Pros and Cons of Online Estate Agents
The primary draw for using an online estate agent has always been the seemingly huge savings that can be made on the costs of selling. Many online agents advertise fixed fees from £250 to £1,600, whereas the conventional high street estate agent's fee ranges from 1 to 3% of the sale price. This has left many sellers thinking what does the high street estate agent do for this that an online estate agent doesn't - especially as 90% of property searches are online.
Although at face value the saving on the estate agent's fees are considerable, there are cons to using an online estate agent to sell your property and even to buying from a seller who is using an online agent. This article examines these for you. You may also like to read our other article - How to Successfully Negotiate with your Buyer/Seller.
As well as reading our top 5 Pros & top 5 Cons, you should also read our FAQs at the bottom of the article which include:
- Who is the best online estate agent?
- When do you pay for your online estate agent's fee?
- What does a high street estate agent do that an online estate agent doesn't?
- Do online estate agents value your property?
- Are there hidden fees?
- Could high street estate agents disappear completely like travel agents did?
- Who completes the EPC?
- Who takes the photos?
Give us a call if you need any advice regarding your online estate agent or if you want a conveyancing solicitor to help you with your sale or purchase - 0333 344 3234 (local call charges apply).
What are the Top 5 Pros of using an online estate agent?
- 1
Saving on the estate agent's fees
Many high street estate agents charge a percentage of the sale price, ranging from 1 to 3% plus VAT. One of the key reasons sellers use online estate agents is that they have moved away from a percentage on-sale fee to a fixed fee, either partly paid upfront or fully payable on completion. If paid upfront, the online estate agent's fee is often cheaper; however, this also seems to vary depending on the services they include or exclude.
An example of the savings gained by using an online estate agent
A high street estate agent levying a 2% fee to sell a £250,000 property would charge you £6,000 (£5,000 + VAT). Purple Bricks charge a fee of £849 (or £1,199 in London) which can either be paid on completion or after 10 months). You save £5,151 (or £4,801 in London) (1).
(1) Data sourced from Purple Bricks as at date of article.
- 2
You market your own property
Sellers are often frustrated when they have an estate agent conducting the viewing of their home, and they don't know the 'ins and outs' of the property and the surrounding area. This often puts buyers off when they ask questions but don't get accurate answers. When using an online estate agent, you are in control of conducting the viewings with the buyer and can sell your home the way you want to sell it (this can be a con as well, but we'll come onto this later).
Some online estate agents like Settled include arranging for viewings within their fee, so make sure to check.
- 3
Your home is more secure
High street estate agents normally hold keys on behalf of the seller, allowing them access to the property for viewings and surveys. Some sellers fear what could happen to their property during a viewing while they are not there. There is also a question over whether the property is insured for loss of contents if keys are left with the estate agent in their office. This is not an issue if you conduct your viewings as you are not giving your keys/access to anyone else.
- 4
Convenience and speed
A seller can register their property with a few clicks and the online estate agent lists the property for you. Purple Bricks advertises that your listing becomes live within 48 hours. Depending on the online estate agent, the property is then normally listed on their website and some of the other property selling portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla.
- 5
Flexibility
Sellers are becoming more tech-savvy and want to sell their property in their way. The sellers can create online videos, high-resolution photos and digital tours to save paying the estate agent to do it for them. Online estate agents are acutely aware of this and allow the seller to choose their added extras.
These are some of the things that are often offered as extras (check as some may be included):
- Floorplans
- Photographs
- EPC - Energy Performance Certificate
- Accompanied viewings
- Virtual tour
- Premium listings
What are the Top 5 Cons of using an online estate agent?
- 1
Beware any verbal agreements with the seller/buyer
With high street estate agents, there usually is very limited communication between buyer and seller as negotiation is invariably through the agent. This is different with online estate agents because buyers and sellers talk directly. This can feel like a great idea as you don’t have a middleman in between you, getting in the way and slowing down the process.
The challenge is you don't have the estate agent to manage the communication volume (an overeager buyer/seller could call or email many times each day) or regulate what is being verbally agreed between the buyer and seller.
For example, Jane is buying a property from Michael. During the viewing Michael verbally confirmed he will leave all of the white goods in the property as part of the sale price. When Jane gets the Fittings and Contents form, she notices that the white goods aren't included. Jane speaks to Michael that night and Michael confirms that the forms are wrong and he is going to leave them in the property.
After completing the white goods aren't in the property, Jane informs Michael and Michael informs her he has changed his mind and kept the items. Although Jane could pursue this further, if an estate agent had managed communications, they would have been aware that the verbal agreements required formalising through the conveyancing solicitors.
A further challenge buyers/sellers may have when there is no estate agent in the middle are unreasonable requests relating to price negotiations. Although buyers and sellers negotiate through their high street estate agent, the agent can help mediate if there is a challenge that either party doesn't agree to the change in price. Without an estate agent to support with their experience of the housing market in the local area, buyers and sellers could hit a serious stumbling block here.
Sellers especially benefit from having an experienced estate agent, especially if the buyer makes unreasonable requests. The estate agent can help the seller understand what they have to do and what they are not obliged to do.
- 2
Fixed costs but with lots of extras
The often low online estate agent's fee is a draw; however, it often doesn't include things necessary to sell your property quickly and for the largest sum of money. An example of this is My Online Estate Agent who charges a fixed fee of £395 to market the property online, however you have to pay extra if you require any of the following items:
- For sale board
- Professional photographs
- Description of the property
- Floor plan
- EPC (required by law before you can sell your property)
- Virtual tour
Some sellers prefer to know exactly how much it will cost to sell their home as quickly as possible for the largest possible financial return.
- 3
Payment upfront, or it costs more
Many online estate agents offer flexible payment terms; however they often charge more if you opt to pay on completion. To get the cheapest online estate agent's fee you need to pay for the service upfront but risk not finding a buyer. An example of this is House Simple who charge £595 upfront, or £695 if paid on completion or after 6 months (1).
- 4
Inexperience in selling or buying
We touched on this a little before; however, you are unlikely to be an experienced buyer or seller unless you are a developer who buys and sells multiple properties each month. The process is complicated and full of twists and turns. Without an estate agent in the middle, you can often be faced with making decisions based on your own limited knowledge and a solicitor whom you either can't get hold of or who won't give you their opinion (for fear of being 'on the hook' if everything goes wrong).
- 5
No 'No Sale No Fee' Online Estate Agents!<
Most high street estate agents work on a no sale no fee, which means they absorb all of the costs of valuing, marketing, registering on Zoopla/Rightmove and the photographs if you fail to sell your property. Very few online estate agents offer a no sale no fee, and most often, they state a minimum fee within their terms and conditions that is payable if you do not sell your property.
Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
