Let’s face it, we’ve all imagined our perfect property whether it be a flat overlooking the city skyline or a quite cottage residing in the depths of the county side. Who hasn’t spent a spare ten minutes in the working day browsing the internet for their dream home? The online world has revolutionised the property industry and has recently cultivated a new market that claims to offer the same services as traditional estate agents at the click of a button.
These online agents are encouraging the nation to trade window shopping for the web with promises of lower fixed rates and different property packages to suit each individual. Although these propositions sound appealing, is it too good to be true? We want to explore this new territory and give you 7 important reasons why high street agents are the best at making a house your home.
Regardless of whether you’re buying or selling an estate these decisions are an investment in your future. High street agents have an experienced team of individuals that personally guide you through each step of your property journey, continually updating their clients on the progression of the sale, fighting for the best deal for you. Online agents aim to replicate this quality of service through phone or email however high street agents are available for a face to face consultations throughout the day, allowing you to fully illustrate your needs so you walk out the door feeling happy that your futures in good hands.
This is undeniably one of the largest advantages high streets estate agents have. Google Maps is no match for our traditional high street agents who have a vast knowledge of the local areas, enabling them to make informed recommendations on locations best suited to their customer’s needs. Our closest properties are within a couple miles of our 12 branches allowing our locally based negotiators to tailor perfect properties to the perfect place for our qualified buyers. High Street agents are more likely to get a better result than an online agent who has potentially only got three or four negotiators covering the whole country. Many of our agents have built relationships within the local community over decades and it’s that kind of service, knowledge and experience that gives us the edge.
This is arguably the only real difference between the high street agents and an online agent – who conducts the viewings. High street agents conduct the viewings for the customer organising these appointments at the availability of the client. Our agents are able to give valuable expert advice whilst accompanying the procedure allowing individuals to feel comfortable in the knowledge they are being guided and advised through this part of the process. This particular service is not offered to the same degree with online agencies as the vendor of the property usually takes the clients round themselves. Although they can offer detailed information about the estate, safety concerns sometimes arise as both parties have not been investigated. The buyer may be nervous about visiting the property, and seller nervous about letting someone into their home without a professional accompanying them.
High Street agents will always send out a professional to view your property to accumulate an accurate valuation on the property, so they can make an informed prediction on the worth of the estate. However, it appears that particular online agencies solely estimate property value using information from the sale prices of properties in that particular area. This might be a quick and simple technique that delivers immediate results however it does not always guarantee an authentic price. High street agents offer a thorough examination of the property which may take longer but may potentially be more beneficial in the future. Our Online Valuation Tool is also a fantastic resource for if you’re just curious about your properties value and not quite ready to move.
These online agents have begun to emerge within the past year with goals to renovate the property industry, which means their clientele database may be small whilst they primarily expand. However high street companies like our own, which have developed over the past thirty years have accumulated a large portfolio of clients within the market. Essentially these traditional agencies will have established a greater network of customers and properties that can be successfully matched to each individual’s needs.
Now we’re not going to lie to you online agents do provide different property packages at various prices however, high street agents offer the whole package to all their customers for the entirety of their property process. These services include free valuations, mortgage appointments and viewings so customers won’t be surprised by any additional costs. Online agencies give you exactly what you pay for but high street agents make sure you get more than your monies worth.
The internet is an integral part of the selling process for both sellers and prospective buyers alike. The traditional estate agents not only have the local knowledge but also the digital channels to back them up. Whether or not its being on both property portals Rightmove and Zoopla, having a large range of prospective buyers or engaging social channels. Our range of marketing doesn’t just span our branches but uses online channels to maximise your properties chances of selling for the best price.
