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How to choose an online estate agent |
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Posted by New Move on Wed 20 Jul 2011
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Using online estate agents can be a great way to save money on agency fees, but sometimes you have to sacrifice other things for these low prices. As the name suggests these type of estate agents use the Internet and online marketing to sell properties, and they are able to offer low fees as they don’t have the overheads of a traditional high-street estate agent.
Fee Structures
Often an online agent will offer one or more options of how to pay their fee. These fees usually fall into two categories up-front or after-sale:
A one off up-front fee will be the cheapest, but it means that you are almost obliged to continue marketing your property until the sale, as you have already paid their fee. The other option is to pay after your property has sold, which will either be a flat fee or a percentage and will cost more than to pay up-front. Paying once the property has sold is more like a conventional estate agent with a reduced cost however the service provided may not be great. Some Internet estate agents combine both structures, you pay a small up-font fee and another when they sell your property.
The Service Provided
Some online estate agents don’t offer a great service; others may but will generally charge more.
At the very basic level an online agent will simply upload you house onto a few property websites and wait for a sale. They will not deal with any of the logistics of the sale, it will be left to you to organise solicitors, financing and liaising with others in the chain. To get a more complete service you will inevitably pay more, however you may be tied into a lengthy contract but the service will be more like a conventional agent.
Selling your home through an online agent can save you money, but there are some questions that you should ask yourself.
- On which property portals will they advertise my property?
- Will they take care of the administration work?
- Will I be tied into a long contract period?
- What will the level of customer service be like?
What is needed is an agent that will give you a full estate agency service but at a reduced cost. Here at New Move we try to do just that, we provide our clients with the best possible service at a fraction of the cost. Our service is almost identical to a traditional estate agents the only real difference is the lack of offices, which allows us to dramatically cut our overheads and ultimately pass that saving onto our clients.
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What is the Google +1 button? |
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Posted by New Move on Fri 15 Jul 2011
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So what is the Google+1 button, you may have seen it appearing in the google search results, and on some websites and blogs. Simply put the button is very similar to a facebook like button, you are essentially 'recommending' a web site or individual page. Before you can use Google's +1 feature you will have to have a Google account with a profile, then you will be able to plus one something and see other plus one's (you will know if you have to create an account and/or profile when you try to use a +1 button)
The idea is that your +1's will be visible to your friends and contacts through your account, this means that if someone you know has recommended a website you will be able to see it. This should mean that you will be able to choose sites based on a friends recommendation, making it easier to pick out a single website in the google search. If you don't want others to see your Google+1's then you can make them private, However your plus one will still be counted as it is regarded as a 'public action' by Google.
As Google is the most used search engine (currently) and many companies rely on traffic from it, most of these sites will probably start using the +1 button. Unlike the facebook like button it does not directly share the link with you friends but it could prove useful when you are looking for a service online e.g. builder, plumber or estate agent! who has recommended them? if a friend Google +1's a website you may be more likely to visit their site.
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What percentage below the asking price should I offer? |
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Posted by New Move on Tue 14 Jun 2011
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Buyers are always asking me “What percentage should I offer below the asking price?” if you find yourself asking this question you are approaching the problem from completely the wrong angle. There is no magic percentage that should come off an asking price as every transaction is different.
You should always aim to pay what the property is worth to you, firstly you will need to understand that asking prices are not a reflection of a properties true worth they are merely an indication of the owners perceptions. All sellers have different personality types, some believe they should add a large chunk onto their target price to allow for heavy negotiations, whilst others may cut the price much closer to the bone, the fact is some sellers are wildly optimistic about their properties value and other can be more pessimistic.
The trick is to do your research and really understand true market values. There is no virtue in negotiating 10% off an asking price if the vendor is asking 20% over market value. Also it would be foolish to miss out on a once in a life time bargain by trying to be too clever in your negotiations and then losing out to a rival purchaser who is happy to pay the asking price.
There is no limit to how low you should offer and equally you should never feel uncomfortable about paying asking price it all depends on the property. The only way to learn true values is to go out and view some houses, by examining a sample of say 6 – 10 properties you will soon build up a picture of what is available locally. Then using tools on Rightmove such as ‘Find sold House Prices’ you can quickly see what houses in a particular road have historically sold for.
If you are a serious buyer looking to purchase a home it would be sensible to really consider the comparable evidence and decide what the value of the house is to you, especially if the home meets most of your needs. Valuation is not an exact science a property like any other commodity is only worth what someone is willing to pay.
