Virtual Estate Agent or traditional?

[doodleygirl]

Has anyone used a virtual estate agent, would you recommend? What are the pros and cons?

We are about to list and don’t know anyone who has used a virtual estate agent and just wanted to gauge opinion

I've experienced both and it boils down to-

Virtual- cheaper
Traditional- better

If you don't mind doing your own viewings and most of the legwork progressing the sale, go with virtual. If you want to relax and let someone else deal with the biggest most stressful purchase of your life, go professional.

I'm assuming you mean Purple Bricks or similar? We refused to see any properties with theast time we were looking as they are ridiculous.

As a buyer, you want to be able to sort a viewing quickly and easily- with PurpleBricks, for example, this seems almost impossible. I know a lot of people who feel the same, so would avoid just from that perspective.

Traditional estate agent. Wouldn’t view anything with an online estate agent such as Purple Bricks. Would think the vendor was after every penny and also there is no one available to see the sale through.

Totally agree with PPs who have said as a buyer they are hopeless. Nobody comes back to you, you can't get an appointment, the vendor takes the photos (rubbishy) and has to show you around (and tell you all their stories and make you feel guilty for looking at the boiler).

I tried to view a house with PurpleBricks....after 2 weeks I gave up even trying to see the place. I find it impossible to imagine how anyone ever gets to completion selling through them.

Traditional EA is better IMHO, they know the local area, you can walk into their office etc. Virtual EA can be elusive IMHO, difficult to get hold of at the best of times. We once booked a viewing online with a Virtual Agent, they just cancelled it on their system, when we were at the address (empty property) no apology, no further appt offered or update etc. Cheaper, but when you are selling property, the cost is negligible. I say that as someone who had to paid £6,500 + VAT commission, when we last moved. It’s just a necessary evil tbh. Remember also with a Virtual Agent you may have to pay commission even if you don’t sell, with Traditional Estate Agents, they are usually no sale no fee. Good luck with your move.

Thanks for all your comments, I think we will stick with the traditional agent

You're paying a tradtional agent for lots of things, not just listings and viewings. Make sure you chose the right one, don't just go with cheapest trad EA. Check which EA is selling the type of property you're listing. Have a look at their web pages and listings. See if any have decent 'waiting lists' of prospective buyers. They are supposedly better at negotiating the sale too. The money it costs could easily be recouped by a better priced sale. There's loads of important stuff that they do, it's ages since I sold so I've forgotten the details, I'm sure others on here have more up to date info.

Purple bricks were awful, I had to make three complaints as the buyer - after the third one they genuinely asked me what property as they didn’t have it on their records.

the value of a traditional EA isn’t just the listing, it’s keeping the sale moving forward and liaising between all parties. An online EA takes the cash upfront, so they don’t care if your sale actually happens or not

Agree that the value of a traditional EA is keeping things together. If you end up in a tricky place (first time we sold- our excellent agents found us new buyers in 24 hours), or with difficult buyers (last time- they were a nightmare in so many ways. Agent had never had one so difficult in 30 years), they can be a godsend.

As the current market is so...weird and jittery, it's could be that there are way more issues that crop up that need their intervention to push it through. The last agents we bought through were worth their weight in gold when we were buying from somewhat disorganised people, and said that FTBs in particular were really getting panicked at the smallest things.

Traditional EAs have much more incentive to get the deal to completion as if the property doesn't get sold, they get nothing. I would always go with a traditional EA.