Anyone bought or sold with online estate agents?

Just going through a purchase myself and normally you’d pick up keys from the estate agents.. how does it work with one a them new fangled virtual agents then?

cheers!

No, but I used an online solicitors for my recent sale/purchase.

Never.

Again.

I imagine you’d pick up the keys from the vendor direct?

Had a couple of viewings via an online agent. According to the vendor they were pretty sh1t as they didn’t keep either party up to date with anything.

Good luck!

No, but I used an online solicitors for my recent sale/purchase.

Never.

Again.

No experience myself, but I have a very good friend who would say the exact same thing (I tried warning him but he’s tight). I imagine if it was a very simple affair, eg. selling a new build and buying a new build or somesuch, that everything would be fine. However, sometimes with the complications involved with older properties, and the hassles that can come up at the last minute, it helps to have an office you can actually drive to and strangle a solicitor expedite the delivery of documents yourself.

I sold through an online agent ‘housenetwork.co.uk’ and just handed the keys to the buyer when she rucked up in a van.

Thanks jekkyl. I knew STW would answer (lots of different questions, but eventually getting around to the one I asked 😉 )

(OK, I take that back: there were 2 in my post)

Online estate agents are a t bit meh.. using one at the moment to sell the house (if it doesn’t work out I don’t mind losing £200. They give you booger all feedback and are a bit of a pain to deal with. That said my past experiences with estate agents has been that they are all pretty useless. Solicitors on the other hand – umm. well they are all pretty useless as well and will not get of their backsides unless prodded and poked daily..

but I have a very good friend who would say the exact same thing

Yeah I had the same – my brother had used them and they were good. He was halfway through a purchase when I instructed them and he was happy with them at that point too.

Then suddenly it all imploded – his purchase and mine became real bitches and he spent weeks apologising to me for recommending them.

yes, currently using housesimple

£200 + vat one off = pro photos and floorplan, you help with the advert wording etc,review and approve, then advert published on all relevant websites (rightmove zoopla etc) for 6 months. All they do is when contacted they give the contacter your phone no – you need to deal direct with punters and do viewings etc etc etc.

I have been amazed – out of about 12 viewings I’d say only 1 was a tourist the rest I think have been pretty straight. Sold once (fell thru on chain – ho hum) and now under offer, fingers crossed.

There may be some people who won’t deal direct but I suspect they will diminish as ‘technotime’ goes on.