Selling House Online through HouseNetwork + 5% off code

Hi,

Quite proud that I've ventured to an online estate agent to sell my house! £500 all in, no commission etc - the online agents were all a similar price, but House Network had been round the longest and had the best reviews. Guy came round pronto and took some great photos with a REAL camera (makes all the difference), took floor plans and did a virtual tour. It's all now on RightMove, Zoopla etc...

Only downsides - the Energy Performance Certificate is expensive through them so go via a local surveyor for less than half price. The 'for sale' board was extra, but apparently most folks don't want these any more (including me).

Now it's on the market I can change the description, photos and even price whenever I want. I'm really chuffed, and it's cost a fraction of a high street estate agent.

I used this code SKEGPHSVOY for 5% off, all makes a difference! Use on any package and enter it in the basket at www.housenetwork.co.uk

Hope this helps someone!

Keep us posted on how this turns out please. I've just put my house on the market but because it's my first time selling a house I decided to play it safe and go with a bog standard estate agent. That said, I was sorely tempted by the low cost of online agents!

Same here too. I would like to know the outcome, good or bad.

Happy so far, very much so in fact.

Not had any viewings yet (only been week) but I can't see that if it stays that way it would necessarily be the estate agents fault... (could be my price, specs etc).

I think the next test will be how they arrange viewings, seek feedback etc. Fear not, I shall keep you all posted!

Keep a close eye on this. My mate was gonna do the same as his house was newly renovated. After he experienced one of these agents when trying to view another property he went straight back to using a normal agent for his sale.

Typical issues - they use call centres to make bookings (people HATE these), people like to be shown by an agent rather than the vendor, your availability to show people round (much easier to be out for 15 mins to avoid a viewing than to change your plans to give one), linking everything up with solicitors/surveyors when completed.

I've just paid my agent £8k to sell my flat - worth every penny in my opinion. They vetted the people on their books to make sure they were in a position to buy and i likely got 40-50k more than I would have done for a straight sale through an online agent (the flat was newly renovated and marketed at 25% over the price of similar properties in the area).

Maybe pick another property in your area with the same agent, register with different details and see what the experience is like?

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Originally Posted by bonn4lolly

Happy so far, very much so in fact.

Not had any viewings yet (only been week) but I can't see that if it stays that way it would necessarily be the estate agents fault... (could be my price, specs etc).

I think the next test will be how they arrange viewings, seek feedback etc. Fear not, I shall keep you all posted!

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Out of interest, is it sole agency basis - so you can't put it with any other company - and how long are you locked into the agreement with them before you can go to another agency, if they don't find you a buyer?

Gagaga - Had no such problems with viewings, and I've made a point of asking viewers how the booking process went. When you say "Call Centre" - it is people on a phone, but within the company (not out sourced), just like calling your local estate agent to book a viewing.

Personally, I'd much prefer to take viewers round and explain what everything does, the history, the neighbours etc. I can quite easily find 15 minutes, but I notice you are in London, where I feel everything would be considerably different! £8000 in estate agent fees?!?! Again, not a massive issue on a London property, but that's a fair old percentage of a £140k property.

I'm happy so far, and they've even given the property Prime staus on rightmove as we went a couple of weeks without a viewing.

Sorry for the delay - here's the long awaited update!

Moved into our new house 4 weeks ago. We sold the house in late July, after around 6 weeks on the market. We would highly recommend House Network - the whole process was smooth and slick and we felt very smug at the end of it by not having to fork out a chunk of money on commission!

However, they'll probably recommend their affiliated lawyers to you once you have an offer accepted. They're called House Network Conveyancers, AKA Permier Property Lawyers. Avoid like the plague - they caused us nothing but grief. They're pretty cheap but their must be better lawyers out there?!

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Originally Posted by bonn4lolly

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However, they'll probably recommend their affiliated lawyers to you once you have an offer accepted. They're called House Network Conveyancers, AKA Permier Property Lawyers. Avoid like the plague - they caused us nothing but grief. They're pretty cheap but their must be better lawyers out there?!

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I had that argument with my last house purchase, and the estate agent, when I was the purchaser.

My view is that NO WAY, at all, am I, as a purchaser, using a lawyer (or a mortgage service, and they tried to force that on me too) referred by anagent employed by the person I buying from. It's a clear conflict of interest. IMHO.

It's not quite as bad from a service like this, as seller, but still, I want a lawyer working directly for me, not with a stronger relationship with another involved party.

I will find my own solicitor, and arrange my own finance if I need it, and will not under any circumstance use such referrals or "in house" services. The vendor's estate agent in the case I mentioned above threatened to "downgrade" my offer to the vendor if I didn't use his services. I hung up, and contacted (visited) the vendor directly to tell him I was withdrawing the offer (as an unencumbered buyer with no chain, I might add) because of the threat from his estate agent. I told him there's plenty of other property. He, naturally, was livid with his estate agent, and in the words of the saying, "tore him a new one" while I sat there and listened. Grinning.

The vendor and I dealt direct after that, and I bought the house. He just told the agent what was happening, and instructed him to just do it, or withdraw.

I trust estate agents about as much as I trust politicians. I'll leave it to the imagination as to how much that is.

Well said Saracen.

