The on-going COVID-19 crisis has stopped, like many things, the property market in its tracks. With social distancing and being encouraged to stay at home at the moment, many things in life have taken a backseat.
If you was thinking about selling your property recently and are now put off, don’t be! The high street estate agents might be closed but the online world of estate agency and cash buyers hasn’t been busier.
Online Estate Agents
The newest brand of estate agents that have come online. These companies work without the overheads and costs of running a high street office. Without these costs it means generally they work with more staff and spend more on advertising a seller’s property online. They also still use traditional Estate Agency marketing methods.
This means that companies, such as GetAnOffer, can charge fees that are normally substantially lower than traditional and local estate agents.
Selling Your House Yourself
It is possible to sell your property privately without using a traditional estate agents or going to an action.
Generally it’s a lot of work, but can be quite rewarding if done effectively. You will take over the duties of being an estate agent.
Jobs of an estate agent can include;
- Advertising to online and offline buyers
- Phone calls with potential buyers
- Arranging and conducting your own property viewings
- Chasing solicitors
- Chasing up paperwork
- Working with surveyors and property valuers
- Receiving offers and negotiating on price
Please note that it would be impossible to talk to your buyer’s solicitor due to client confidentiality which could really slow down the sale of the house.
Where Can You Advertise Selling Your Own House?
Advertising online as your own estate agent is a bit more difficult than if you was using an estate agent. You won’t get access to list your property on Rightmove, Zoopla, etc. Traditional estate agents access this service via a big substantial monthly fee.
Some places you can advertise your property on are;
- Ebay
- Gumtree
- Social Media
- Various Online Seller Boards
If you’re selling your property yourself, you’ll also need to do some offline marketing, this can include;
- Local paper selling sections
- Word of mouth – i.e. Talking to locals
- Advertise in local shops notice boards
- Make your own For Sale board to put outside your property
Hopefully deploying the above tactics will get you buyers for your property.
Remember, selling your house privately isn’t a walk in the park so please make sure you fully investigate what you’re doing before you commit.
Quick House Sale Companies
It’s also possible to sell your house online via a ‘we buy any house’ type company. These companies will normally buy your house within 3 days for cash but at a rate of 75% to 90% market value depending on various variables.
These property buying companies promise a quick house sale, companies such as House Buy Fast explain how the process works.
If you’re thinking about using a quick house sale company, please look out for;
- Long tie-ins
- Verbal promises (always get it in writing)
- Make sure the company is a member of The Property Ombudsman and The National Association of Property Buyers
- Get a solicitor if unsure
- Do not rush your house sale
We hope this article gives you some insight into how to sell your house online during the current pandemic.