Property cash buyers vs. online estate agents

One offers you a hassle-free way of selling your house fast while the other could make you more money. We put property cash buyers and online estate agents head-to-head to find out who comes out on top.

Online estate agents

Much like online banks, online estate agents now rival traditional high street agents as the best way to sell your home. Some even help with viewings, but be warned: because they usually don’t have local knowledge, they might not be as in tune with the market.

The pros

• Online estate agents over massive savings compared with high street agents. Most offer comprehensive packages around £500 – a far cry from the 1-2.5% commission most estate agents charge. This could save you upwards of thousands of pounds. [Text Wrapping Break]
• They’ll take professional photographs, use 360° virtual tours and list you on all the major portals.[Text Wrapping Break]

The cons

• Anyone can register to become an online estate agent. Provided you register with a grievance body, you could start marketing properties online yourself today. This means many online agents have a distinct lack of knowledge and experience when it comes to selling houses.[Text Wrapping Break]
• Many online agents won’t negotiate on your behalf, leaving it to you to haggle over the price. Most sellers appreciate some experienced support during this process, or don’t want to deal with it at all.[Text Wrapping Break]
• As with traditional agents, the entire sales process can be drawn out and sales are more likely to fall through without the pressure of an in-situ agent pressing the sale along.

Property cash buyers

When you’re thinking ‘I need to sell my house fast’, for whatever reason, property cash buyers can help you move quickly. Valuation to completion can happen in as little as a week and because you’re dealing with cash, transactions are cleared in just a few days.

Pros

• When cash flow is priority, property cash buyers cut down the waiting time to its bare minimum – sometimes just seven days.[Text Wrapping Break]
• No risk of a buyer getting cold feet, anyone pulling out or the sale falling through thanks to a revealing survey. Cash property buyers will buy any UK house, in any condition – guaranteeing you a fast sale.[Text Wrapping Break]
• Avoid a chain of buyers, sellers, solicitors, agents and mortgage lenders. Navigating a large chain like this means slower sales and the risk of things falling apart.

Cons

• Typically, property cash buyers don’t offer as much for homes as traditional buyers, so a seller may not achieve the full value of their property. But Private Property Buyers will always offer up to 100% of a property’s true market value, and you’ll get the money in cash.[Text Wrapping Break]
• There won’t be as much room for negotiation as usually the valuation offered is the one you receive, which might not account for market fluctuations or idiosyncrasies of your area.
• And the winner is

Comparing the lists side by side, when you need a fast house sale it’s easy to see who the winner is. If your priority is to sell your house fast, then choosing a cash buyer is a no brainier. You’ll minimize risks, avoid a lengthy sale and have money in your pocket in no time.

Give us a call today to receive a free, no-obligation valuation.