How to sell a house online

These days, selling a house doesn’t mean sitting with an estate agent in a sterile office surrounded by lava lamps and exposed brick.

Thanks to the wonders of the web, it’s perfectly possible to sell your home without leaving your front door.

But what are the different ways you can sell a house online? Find out here.

What is an online estate agent?

As you may have guessed, online estate agents are the modern, digital alternative to the traditional high street agent.

Not every online estate agent is the same, but what they share in common is the absence of a shop front with glossy pictures in the window.

Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking Rightmove and Zoopla are online estate agents. While both are undeniably huge players in the property scene, they’re not agents but online portals which list properties advertised by UK estate agents.

How can I sell my house online?

Since every man and his dog now promises they can sell your house online, how do you know who to go with?

Essentially, it depends on how much work you’re willing to do.

For the DIY approach, DoorSteps has a famously low entry price, which gets you a Rightmove listing and negotiation of the deal, but no photographs, floorplans, valuation and hosted viewings.

The likes of Yopa or Purplebricks cost more money, but in exchange, you’ll get a little more support (for example, someone will come round to host the viewings).

We could talk about Nested all day — and don’t worry, we will! — but for now, let’s just say we share the nimble, fleet-footed approach of an online estate agent, but with the customer support of a traditional high street name.

While you might be tempted to go with the cheapest option, think about how much your time is worth to you. If you’re happy to spend hours writing property descriptions, taking photographs and hosting viewings, then, by all means, consider the DIY route.

But whether you choose Nested or not, we think some things are better left to the specialists. You wouldn’t ask a brain surgeon to fix your car. Or would you?

Pros and cons of selling a house online

Every property transaction is different, but here are some general rules of thumb when it comes to comparing online and high street estate agents.

Pros of using an online estate agent:

• Save money — You’ll almost always pay less compared to a high street agent, who have office rents to pay. This is the most obvious reason to choose an online agent.
• Flexibility — The flipside of doing more work yourself is that you’ll have more control. For example, you can set the list price, and do the viewings yourself.
• Transparency — Tech-savvy online agents often let you track your sale online, including viewings, which isn’t usually the case with high street chains.

Cons of using an online estate agent:

• Upfront fees — You’ll generally pay your fees upfront, which means you could waste money if you don’t sell the property. The agent may also have less incentive to complete the sale.
• Less local knowledge — A good high street agent will know their patch inside out, which isn’t true of every online upstart.
• No frills — Low-cost online agents will leave you to do the hard graft, from valuations to viewings, though you can pay extra to get a better service. Do you really want to fly in the Ryanair of estate agents?
• Less facetime — Some people like doing their business in person, and while many online agents will come out and see you, some are strictly online-only.

Why choose Nested?

Alright, we couldn’t resist. No article on the merits of online estate agents should gloss over a little thing called Nested.

As with the other online agents, we think snazzy shops aren’t the most important thing to spend money on. It means we can invest more on the things that really matter, like assembling the best, most experienced agents for your sale and next purchase, with a team of people on the ground to manage your chain.

We’re not just here to sell your property; our buying agents can support your onward purchase, helping you to find your next home, avoid overpaying, and take advantage of smart tools so you can switch your bills automatically.

All for the same price as a traditional estate agent, but with a team of dedicated chain managers, not one bloke with a fancy car.

Like traditional estate agents, we get paid on completion, rather than taking your money upfront. But unlike high street agents, we’re a dynamic, data-driven organisation; rather than pulling numbers from the sky, we use technology to get more accurate information on how much your home might fetch.

We think there’s no reason why online estate agents can’t provide the best of both worlds.

So, how can you sell your house online? With great ease, it turns out.

Whether you take the DIY approach or a more managed online service, look beyond the eye-catching upfront costs and decide what your time and effort is really worth to you.

Have we piqued your interest? Read more about how Nested works.

Nested puts homeowners in control of their sale. Our agents provide you with smarter insights so you achieve the best price for your home on your timeframe. When you’ve found your new home, you have the power to move chain free, while we take care of your sale. Our buying agent will even negotiate up to 5% saving on your new home, so you get more home for your money.

If you’re interested in selling smarter, get in touch today. Nested.com - The modern way to move.