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Online vs Offline agents – Which is truly the best?

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In recent years there have been major changes to the way properties are transacted. It is crucial for estate agents to continually adapt to keep up the pace with the changes coming into place. One huge change is online advertising and more specifically property portals.

Before then newspaper and shop window displays were the main focus. These days an online presence through the portals has become paramount to the success of any agent operating in the industry.

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So what is the real difference between online and offline estate agents…

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Online

• Online agents are often cheaper to sell with, but it means you have to pay upfront, therefore giving the agents no real reason to drive the sale for your property, as once instructed they have already got their cash.
• The price you pay seems very cheap, but a lot of the time it doesn’t always include extras. For example, hosted viewings so you will have to spend your valuable time booking them.
• Online agents may not be local to your area – a lot of the time your agent won’t actually be local to you and your property as they have a number of different focus areas. What does this mean? Well, they will struggle to sell your property as they will have little to no knowledge of the area.
• Online estate agents don’t tend to do very much to try and sell your property. They just list it online and leave you to do the rest. This includes conducting your own negotiations.

High Street

• High street agents typically cost more, but you only pay once sold which means the agents are truly driven to get the property sold as it is in their best interest as well as yours.
• The price you pay covers everything including hosted viewings, for sale signs customer service team to guide through the process allowing it to be a much more personable experience and high-end marketing packages.
• High street agents will be direct and local in your area, meaning they will be rich in knowledge. This means they’re able to promote the benefits of the local area alongside your property, showing those looking to buy a whole new lifestyle as well as a home.

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How we take advantage of both

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Free Online Property Valuation 

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As we can see the value of aspects in high street and online agency, we have taken a different approach in that we are combing them both.

We have always been on top of any industry trends, which plays a massive part in why we are better than any of our local competitors.

Once we noticed an increasing number of buyers and sellers were hanging out online, we ensured to jump onto the online bandwagon. Our first website was actually created in 1998, which proves that point!

We offer a fantastic marketing package that includes professional photographs, 360 virtual tours and a massive online presence.

This includes running our own successful website, social media pages and Google Adverts. Best of all, we use two of the best online property portals, Rightmove and Zoopla.

In recent years, these portals are the ‘new high street’ in that eager buyers are busy navigating around the sites, allowing them to browse their dream properties from the comfort of their own home, avoiding the endless crowds that often occupy high streets.

Traditionally, we are still physically open until 5:30pm which is later than our local competitors and our lines are available up until 8:30pm, a lot better suited for those who work throughout the day. We still display our properties in branch for those who like to keep it old school and have a nosy while strolling around the local high street.

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Don’t just take our word for it

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We are the top selling agent in many of our core areas and we have statistics to back this up.

We’ve sold 124% more than our nearest competitor. We have also sold more properties in total than our second and third competitor added together. Moreover, our market share is 17.2%, and our nearest competitor is 8%. Pretty impressive, right?

So, why not choose Edward Mellor to sell your property at the best possible price, in a time period that suits you. Get in touch today by clicking here or call us on 0161 443 4860.

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Find our branch pages here: Droylsden, Denton, Levenshulme, Gorton, Romiley, Marple, Hazel Grove, Stalybridge, Withington, Edgeley and Offerton.

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Related Links

7 reasons why you should use a high street agent

How we take full advantage of social media in 2019 

Why it is so important for estate agents to use property portals in 2019