If you were house hunting in rural Devon...

[WottaMess]

Which property search engine would you use?

We have our property on with a well respected local agent, but he is not on Rightmove. We are on Zoopla and Primelocation.

Would you be searching all the property sites, or is Rightmove so dominant that you'd miss us?!

One agent (admittedly trying to get our business!) says that 80% of their enquiries come from Rightmove and they feel this is a weakness in our current marketing strategy. Especially with those from out of area (we have had several agents say that we could well sell to someone relocating down here).

We are trying to work out if we should consider adding another agent (or changing agent) to get on different search engines. Though I do feel our chap knows the area best and would not necessarily be looking to move away from him otherwise. It's such a minefield.

Could you let me know if you would only look at Rightmove, or other sites as well (and if so which) and where you are based? Any other thoughts also welcome!

Thanks for any input.

I always search on rightmove

Always rightmove here too, sorry!

95% rightmove. Only use the others when i'm really desperately searching and can't find anything on rightmove.

Always use Rightmove.

I've only ever used rightmove. It needs to go on there pronto!

Wow! That's a bit of a shocker. Have you even heard of these others ?

Ok, need to do some swotting up on our contract terms them.

So, a follow up question... Do you get put off by a property on with multiple agents (does it look desperate?) or would you just never know in this case as you'd only have seen it on with one on blooming Rightmove !

I have recently been househunting in rural Devon, and also didn't stray from Rightmove. Found what I wanted, too! Remember that potential buyers may be relocating from afar and not be familiar with the local agents, reputable or otherwise.

Primelocation here. It is pretty much the same as Rightmove in my view. I really do not think Rightmove is necessarily the market leader but lots of the agents selling the top houses (£1m plus) are definitely on Primelocation so maybe it is the wrong site for your house.

Multiple agents screams desperation. If someone is looking in your area, they will be looking at all sites if they have any sense or even visiting the area and calling into the agents. Knowing the area is only really valuable regarding pricing. I always look for presentation of the house in the pictures (assuming the location is what I want). You agent should advise on how to present the house from tidying up, inside and out, giving a neat appearance (beds made, toys stowed, kitchen worktops clear (ish), bathroom uncluttered and DIY finished. You should then review the quality of the photographs to make sure they show the house in its best light. Someone on MN was talking about selling her parents' house recently and the photos showed clutter. Not good. It may be other things need to be reviewed before you worry about Rightmove or Primelocation. Or, of course, maybe not.

I've only ever searched on RightMove. If a house wasn't on there I wouldn't know about it.

Multiple agents immediately makes me think that the vendor is desperate to sell so I'd expect to offer under the asking price if I liked the house.

I'm an EA - primelocation and zoopla are the same company so if you are on one site you will automatically be on the other. Rightmove is the bigger company and it is rare that an agent doesn't go on Rightmove - with the exception now of 'onthemarket.com' which is new and makes members drop either zoopla or rightmove - most drop zoopla!

I would always look on rightmove for property.

You should be signed up with your agent for a number of weeks - it should say in the contract - after that I think I would move to an agent that puts your property on rightmove and zoopla.

I wouldn't go multi-agents - if you are on the right portals you shouldn't need to.

Check out rightmove in your area and look at all the competition and see what potential buyers are looking at - does your house look good in comparison and is the price right compared to others?

Good luck.

We sold in rural Devon in July last year. Our agent used rightmove and zoopla then but I've noticed that since we've sold they are only using rightmove. The viewings we had were from people relocating to the south west and if that is the market you are aiming at then you really do need to be on both in order to reach the largest number of buyers.

We have just bought in Kent and exclusively used rightmove as a lot of agents here don't use zoopla. The property we've bought was never listed on zoopla. This is because a lot of agents have signed up to On the Market which means they aren't allowed to use more than one other property portal and rightmove seems more popular.

Agree with others about multiple agency. Does suggest desperation to me. Although it wouldn't stop me viewing...

Good luck

Rightmove only here too. I used to check both rightmove and zoopla when rightmove didn't have dates on (as zoopla listed the date the house went on and also any price reductions) but now rightmove also have that info, I don't use zoopla at all.

We're buying in rural Devon. I use rightmove and DH uses zoopla. Occasionally one of us finds something the other hasn't.

Rightmove. Sometimes use Zoopla but don't like it so much. Occasionally use Primelocation.

Rightmove for searching, but I did have alerts set up on Zoopla.