Nowadays you have a bewildering array of choice when it comes to selling your home.
To ensure you get the best estate agent that suits you, it is a good idea to work out what you are prepared to do regarding the photos, viewings and negotiations as this will help cut down your options on who to use.
For example, if you're happy to show buyers around your home there is no need for you to pay for the agent to conduct viewings - this alone can save you £300-£400.
When deciding to use an online agent be aware that some of the basic packages will not include negotiating offers with the buyer - Doorsteps are one to watch for this.
If you are not keen to negotiate with the buyer directly, it is often available as an optional extra but it can bump the cost of the package by £200-£400.
Some online agents (notably Purplebricks) have more expensive pricing if you live within London.
Make sure you check if you are eligible for the standard package or if you will have to pay a premium due to your location. Each agency seems to have different rules as to what constitutes a London property.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are mandatory but they are valid for up to 10 years - so if you've owned the property for less than 10 years then you might be able to use an EPC that already exists.
If you do need to get one, they typically cost between £60-£100 depending on the agent - if they try to charge you more than this you can always use an independent com
As the saying goes, if it looks to be to be true, it probably is!
Some online estate agents offer a very cheap listing fee but then add on multiple extras - depending on your property's value you may be better off with a high street agent.
Most online estate agents will want to charge you regardless of whether they sell your home. Traditional high street estate agents tend to offer no sale, no fee pricing.
Some people prefer not to pay upfront and yet still choose to use an online agent, in this case, you will often need to ender into a credit agreement but these can work out costing significantly more money. With a credit agreement, you will still need to pay the agents fees if you don't sell, all the credit agreement does is delay payment (like a loan).
By using an online agent and paying fees upfront, you can save a lot of money but remember, if you don't sell, you will have lost that money.
Estate agents often enjoy talking about their ability to achieve a certain percentage of the advertised sale price - this however can be a little misleading.
Like with all statistics, when taken out of context, they can do more harm than good. Any agent that is consistently selling for the asking price is either valuing property with an amazing accuracy or, more likely, occasionally undervaluing property.
You're better off focussing on how quickly an agent manages to sell houses, you really want an agent who is able to find you the right buyer.
In addition to this, you are better off choosing someone you feel you can trust as they will be selling your most valuable asset.
We don't like it when sellers are unexpectly told they must pay an additional fee or be tied into using an agents own conveyancer or mortgage broker.
Keep an eye out for this as sometimes these services may be more expensive. Most agents will let you pay a 'get out' clause if you choose not to use their services but this can be costly.
Top tip: make sure you ask if you will be tied into any using other services (like conveyancing) before signing any agreement.
Rightmove
Zoopla
They're a large estate agency with local property experts based across the UK and over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot.
Their price includes professional photos, floorplans and 12 months marketing.
They offer a free valuation in person, to ensure you're setting a realistic sale price.
Your property will be advertised on Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location.
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Rightmove
Zoopla
They offer a completely free property listing which goes onto Rightmove and Zoopla - as far as we know, they are the only company to offer this.
They are expanding their local agents across the country and rapidly growing as an online estate agent with over 12k reviews on Trustpilot.
When they're unable to do a valuation in person, they will now offer you a virtual valuation online, for free.
They make money by charging for extra services like professional photography and hosted viewings; but if you're happy to do these things yourself, this may be the cheapest way you can possibly sell your home.
Book free valuation
Rightmove
Zoopla
They have disrupted the property market and lowered the cost of selling property in the UK.
They have pretty good coverage across the UK by working with 'local property experts' - be aware though, some areas are less well serviced than others - this can lead to a poorer experience with getting the agent out to the property to conduct viewings.
There have been reports that they may have been pressuring review sites into removing negative reviews left by disgruntled customers. The unforturnate consequence of this is that it is hard to tell if they really are any good.
Depending on the package you go for, you might get tied into using their legal and financial services, which can be more expensive than finding your own conveyancer and mortgage broker etc.
Some people have complained about being entered into credit agreement's without their knowledge (as they claimed they thought they were entering into a no sale no fee agreement).
Top tip: make sure you read any agreements thoroughly before signing paperwork.
Rightmove
Zoopla
If you only want a basic online property listing service, Doorsteps are still one of the cheapest ways to put your home up for sale.
Quite amazingly, they really will sell your house for only £99 (if you go for their cheapest package).
At £99, you really are on your own when it comes to selling your home though. At this price point they simply can't offer the same level of service to talk you through everything, visit you and ensure a smooth sale.
If you want any extra services, you can quickly find that the total price you're paying goes up, although it will probably still be cheaper than a lot of other online agents.
They will try and encourage you to use their other financial and legal services - this is entirely up to you though, so just make sure you know what you are agreeing to and that you're getting a fair price.
Rightmove
Esale like to keep things simple - they stand out for not having lots of extra charges (for example, they don't charge more if you live in London).
Their price includes professional photos, floorplans and 12 months marketing.
It's a relatively small company and you can speak to the owners easily.
They have high user ratings from people who have used their services.
Your property will only be advertised on Rightmove and On The Market - they don't advertise on Zoopla.
Their phone lines can get busy at times and sometimes it can be hard to get through.
Rightmove
Zoopla
They are a mid-sized online agent - with around 500 reviews on Trustpilot, they have been getting a consistently high rating.
Their coverage across the UK is somewhat limited as they only have around 10 agents working for them, however, if you don't require local visits, they may be worth considering.
They offer a few options about how to pay for selling your house - you can choose to pay monthly, pay a percentage upon completion or pay upfront (which is the £995 package).
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