Marketing and selling your property privately - anyone done it?

[PatsysPyjamas]

If so, how did it work out? Do you have any tips on where to market? Do you reckon you got a better price or a quicker sale than using an estate agent?

We had our property on with an agent for AGES (8 months I think) and just kept getting very low offers from investors. We came off in Feb. The market has been incredibly static here, but I've seen some new properties on in the last couple of weeks and I'm beginning to think about putting feelers out and marketing by ourselves.

Why do you think you're going to be able to sell it if your estate agent hasn't?

If your house hasn't sold in 8 months then that's because the price is too high.

I did sell a flat privately about 12 years ago.

It was on with an EA for several months and although there were viewings, no offers.

I sold it to a colleague of a friend of DH (are you following this?!?) for the full asking price. He came round to see it, liked it and so we put the whole thing into the hands of our solicitors and they sorted it all out. In that respect it wasn't any more difficult than any usual sale, but I didn't have to do any marketing, it just came together via a few conversations in the pub.

Hi Sue, thanks for replying. I don't know. I don't particularly think we would, it's just an idea I'm thinking about and I'm interested in why others have done it. Obviously you save money on agent's fees, which you can pass on to the buyer.

We dropped the price twice, and initially had put it on lower than the agent suggested in our valuation (I really felt like our agent was a total bullshitter, which has quite put me off). I know when we took it off it was still on for more than it would sell for, but compared to other properties in the area it was similarly priced or cheaper and we wanted to allow a buyer to offer under the asking price. It just felt like nothing was moving at the time. That might still be the case.

Also, everyone who came to look around was an investor. Prices are very low here and it is an area of high rentals. Two of the viewers owned shops on our street. Others had rentals on our street. All of them were v. familiar with the area and I sort of thought they'd probably come across us anyway.

Finally, I was wondering if it might be like the self-publishing v. traditional publishing 'revolution' - that anyone can do it now as long as they have certain marketing skills.

X-posted RubyLennox - that sounds ideal! Must get down the pub...

Actually our downstairs neighbour has told us she knows a landlord on our street is looking for another property, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

As a prospective buyer, I'm put off by houses that are being sold by vendors. I think a vendor is more likely to overvalue their house than a local estate agent. Also, knowing that the vendor is self-marketing, I'd want a price reduction to reflect that they aren't paying the estate agent fees.

I think the best sales strategy is to use a local estate agent but vet the marketing details thoroughly, ensure the photos etc are great.

However, whichever way you market your property, you're not going to reach out to more people than your estate agent - so if the only people looking for properties in your area are investors, you'll only have investors contacting you.

Also, if it is a high rental area, normal buyers may be put off. Renters don't tend to look after their properties the same way that buyers do. Is renting it out not an option for you?

I sold myself in a country where estate agents often charge as much as much as 7%!

I made a sign and stuck it on the gate at 7am one Friday morning. Got my first call 9am. Accepted 3rd offer weds.

Estate agent would have potentially charged 15k for er... A sign and an ad online. Neither party wishes to pay for such bullshit.

I wish more people would do this and cut out the (mostly) guffy EAs. Sarah Beeney has a free website called Tepilo. Why don't you try this - won't cost you anything.