estate agents

[tracymort]

do you really need them? I was just thinking it seems you pay them alot of money to stick your house pic in the window and a few papers. you could do that yourselff. Even have a website for your house even. Or is that more than that to being an estate agent?

[darth vader]

Bear in mind they arrange (and host on your behalf if necessary) viewings around your house. Their main advantage is the coverage - lots of people will see your house in the window plus advertised in most local papers. Think of it this way, if you're buying a house where's the first 2 places you look? the windows and the papers. You could sell it yourself without need of an estate agent, but i wouldn't recommend it IMHO. Darth Vader (who is in no way connected with Estate Agency B4 you finger-point!)

[Miss Zippy]

I think the only real advantage of using an estate agent is the marketing aspect; your property is likely to get more coverage than you might be able to achieve yourself. Other than that, I think they are pretty useless and more and more people seem to be selling successfully without them. Selling via an agent doesn't afford you any kind of protection and if a buyer is going to pull out at the last minute or generally being an awkward so-and-so, they will be irrespective buying via an agent. Have a go at doing it yourself if you've got the resources, you've got nothing to lose (after you've had no obligation appraislagot valuations from at least three local agents!!)