Mumsnet user review Yopa - an online estate agency

[EllieMumsnet]

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This thread is for the 5 Mumsnetters who tested the Yopa service for 10 weeks to try and sell their home.

Non testers, in order to be entered into a prize draw to win, where one Mumsnetter will win a £150 John Lewis voucher, please share your thoughts on the following - ‘Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

If you'd like to find out more about Yopa, please feel free to visit their website

Here’s what Yopa have to say: “At Yopa, we’ve kept the good bits of traditional estate agency and done away with all the bad bits. Like the expensive commission, the 9-5 opening hours, and the old-fashioned way of doing things. In their place is the 21st century way of selling your home. That means your own dedicated local estate agent, with you every step of the way. A professional advert for your home that goes in front of millions of buyers on Rightmove, Zoopla and PrimeLocation. And your own online control centre that lets you track your sale and receive viewing requests and offers directly, 24/7. All this for a low fixed fee including VAT of £839 (£1,399 in some London postcodes). That’s it. A low fixed fee. No small print. We’ve been rated 5-star by thousands of happy home sellers. On average, we find a buyer for them within 30 days - and they get over 98% of their asking price.”

Testers, please answer the following questions:

First impressions

• First lot of questions: impressions on the valuation -
• Did you find your valuation with your local Yopa agent useful?
• How well was the process of Yopa explained to you?
• Did you feel your Yopa agent had lots of local knowledge?
• Are you happy with your agent?

Second lot of questions: putting your home up for sale & advert -

• So far are you pleased with the service?
• Were you happy with the adverts prepared for your home?
• How is the process of selling your house online?

Third lot of questions: finding a buyer -

• How’s the process been so far?
• How much success have you had in selling your house?
• How easy have you found using yopahub (your online dashboard)?

Final batch of questions: overall impressions of the service -

• What did you like most about the process?
• Would you recommend selling with Yopa over a high street agent? -
• Would you use it again if you were selling again?
• What are your overall thoughts on the process?
• Did your property manage to sell?

All testers who complete all feedback will receive a £50 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Non-tester

Local knowledge is hugely important to me when choosing an estate agent. I want to be able to ensure they can sell my house quickly and without too much hassle during the paperwork stages. This is helped if they can inform buyers about local schools/services and other specialist things like, 'Yes it has a stream at the bottom of the garden but there haven't been any floods in the area since 1890, so you don't need to worry about it'. I would also be far more confident of an accurate valuation from a local estate agent.

Non- tester here. Have read the yopa experiences with interest.
Local knowledge is essential, not just for valuations but also when the estate agents is conducting viewings. And finally because they can help you find the right property if you are moving locally.
Price is really important too. London estate agents are all quoting me 1.2% commission, which sounds reasonable until you look at London house prices, and suddenly it adds up to an enormous sum. Much prefer this fixed fee approach.

Non tester local knowledge is very important to me as I would like to think that they know the area and what it has to offer.local school knowledge and transport links are very important too. Also they would be more likely to know the value of properties in the local area.

Non tester - my initial thought was that local knowledge would be more important for buyers rather than sellers but as you need buyers to sell, it is actually quite important.

Non tester
I wouldn’t consider using an agent who didn’t have local knowledge of the market when selling. I think sometimes estate agents are useful for pointing out the local quirks...

Non tester

Having local knowledge is so valuable to be able to give info on good schools, train stations etc. I don't think I would use someone who didn't have local knowledge

Non tester.

I think having local knowledge is essential - buying a house is a whole lot more important (and expensive) than any other purchase. I wouldn't use an online estate agency that didn't have some form of local connections.

‘Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

With the internet providing a wide breadth of information I would not be particularly worried if my estate agent were not based locally. If I decided to sell my home through a non-local estate agent I am sure they would be able to research the local area and provide a detailed overview of the area.

Non Tester.

For me local knowledge in an agent is especially important if they are doing the viewings as they need to be able to share this knowledge with potential buyers. I wouldn't be so bothered I were doing my own viewings.

