Selling your house without an agent – is it REALLY worth it?

Selling your home is an expensive, and sometimes stressful business. From sorting it out and getting it ready to put on the market right up to the day you move, you can expect to spend out quite a bit. With estate agent’s fees being perceived as a potentially avoidable expense, there are a growing number of people who choose to sell their house without an agent. There are a few factors that should be taken into consideration before going down this route, as it could turn out to be costly.

When it comes to the local housing market, nobody knows the prices better than a local agent who has first-hand knowledge of recent sales. This knowledge, gained from selling over a period of time means an estate agent is best placed to be able to accurately value your house for the current market. Whilst you might feel you know what your property is worth, an estate agent is able to take a step back and put a realistic value on your home based on current property selling prices. Negotiation is key in a successful sale, and personal feelings can often make it hard to be objective, which is why a professional is more likely to get the best results.

Whilst there are websites that a property owner can use to market their own house, estate agents have much better coverage when it comes to getting your property out there; through the estate agency itself, use of social media and even from clients who have registered an interest in particular types of properties. With access to professional photographers who will make sure that images of your property really do show it off to its best, this expertise can really put your property in the public eye.

In the wake of the EU Referendum vote, despite the fact that there is a shortage of properties for sale and an increased number of people looking to buy, potential buyers are becoming increasingly cautious to purchase. Recent Bank of England figures show that the number of approvals for house purchases were down considerably from June to July this year, 64,152 down to 60,912. This figure is lower than the predicted 61,900 City of London Economists had predicted. With this in mind, sellers would do well to make use of every resource available to market their property to the widest audience, helping them achieve the highest number of viewings and hopefully that all important offer.