Online estate agents vs local estate agents
No one can deny that the internet has changed the way people lead their lives. From online food shopping to booking holidays and even buying and selling properties. The possibilities of the internet are pretty much endless.
Buying and selling a property is a scary business, after all it is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make. So, when you are in the process of buying, selling or both it can be really beneficial to have an estate agent on hand that you can talk to and understand your situation.
So, what are the differences between online estate agents and local agents in the Leicester area?
Local knowledge
Typically, a local estate agent knows a lot more about your local area than a national online estate agent. A local estate agent should have a wealth of experience dealing in the local area and above all else up to date local knowledge that can help them achieve the best price for your property.
A large national estate agent chain typically has a rep that works a large area of the country, meaning the chances of them have specific knowledge of your local area is fairly slim. They work on information provide from the company to guide you on a price and will say almost anything to owners to convert you to sell your property with them.
Conducting the viewings yourself
One of the reasons online agents are able to cut down their costs is because you, the landlord or owner will hold the viewings. Think about it practically, can you afford to take time off work to show people around your home or do you know enough about the questions they may be asking?
With an online estate agent you have to be flexible with viewing arrangements because if you are too restrictive you may be limiting the number of potential buyers to see your property. It’s important to not allow potential buyers or tenants to lose interest in your property, so without a local estate agent to assist with your property viewings, you may be missing out on valuable property viewings.
Vetting process
With an online estate agent, anyone can come to view your property 
through an arrange viewing, there is no vetting process in place. With a local estate agent such as Open House Leicester, we vet everyone’s position before booking in viewings to make sure they are a good match for the property. Otherwise it’s just a waste of time for a vendor and generally people are just being nosey and window shopping.
Marketing
A local estate agent will take care of almost everything. With a strong knowledge of the local area, they will recognise what platforms to market your property for the best results in the local area.
A local estate agent will also cover everything from taking a comprehensive portfolio of photos of your property, both internally and externally, to maximise your property to the market. An estate agent knows what to look out for and the features people are looking for. They can write a strong property description to highlight key aspects of your property and to include information that cannot be photographed. After all, they know what to write to sell a property as they do it every day!
Personal approach
With a local estate agent you are receiving a personal service from the moment you pick up the phone on your initial enquiry right through until you pick up the keys to your new property. With an online estate agent you rarely talk to the same person twice, especially after their rep has persuaded you to use their service.
Online estate agents use an automated system through the process of selling your property which is lead by their head office team. Getting in touch with someone who understands your property and where you are in the process really helps when selling your property, after all the more they know, the more they can help you.
The upfront cost
Online estate agents typically charge an upfront fee that is required within 7 days of signing your contract and payable whether or not your property is sold. Without this fee, the online estate agent will not proceed with marketing your property.
Online estate agents want as many properties as possible on their books and have local agents based throughout the UK with the main aim of converting your lead into a signature. The reps will do almost anything they can to get you to sign up to the estate agent, as every rep is getting paid for signatures on contracts and not for selling the property.
The battle of online estate agents vs local estate agents is growing in the UK, but there are a lot of reasons to use a local Leicester state agent. With a wealth of local knowledge and experience in the industry, a local Leicester estate agent can typically sell your property faster and more efficiently than an online estate agent.
At Open House Leicester we offer free property valuations, so if you want to find out how much your home is worth, talk to us today. Call 0116 243 7938 or email info@openhouseleicester.co.uk