Non tester.

To me personally local knowledge is invaluable when either buying or selling a house. I would not feel comfortable dealing with estate agents whom I felt did not know anything about the area the house was in.

Non-tester.

Local knowledge is essential I think. I wouldn't be comfortable signing up with an agency that didn't have that element.

Local knowledge is very important to me so I can get a clear idea of the area, what it has to offer, transport links and schools. I do not prefer to choose an EA who isn't equipped with this knowledge.

Local knowledge is important, when doing viewings the estate agent will be asked questions about the local area (schools, transport, local amenities etc).

If the agent isn't doing viewings (round our way it is common for the property's owners to do the viewings) then local knowledge isn't so important.

local knowledge is essential, viewers are always asking about the nearest transport links, & I’ve noticed estate agents who are not knowledgable about the area tend to miss out one of the main stations near our house that has several forms of transport and is brilliant to get into the city.

When I’m around I can supply that information, but it affects the listing as well as they miss out important details that could make the property more attractive to potential buyers who are not familiar with the area themselves.

We’re in the process of selling so it’s been rammed home to me how important it is that the agent has knowledge of the locality in which the property is based.

Non tester here - ‘Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

Selling the home is what’s important - if they are successful in doing this without specialised local knowledge, then that’s fine, but if it means they struggle with sales figures I’d be inclined to go elsewhere. Have sold online through a company without local representation and as the price was so cheap we were happy to provide that info to buyers when they came around .

Non tester -
Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?

Yes local knowledge is important, in terms of local schools catchment areas, transport routes - how good is the bus service, is there a bus to the local secondary school - planning for the future, local supermarkets, crime rate, potential planning applications for - worse case scenario a food waste recycling area, hospitals, and if there are any problems you have a local contact rather than an anonymous voice at the end of a phone.

Really important, I want someone to know where they're selling, not just what they've read about. Local knowledge is giving honest, real life facts.

Non tester
Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

I would want the agent to have local knowledge - they would be better able to pitch my house to buyers in terms of quality of local facilities, distance to various places, timings of commutes etc. I'd want them to offer something a bit more personal than the info buyers could find on Google.

Non tester here. I think that local knowledge is fairly important. I've used purple bricks before and that's been fine but I prefer if the agents understand the local market.

Non tester

• ‘Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

I think that local knowledge is preferable. Especially when it comes to honing in on properties and doing all the fine grained stuff about what the area is really like, how it is changing over a longer period of time. Sure we can do a lot of research ourselves on line and find out this stuff, but then we might be tempted to go the whole hog and do it all ourselves. Estates agents have to provide something of use. Micro knowledge of streets, of buyers, of the local market is one thing they should be tasked with knowing. Also living locally would be a bonus.

Non tester -
Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?

I was in two minds as an on-line estate agent gives you the best coverage, are 'appear'cheaper but....
I would certainly trust an local estate agent be want the best for you, as they have their reputation and business to promote so want to give the best service rather than a faceless on-line estate agent.
Local knowledge is good as they can give you an accurate valuation, as your home is your most important asset and selling it is a huge decision, which you want dealt with honestly and fairly.

Non-tester: local knowledge is really important - we welcomed candid conversations about pricing and what and wasn't moving and why when we were selling recently

Non tester
I would absolutely expect an estate agent to have up to date local knowledge

Non tester
Local knowledge is so so important! People want to know all about the area, where the shop is, the local school. Buying a house is such a big thing and people have so many questions it's definitely essential to have local knowledge.

Non tester

Some online estate agents have local agents covering the whole country and others do not. How important is local knowledge when choosing an estate agent to sell your home?’

I too think local knowledge is vital. In terms of understanding the market - so not just valuation and school catchment areas, and locally the 11+ area, but demand for particular things eg. conservatories, access to open land from the back garden, bungalows - and what might make a house not sell, if that turns out to be the case. There's a lot of variation even within an area eg. which side of a big road you are, and one person can't possibly know about that for whole swathes of the country.