First work out what you want your estate agent to do.
If you're happy to show buyers around there is no need for you to pay for the agent to conduct viewings. This can typically 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.
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 an more expensive package 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.
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 the same EPC that already exists.
If you do need to get one, they typically cost between £60-£100 depending on the agent.
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 also want a completion fee upon selling your property.
This is how traditional high street estate agents operate.
Some online estate agents offer credit agreements that you enter into if you don't pay upfront, these can work out costing significantly more money.
If you are sure you are going to move, then you can save a lot of money by paying upfront to sell your home.
The sale price achieved percentage is a bit of a misleading statistic.
Take this figure with a pince of salt as it isn't indicative of what you'll get for your property.
In reality, it is probably a better indicator of which agents regularly overvalue properties to win instructions.
We don't like it when sellers are unexpectly told they must pay an additional fee or be tied into using an agents own (or linked) conveyancer or mortgage broker.
Keep an eye out for this as sometimes the tied service is more expensive than you might be find elsewhere, making the whole package a lot less attractive overall.
Rightmove
Zoopla
They're a large estate agency with local property experts based across the UK and over 10,000 reviews on Trust Pilot.
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 have disrupted the property market and lowered the cost of selling property in the UK.
They have good coverage across the UK with many local property experts (although some people have asked how local some of them are).
There are reports that they may have been pressuring review sites into removing negative reviews, which makes it harder to tell really how good they are.
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 without their knowledge (when they thought they were entering into a no sale no fee agreement).
Rightmove
Zoopla
If you only want their basic online property listing service, they are probably the cheapest way to put your home up for sale.
That's right, they really do sell your house for only £99, it isn't a typo (if you go for their cheapest package).
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 may 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
They don't add on 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
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