It is also important to consider the vendors personal circumstances, as this will influence their decision to accept an offer. Some vendors have external pressures influencing their decision which could be of a financial or personal nature. Another factor to take into account would be current market conditions and even time of year, which will affect the level of competition from rival buyers.
As this article demonstrates there is no set formula to making an offer on a property, and what is right for one house may not be the case for another.
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"Should I turn away viewers that aren't on the market or haven't sold their house?" |
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Posted by New Move on Wed 25 May 2011
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A lot of vendors ask the question "Should I turn away viewers that aren't on the market or haven't sold their property". The answer is a definite No. Viewers that could be classed as 'time wasters' today may sell at any time.
Maybe the viewing of your home, could turn out to be the catalyst for a whole chain of events...
Picture the scenario: Mrs X has her house on the market for too much money, not surprisingly it has attracted very little interest despite months of marketing. She is not sufficiently motivated, she is prepared to wait. Mrs X views your house and immediately falls in love with it. Your house is the property she has been waiting for! Mrs X now becomes fully motivated to sell! Your house has provided the spark to motivate Mrs X, Mrs X now reduces her price to a competitive level and sells within a week. She is now a 'hot' buyer.
Developers are the experts at selling houses, they do not turn away buyers from their show homes just because they are not in a position to proceed. They welcome them in, they know that their product will correctly stimulate buyers and raise their motivation levels to move home. This increased desire encourages buyers to either, put there own house on the market or to reduce their existing asking price thus converting 'cold' buyers into 'hot' buyers.
Copy the developers make your property as attractive as possible and then invite everyone in, don't turn potential buyers away because they haven't sold or marketed their property!
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Selling your home what are the options: Privately or with an Estate Agent |
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Posted by New Move on Mon 23 May 2011
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There are a few options avalible to you when selling your home, however each have advantages and disadvantages...
How to sell your house privately?
Selling your house privately is a great way to save money on agency fees. There is nothing stopping you erecting your own for sale board or taking an advertisement in the local newspaper. But the best way is by listing your property online, as this is where the vast majority of potential buyers look for properties.
Sites such as houseladder.co.uk and gumtree.com as well as others give you the opportunity to market your property online. However these sites suffer from a lack of visitors; properties get approximately 50 - 200 views at best compared to rightmove.co.uk (one of the main property portals that only agents have access to) where houses get around 2000 views within the first week. By selling your house privately you don't pay agency fees but you dramatically lose the potential for finding the right buyer for your property.
So Why use a traditional estate agent?
A traditional High Street estate agency will typically charge around 1.5% plus VAT or even up to 2.5%! On a property worth £350,000 with a fee of 1.5% +VAT that would equate to a cost of £6300.
Although this seems a huge amount of money, estate agents will not consider this unreasonable when they add up all their overheads. The fee you pay will be used to fund expensive premises, rates, heat, light, insurances, newspaper advertising, staff costs, portal memberships, telephone bills etc. It is not uncommon for a High Street agent to have monthly costs in excess of £40,000!The fee you pay is a direct reflection of the high costs involved in running an estate agency.
On the plus side if you pick the right agent you will benefit from local knowledge and expertise, accompanied viewings where necessary and most importantly have access to major property portals e.g. Rightmove. There will be tried and test systems in place to automate the whole sales process which should mean that each stage of the process is carefully managed to a smooth conclusion. In summary an agent can be worth every penny providing everything goes to plan and they keep their promises.
Is there a better way?
By selling your home privately you don't pay a high fee to an estate agent, but you don't have access to the main property websites like Rightmove which makes finding a buyer almost impossible. Using a traditional estate agent you maximize the exposure of you property to thousands of online buyers but you pay a very large sum for that service.
Having weighed up the two extremes of selling your home, you may wish to consider what we feel is an ideal compromise situation! When we launched New Move Our aim was to create a unique operating system that would radically reduce our overheads, then our savings could ultimately be passed back to the client!
We believed that In order to have happy clients who would be delighted to recommend our services to their friends and family, we would have to offer the following;
- Excellent customer service
- Exposure on all the major portals (Rightmove, Zoopla, Findaproperty, PrimeLocation etc.)
