Nothing in Life is free...!

Did anyone catch the segment on this morning today? Obviously being Estate Agency related, I made sure to tune in.

If you missed it, Holly and Alison were talking all things agency and discussing how online agents such as Purplebricks, have disrupted the market, making you ask yourself, can I do this a cheaper way? Discussed on the show were several points that I wanted to mention and share, as it really is all in the small print....

Firstly it is really important to say, that everyone will have different opinions on High Street and Online agency, but based on our personal experiences in the property industry, we really wanted to respond to some of the points raised. As wonderful as 'we sell your house for free' sounds, surely we all know that nothing in life is actually free? Those marketing strap lines are there to lure you in, but please remember the golden rule when you buy cheap, you buy twice! Or another personal favourite if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! (Any one who knows me well knows I love a good old fashioned idiom).

Three particular online agents were up for debate with one actually having the tagline “we sell your house for free” that sounds good doesn’t it? Alluring, but it’s not entirely true. The services offered for free are very limited and any additional assistance you require, will incur you additional costs. This particular online agent charged for basic services such as a viewings package where you could pay an EXTRA £699 for your viewings to be carried out by a 'professional'. Shockingly, to have your property listed on the major property portals (Rightmove, Zoopla, Primelocation) is not part of their free service either, but instead that could cost you an EXTRA £499!

Although this pricing tactic is relatively new to the property world, this is not new in other areas of business. Even in the conveyancing industry we saw huge firms offering low fees to their clients, but what happens once they’ve lured you in with what feels like a bargain! You quite simply watch how quickly that 'fee' is upscaled to something comparable to one of your first quotes, which you may have initially dismissed.

According to This Morning "80% of homeowners admitted selling their home was the most stressful thing they had ever done!"

At Heart & Home Property Professionals, although we do not have a high street premises, we are certainly not just an online agent. From day one we offer our professional opinion, we like to stage and present your property for photos and viewings, we will carefully put together online listings and brochures, we will host all appointments, we are highly skilled in negotiation (and can offer this on your onward purchase too!) we erect our for sale boards as part of the package, and so much more! And let's not forget, this is all for one simple fee which is only paid when we've actually sold your home!

Please make sure to read the small print before you fall victim to cleverly worded advertisements and remember, it’s not about the company, the fee or the value of your property, if you like the individual agent you are dealing with, everything else is negotiable.

Written By Michaela Sanders

Director