. Some packages are based entirely upon an upfront fee. Others require just a small deposit to start selling, with the remainder of the estate agent fee to be paid upon completion of the sale. This is a good option if funds are limited when the selling process is first initiated. 

3. Decide on your asking price

 The benefit of using an online estate agent to help you sell your house online is that you will receive guidance and advice on the asking price for the property. In collaboration with your estate agent, make sure your asking price is appealing enough to potential buyers, has room for negotiation and will also leave you with enough money to purchase a new property easily when you have accepted an offer. 

4. Check out the competition 

Before you put your home up for sale with an online estate agent, carry out a little research around the other types of property for sale within a small proximity of your house. This will help you realise the good and not so good points of your home in comparison to other properties.

5. Dress your home  

If you have ever visited a show home on a new housing estate, you will have seen how the homes are decorated with furniture and flowers just like a real home, to sell the lifestyle of the property to potential buyers. Do the same with your home before you have any sales pictures take of the property. 

Image courtesy of HouseSimple.co.uk

 6. Get ready for viewings

Once your home is on the market you will receive viewing requests, and to avoid missed sales opportunities you should ensure your home is neat and tidy all of the time it is on the market so that you can accept last minute bookings and urgent visits

7. Keep your phone nearby 

Online estate agents like to conduct their business remotely, so you should be available to speak on the phone throughout the day in case any problems arise, and also to receive calls with offers from potential buyers. 

8. Check your feedback reports

Online estate agents are able to provide vendors with statistic on the amount of internet visitors to their adverts, as well as leaving feedback reports online from anyone that has viewed the property. Make sure you check your selling account regularly to see the effects of your marketing efforts.

Image courtesy of HouseSimple.co.uk

9. Choose a good conveyancer

Some online agents are also able to assist with the conveyancing process for an extra fee. Sometimes it’s easier to keep the whole process with one supplier, and as always online is cheapest so there shouldn’t be any need to shop around for conveyancing. 

10. See the savings  

Online estate agent websites usually have a comparison calculator – you can use this to type in the amount of commission (as a percentage of your sale price) that you would have paid if you used a high street agent to sell your home. The calculator with then show you that you have indeed save hundreds, if not thousands of pounds by using and Online Estate Agent.