Advertising a property for sale across the UK is now even easier with
burgeoning access to the internet. High speed connections make availability to
browse for homes simple, whether it's a bungalow in Essex, a detached
home in Suffolk, a semi-detached in Chelmsford or a flat in
Colchester, with the click of a mouse button home buyers have the
availability to view thousands of homes.
Now every Estate Agent across the UK needs to have a website to advertise
properties for sale. More than 70% of properties for sale in the UK are
initially viewed using the web. Estate Agents are increasingly finding that
private home sales are becoming the norm with valuations made easier with online
sites, personalized for sale signs and anyone with a digital camera able to
create photos and post an ad in minutes.
There are no statistics that provide how many homes are sold privately, but the
Estate Agents are worried. The Governments failure to introduce the wide
reaching Home Information Packs in full was a disaster for the Estate Agents.
Estate Agents had expected first mover advantage with HIPS, as many private home
sales websites could not quickly employ the staff or align themselves with
companies who could provide the all in package. Since its collapse Estate Agents
have been looking at other ways to close down private property sites.
They would like to bring in legislation to control private advertising of homes,
requiring those websites to join bodies to protect consumers. Since most agents
do not voluntarily do this themselves, it appears a little like the pot calling
the kettle black.
Now the move is to combine many of the online services and advertising into one
site, so whether you're an Estate Agent based in Chelmsford or Colchester
or an online private advertising site focusing on Essex or Suffolk all houses
for sale are beginning to be displayed in one place. However even those
combined sites are beginning to be very choosey in allowing certain
sites/private sellers to advertise. Some of the largest well know online home
selling sites do not take private home sellers individually or have recently
removed access to existing private selling sites. Why would this be? Well as
many of these sites have controlling interests from Estate Agents, or rely
heavily on income from Estate Agents this is another way the Agents are putting
pressure on private sellers.
This does not mean a better deal for the private house seller, indeed there is
such mis-information and pressure being put to the private home seller that they
continue to believe the Estate Agent is the best and only way to sell your home.
The Government does need to bring in controls to make house selling easier in
England and Wales. The latest 48hour mortgage has just been completed which will
help to quicken the process. If most people were asked about the home buying
process they would say that their biggest concern is the ease at which people
can pull out of the transaction. Or gazump an already agreed price. If the
Government were to bring in legislation such as allowing a cooling off period of
1 week then have contracts agreed with a deposit placed and returned on
completion unless one party wishes to pull out. This would certainly begin to
deter those homebuyers and sellers who feel they can use the
system to their advantage.
Nothing will deter people from continuing to use Estate Agents for home
selling. Professional well established agencies are well know by local
buyers and sellers as generally being useful in selling a home. Unfortunately we
still fall into the trap of believing that advertising you property at a lower
fee with one agent is better than a higher fee with multiple. But why should it
be any different at all? What is the difference of a person selling their flat
for 130,000 pounds with sole agency and someone selling their detached home for
650,000 pounds with sole agency? Apart from more photographs they will both be
charged roughly 2% of the selling price. They should not receive any different
service but for some reason a house at 650,000 pounds should be at a higher
agency fee.
?
Homester - The leading online provider for home buyers and home sellers for private property online.
| Forbes.com: Market News Updated : Queensland Gas Sees Sunshine In Its Future The Australian coal-seam gas producer has made a takeover offer to Sunshine Gas, a smaller rival, anticipating to use its reserves as feedstock for an LNG project in conjunction with BG Group. Author : Vivian Wai-yin Kwok Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:19:00 GMT Israel Chemicals Joins Fertilizer Boomers Fertilizer and potash company benefits from soaring demand as supply remains constrained. Author : Vidya Ram Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:35:00 GMT Return Of The Poles Pays Off Wages are falling in Poland as more workers return to home soil, giving the central bank room to cut rates. Author : Parmy Olson Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:50:00 GMT BAA: Fight And Flight Spanish owner will delay British breakup recommendations as it spruces up airports for eventual sale. Author : Lionel Laurent Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:50:00 GMT Ebay AimsTo Fix Growth Online auctioneer cuts prices for fixed-price listings in a bid to lure users. Author : Carl Gutierrez Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:20:00 GMT Vietnam Struggles To Squelch Inflationary Spiral The country lifts its interbank lending rate to 15% to dampen short-term borrowing, as it tries to reckon with price rises of 27% annually. Author : Vivian Wai-yin Kwok Publ.Date : Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:30:00 GMT |