We used a cheap online conveyancing firm called ARC property Solicitors headed up by Raj Ali who were alright, but required constant foot on neck, pestering & cajoling to get progress made. Their 'standard' response time was 24-36 hours which was just too slow for getting answers to questions & checks if paperwork sent in was suitable. Either way 6 months later (2 weeks before Christmas) and having refused their 'stamp duty mitigation' services, we got a letter from HMRC saying he & the firm were being investigated for tax avoidance & fraud, all their accounts had been frozen, and if we had used any schemes/services of theirs HMRC would duly be in touch!

Use ''recommendations'' from invested parties with substantial skepticism - even if they call it a sure fire thing!! Also stick with proper solicitor firms, not these online ones like we used. We have heard through the grape vine that people have had their money in Arc bank accounts when they were frozen by HMRC - and have had no news on when they will get it back and be able to continue with their buy/sale!

This is interesting, reading through all of this.
We've just put our house on the market with these http://www.bairstoweves.co.uk/forsaleoffice/cannock/257/ as I didn't know you could do it online, or rather I did but was a bit sceptical about it all. I sort of like having a place I can pop in to if I have any problems etc.
Also, gagaga, you mentioned vetting people on their books to see if they'r ein a position to buy. I didn't know they could do this. The last time we sold we had quite a few people come for viewings who sounded really positive about the house but then who weren't in a position to buy yet. It would have saved a lot f time if they'd been vetted. Although, from a buyers point of view, I've been to look at a few houses already even though ours hasn't sold yet, suppose it's finding that balance.

My wife and I sold through an online estate agents a couple of years back.

With respect to dodgy solicitors; Its much the same as checking up on that great deal on the web from a company you have never heard of! i would expect most Hexites to be pretty savy!

Pro's
Property goes on rightmove etc
Low fees £500 typically as above all inclusive; we used emoov (James Caan now has shares in it I think). Saved us about 3k.

Con's
You are required to do show rounds.
The fee is up front. So no sale you loose your fee.
You will need to hand over the keys.
Estate agent is bartering for you with no knowledge of the property. They handle a lot of properties all over the country.

I think quite a bit depends on the abilities of the seller.

Are you confident and capable in handling showing visitors around? If so, and you know and can 'sell' the property, and the area, it's better to do it yourself.

The same on negotiating price. Are you comfortable turning down offers, making counter-suggestions? It can be useful having a third-party as a cut-out.

And also, can you be there when buyers want to view? Last time I bought, I ditched several candidates because the seller wanted evening or weekend viewings because they were at work during weekday days. Trouble is, I wanted to view in daylight, weekends weren't ideal, and after viewings (several) I had maybe 130 mile drive home.

Agents can do viewings during hours the owner may not be able to. On the other hand, some don't like turning out on Sunday.

And, actually doing the showing round isn't as easy as you might think. Some people are truly dire at it, saying either too much, not enough or entirely the wrong thing.

In other words, while the online route can save thousands, it's not right for everyone and paying for a GOOD agent can be best, financially. But please, DO do your homework, get several valuations, do your own local sale price records online, and bear in mind that the price needs to be realistic, and that fast sale => flexibility on price in most cases.

Neither conventional agent nor online service is always a better bet than the other. They both have advantages, and pitfalls.

I agree with the need to have a go between, it can get quite heated when things aren't going very fast. I also prefer someone else to do the viewings, it's too personal for me and yes, I either say too much or not enough. It's also harder for the people doing the viewings to ask the right question if the owner is there, or to be honest and it can be a bit awkward.

My brothers about to sell - does anyone know if changing to all LED/energy saving bulbs could help him achieve a higher rating on the energy performance certificate?

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Originally Posted by bonn4lolly

My brothers about to sell - does anyone know if changing to all LED/energy saving bulbs could help him achieve a higher rating on the energy performance certificate?

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Yes, changing the bulbs can have an effect, but as far as I'm aware it's all or nothing. If the inspector finds a single incandescent bulb then you'll be "marked down" with a recommendation to replace all lighting with energy efficient equivalents.

Of course there's nothing to stop you putting in CFLs, and then putting the old bulbs back in once the inspector's left. Then you can keep the CFLs for your next home...

Thanks Bagnaj - looks like we'll be having a temporary bulb swap party then!

Quick update for anyone's future reference - brother ensured ALL lightbulbs were energy saving, and the chap confirmed that had been enough to push him up a letter on the scale. Don't know if this would always be the case, but worth a shot.

as a recent buyer can I just say that we didn't give a flying pig what the EPC performance was. It's a yardstick to avoid misery nothing more. As long as you're 2/3-table or higher then no worries IMO. If two identical properties are on and one is better EPC it is likely better finished to achieve it, and it will be this the buyer pays extra for, not the EPC itself.

Oh and on viewings, 1st viewing you want agent. 2nd you want vendor. Works much better that way. 1st viewing you form your own opinions, 2nd you get to hear about it from the vendor and ask questions after you've had chance to mull things over.

The biggest thing with viewings IMO is to avoid double booking, and give people enough time between time slots so they don't get kicked-out/feel on a conveyor belt etc. We took time viewing the place we bought, and that time helped us settle on it. Don't underestimate how long people need - you are familiar with the place, they will not be!

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Originally Posted by Saracen

I trust estate agents about as much as I trust politicians. I'll leave it to the imagination as to how much that is.

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This is true for some (most) of the ones we encountered. A few were brilliant however. The one we bought through was by far the best we encountered, and we would happily deal with her again.