To not put house sale on rightmove/Zoopla etc

[cookadoodle]

Basically I’ve told estate agent I don’t want house on rightmove as would like discreet sale. The EA is saying they will find it difficult to sell without it but said they’ll try but they don’t think they’ll find anyone.

AIBU to say that surely the whole point of an EA is to find me someone to buy my house and if that’s through their books and finding potential purchasers that could still be possible? Honestly I don’t know, perhaps I’m a bit old! I’m now thinking of turning to purple bricks or something rather than pay a huge fee for just putting it on rightmove.

When i'm looking to buy, i always use right move/zoopla. If its not there i wouldn't know about it.

Why don't you want to use the sites?purple bricks use them too

I agree with your EA. The vast majority of people now use Rightmove/Zoopla when looking for a house. I never went to any estate agents when looking - I checked Rightmove everyday

YABU if you want to sell

When you say 'discrete' are you planning on keeping it out of the EA window and not having a board outside your house either?

Not sure what your motives are but suspect a very high percentage of sales are generated by rightmove etc

An estate agent told me they sell more than 90% of their properties through the internet. Why do you want a ‘discreet’ sale?

I think the days of EA having databases of potential buyers are gone. Everyone I know just goes straight on RightMove to see what’s around.

Do you have a specific reason for not liking the RM thing. Is it enough of a reason to accept a lower sale price?

It is entirely possible to sell without Rightmove, it was done for years, but why would you? You’ll get more potential buyers with it.

I think its possible. But I would list with all of the local agents and not just one to broaden your market.

An estate agent doing their job properly should have a book of clients who are interested in x, y, z and should be calling around telling people about your house.

Anyone arranging a viewing to see another similar house should be told about your house.

I suspect you just have a rubbish agent. You'll pay a bigger percentage listing with many agents but that's probably fair seeing as you want to exclude their primary marketing tool!

surely the whole point of an EA is to find me someone to buy my house

It is. But by telling them not to use the major sales channel you're asking them to try to sell your house blindfolded, and with one hand tied behind their backs.

"Pssst, wanna buy a house? No can't tell you where it is or who is selling it because it's TOP SECRET".

Why are you being so secretive?

Unless you are in a market that is bucking the current trend it would be seriously unwise. Is there a reason you don’t want people to know you’re selling?

The popular town near me has discreet listings on rightmove with no pictures. "4 bedroom house in central townx" kind of thing.

I guess the estate agent emails the details if a buyer rings about it. Would irritate me as a buyer.

If you’re looking to buy you won’t (or most people won’t) go to every single estate agent in the area and ask to see their books. You’ll check on Rightmove to see what meets your criteria and approach the EA from that.
Of course sometimes I’ve been on viewings where the EA has added a couple of extra viewings that maybe I didn’t spot online, so not every viewing has come from Rightmove but the vast majority.

It is possible. They will put a picture in the shop window. They can refer people who are viewing similar houses. But it will probably take a lot longer as most people go to rightmove as a first stop.

You might have more luck if you list it with multiple estate agents as more customers will be reached.

I don't really understand the idea of a discreet sale, as surely whoever you are keeping it secret from, will realise once you've moved. Unless its a child protection issue or something...

I'm currently buying and only looking on Rightmove. Only one agent has contacted me with details of properties they think I might like after viewing with them. The rest just wait for buyers to call it would seem.

But...are you not going to give us any clue why you want to sell your house secretly?

So you want them to sell your house without letting potential buyers know it's up for sale?

Are you BU, no. Do you want to significantly reduce the risk of selling your house, yes. I’m looking for a house out of the area where I live, the first place I have looked is Rightmove. Far easier then finding all the estate agents that cover the area and contacting them.

I reckon with a proper agent it shouldn’t be so hard, they’ll just have to put more effort in than many are used to now. We just sold our house and granted it was on rightmove, but the people who actually bought it didn’t see it there, it was outside their search area, but our agent sent the details for it to them.

We only got one offer - theirs, at the asking price and it wasn’t prime selling season. And we paid 0.75% agency fees. So I’d say it’s definitely possible, you just haven’t found the right agent yet.

It makes no logical sense to use purple bricks. They are basically an on line agent. How would they find you buyers?

The agent is the best bet, but folks don't really go into agents offces, they view on line then make an appt.

Ask for them to put it on their mailing list. But they are right, not advertising it for sale makes it very much more difficult and people will be suspicious as to your motives, personally I'd think there was a problem there.

I’m sure it’s possible, but you’re eliminating their major sales channel and massively reducing the prospective audience, so it will be harder and take longer.
Whatever you feel about it, Rightmove is the first place most people look. So as long as you’re ok with hugely limiting your sales opportunities, then go ahead with it.
FWIW I barely glanced at the emails the estate agents sent me with houses on, as I knew I’d have seen them all already on Rightmove. Didn’t once enter the EA’s office either apart from to pick the keys up so wouldn’t even have seen the pictures in the window.

Purple Bricks operate solely online so they will not be a good bet for you.

I believe it is done for very expensive houses, owners don’t want nosey people tramping around. If it is an ordinary house you may struggle, we found our house through Rightmove

I think you are a bit behind the times I'm afraid. The majority of people view houses online now. Some buy them without even viewing them in person. They just go by the pictures and sometimes a report. Put your house on one of the sites or you'll still be trying to sell for ages.

No one goes round the agents looking in the windows any more.

I think it would be possible to list your house with POA (price on application if that’s what you are worried about.)

I'm old, over 50 and when looking for houses we used Rightmove last year. I'm not going to be trudging round looking in ea windows, times have moved on.