- An unbeatable low fee from £999 + VAT
- No Risk - No Sale No Fee
- No lengthy contract
- First class in house conveyancing
- An energy performance certificate (EPC) service
- Free independent mortgage advice
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New Move Estate Agents are covering more areas |
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Posted by New Move on Tue 26 Apr 2011
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New Move estate agents are now covering more areas and currently have consultants in the areas listed below;
Surrey; Croydon, Horley, Epsom, Leatherhead, Reigate, Redhill, Woking
West Sussex; Crawley, Horsham, Crawley Down, Littlehampton, Worthing, East Grinstead
East Sussex; Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Bexhill, Wadhurst
Kent; Ashford, Gravesend, Tunbridge Wells
Berkshire; Bracknell, Crowthorne, Maidenhead, Reading
Northamtonshire; Daventry
Warwickshire; Rugby
Essex; Epping, Loughton
Hampshire; Basingstoke
Greater London; Hornchurch, Upminster
Hertfordshire; St Albans
Buckinghamshire; High Wycombe, Amersham, Gerrards Cross, Marlow
You can find a more up-to-date list of the areas our estate agents cover here, you can also view properties that are for sale in these areas and information about the local area.
Even if your area is not listed here we may still be able to assist you as we are expanding fast. You can contact our estate agents on 0845 862 9090, email us at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or use our contact form.
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New Move Present A Range of Properties From Persimmon Homes |
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Posted by New Move on Fri 15 Apr 2011
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New Move estate agents are now offering an array of new properties from Persimmon Homes located around the south east of the UK. The developments offer a wide selection of properties including both houses and apartments. For more information or to arrange a viewing contact us on 0845 862 9090.
Bridgefield Phase 3 (Rutledge Avenue, Ashford, Kent, TN25 7AD) this selection of new homes just over a mile from Ashford and in walking distance from local shops. The site is set against a beautiful backdrop of woodland with plenty of open spaces.
Repton Park (Sir Henry Brackenbury Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3FL) The latest properties on this development will comprise of an assortment of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments as well as 2,3,4 and 5 bedroom homes. Repton Park is located in an ideal position to be connected to all the area has to offer. The sites location, being only a mile from Ashford means there are open spaces and woodland.
Medway Gate (Rileys Park Drive, off Cuxton Road, Strood, Kent, ME2 2GE) The latest phase of this development features a range of 3 and 4 bedroom homes. Medway Gate has a feeling of privacy and seclusion with landscaped open spaces that provide a relaxed atmosphere. The site is located a few minutes away from Rochester which has excellent road and rail links.
The Mews (Enbrook Valley, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3NA)is ideally situated within a walking distance of Sandgate high street. The Mews is an exciting new development of 3 bedroom townhouses, each feature their own integral garages. The properties are located within reach of the coast line which is perfect for those who love the outdoors, as there is a network of byways and woodland paths that offer panoramic views across the Channel.
Heronsbrook (Monkton Road, Minster, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 4BG) offers a range of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom homes all with easy access to all the local amenities. The development is close to the town centre which offers a range of shops and restaurants. Not far away are neighbouring coastal towns and the recently built Westwood Cross shopping centre, also the cathedral city of Canterbury is just over twelve mile away.
Clarence Place (6 Haywood Avenue, Minster, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 2GA) is situated in the delightful grounds of the former Minster Hospital. The development consists of 1 and 2 bedroom flats and 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses, all carefully designed and built to integrate with the existing buildings. Sheppey provides all the benefits of coastal living with great connections by road and rail.
Kingfisher Place (Govett Avenue, Shepperton, Surrey, TW17 8EW) features 1 and 2 bedroom apartments that have been designed to reflect the spectacular beauty of the surrounding area. Many of the apartments will offer stunning views across the idyllic River Ash to the golf course and beyond. The setting makes it the perfect retreat from the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life while still offering excellent transport links to the M3, M25 with Heathrow airport a few minutes away and a regular train service from Shepperton railway station. Shepperton it’s self is an historic village which has a neighbourly atmosphere and a busy high street with a choice of quality schools.
Roebuck Park (The Drive, off Park Road, Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4ER) is a superbly designed development consisting of 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes located in a delightful parkland setting. Even though the site is set in such a beautiful environment it is still perfectly located for access to leisure, entertainment and shopping facilities as Hailsham is just less than two mile away. Roebuck Park has plenty of open space with a cricket green; sports pavilion and play areas, making it great for children and for a tranquil lifestyle.
To find out more call us on 0845 862 9090
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