If you’ve decided to put your property on the market or you simply need to sell your house fast, you may have heard that estate agents cost a lot of money and tend to waste time.
You’re probably wondering ‘can I sell my house without an estate agent?’. The answer is yes! You can sell your house without an estate agent. In fact, it’s an option that more and more homeowners are choosing.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the pros and cons of using estate agents and exploring the cheaper and quicker ways you can sell your house.
Why Sell a House Without an Estate Agent?
Selling a house without an estate agent takes a lot of work and can be a little complicated. It can really take the pressure off if it’s someone else’s responsibility to value your property, take great photos and organise viewings.
Another benefit to using an estate agent is their expertise. If you think your house is desirable and you want to go for a high sale price, an estate agent will be able to negotiate the best deal possible.
The bad news is that the convenience and expertise that estate agents offer is neither time-saving nor cheap.
Estate agents take a significant cut of the final sale price as commission ‒ 1.5% on average, according to HomeOwners Alliance. This means that even if your property sells for a good sum, you’ll have lost a large chunk of your money on fees. What’s more, selling via an estate agent typically takes much longer ‒ not ideal if you’re after a fast house sale.
What About Online Estate Agents?
Some homeowners opt to sell their property with an online estate agent rather than a traditional local agency. So is there much difference between an online estate agent and a traditional one?
The main advantage of using an online estate agent over a local one is that you’ll pay less commission on the sale of your house. For a lower fee, you will have most of the legwork done for you, and your home listed on high-exposure websites.
If you choose to list your house with an online agent, be aware that you will need to take more responsibility for your sale, for example, by conducting house viewing. What’s more, online agents cannot offer the local insight and expertise that their high street counterparts can, making it less likely that you’ll secure the best price.
Is all that worth it, considering you still need to pay a fee?
How Can I Sell My House Without an Estate Agent?
So if you’ve read the information above and decided to go it alone, selling a house without an agent, then there are three options available to you.
Sell Your House Privately
Selling your house privately can be time-consuming, but it means you have complete control over every aspect of your sale and you don’t need to pay a fee.
You’ll need to take the following steps:
- Decide on an asking price
- Write a description
- Take photos
- Advertise your property locally or online
- Conduct house viewings
- Negotiate a sale
- Hire a solicitor
Selling a house is rarely simple, even if you are using an estate agent. It’s a long process and setbacks should be expected.
Sell Your House At Auction
If you’re looking to sell your house fast, you might want to consider selling your property at auction.
Auctions are a quick and convenient way to secure a sale, and you could be lucky and get a great price when the hammer falls. What’s more, the buyer will be legally tied into the sale ‒ it’s not possible to back out once the sale has been agreed.
Unfortunately, auctions are similar to estate agents in that they both charge commission.
Sell Your House Fast with a Cash Property Buyer
There are many reasons why you might want to secure a quick house sale. Perhaps you have had a change in family or financial circumstances, maybe you have inherited a property or you are moving away. No matter the reason, if you are looking for a fast house sale, you should consider selling your house fast to a specialist cash property buyer like Zoom.
Fast house buyers offer a risk and hassle-free method of selling property and can be a great alternative to estate agents.
How to Sell Your House Quickly Without an Estate Agent
Have you decided that the conventional method of selling a house isn’t for you? Have you been put off by high estate agent fees and a high-risk, lengthy process?
If you’re looking for reliability and efficiency, selling your house to a cash property buyer sounds like the best option for you.
Kickstart the process by completing our online enquiry form today. A member of our friendly and knowledgeable team will be in touch within 24 hours to discuss your sale.
