Fancy saving a few thousand pounds?! (Online Estate Agents - Comments & Tips)

Member Name: Linnyg

Product:	Online Estate Agents - Comments & Tips
Date:	05/07/09 (44 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Much cheaper than high street agent

Disadvantages: They won't proactively try to sell your property

We are currently trying to sell our one bed flat through Hatched, a Hitchin based online estate agent, but they sell properties from other areas as well. It has been on the market for nine months and we have had very few viewings. I think it was only one until this spring when it picked up and we have had another three or four.

Of course the market has not been great for selling, especially to first time buyers, over the past year or so and we went into it fully prepared for the fact that it could take a longer time to sell but with the huge cost savings we thought it was worth a try. Essentially the property will be put on the internet and then left there, waiting for people to ring up and ask to view it, so it would probably be more successful in a sellers market.

They did a good job preparing the property particulars, including a floor plan, 360 degree photos and full description. The photos however, weren't very good so I ended up getting them to use photos I had taken myself. I am constantly surprised by how many high street agents do a lazy job of descriptions on the internet, with no measurements, few photos and rarely a floor plan.

Hatched do seem to try hard to follow up viewings to get you some feedback, according to them they phone three times and email before giving up if they can't get through. However they haven't chased up a viewing that had to be rearranged by the buyers despite me phoning to ask them about it.

Overall, if you are prepared to wait and fancy saving a few thousand then give it a go, if you are not the patient type then just go to a high street agent!

Summary: Consider only if you are very patient and/or in a better market