Property for sale
Propertiesdirect.co.uk lists properties for sale direct from the owner, i.e. no estate agents.
It is a common misconception that agents play an irreplaceable role in the sale of a property, both from a seller's and buyer's perspective. Though they can 'hold your hand' and also do a lot of the leg work that you might not want to do, the process is generally much simpler than you might think and certainly most people are more than capable of doing it themselves.
It is of course obvious what the main advantage of bypassing agents is to the seller - they could save £1000s on the commission which is almost always based on a % of the sale price - but the advantages to the buyer are perhaps not so immediately obvious.
The first thing to note is that as a private seller is potentially saving several £1000 in commission, they may be more willing to negotiate on the asking price.
Another often cited advantage is the ability to talk direct with the owner, giving you the best chance of knowing the true state of play. Agents are sometimes accused of distorting the truth about the progress of a sale in order to protect their or the seller's interests. However, what is sometimes an advantage can also be a disadvantage: having an agent acting as a buffer between you can be useful in certain situations. |
