In this article, we will present and compare the 10+ top online estate agents in the UK! The property industry in our country has had a surge of new entrants over the last few years, with lots of estate agents operating online. Fees and contract terms vary from agency to agency.
Let’s see what online agencies are all about and most importantly, who is the best online estate agent in the United Kingdom?
The list of top online estate agents in the UK & fees:
- What is an online estate agent?
- How do they work?
- Viewings and valuations
- Top online estate agents
- Compare online estate agents fees & ratings
Note* this article about online estate agents is based exclusively on our expert estate agents’ knowledge.
The most influential brands in the property market quickly understood the power and importance of the online world, when people began to search the internet for real-time information about properties for sale or for rent in their cities from their smartphones.
Smartphones allow property searchers to view a property through an estate agent’s website or on property portals and then call the relevant estate agent or use their app to arrange a viewing immediately. From these technological developments, a new business was born: the online estate agents.
What is an online estate agent?
Online estate agents provide digital alternatives to the services offered by the traditional high street estate agents we all know and love. These online estate agents typically attract new customers by offering to charge them lower fees than traditional agencies would. These offers should be approached with caution, as it’s not always advisable to choose the company offering to sell your property online for the lowest price.
Let’s be honest, people choose this kind of sale primarily because of the price. Properties listed for sale or rent by online estate agents are often uploaded by landlords themselves to save on agency costs.
How do they work
The concept of “How the online estate agents work” usually begins with owners paying an upfront fee to the agent to list their homes with its quoted price on online platforms such as Rightmove, Zoopla, PrimeLocation, or On the Market. The homes are publicized by being listed on as many of these platforms as possible.
Once a potential buyer contacts the seller ( the online estate agent who listed the property), they would both go through the details of the property, after which, an appointment for the viewing of the property would usually be scheduled.
If terms and conditions are met between both parties, the buyer would usually negotiate for the lowest possible selling price and a deposit may be requested by the owner. Finally, both parties will agree on a date for full payment, signing on official payment, and the handover of keys to the property.
For this operation, certain online estate agents will ask for a flat rate and others will demand a small percentage of the sale price.
How the online agents conduct viewings and valuations
The question that every seller should ask is: “the online agency I’m going to place my home on the property market is able to make a fair valuation and conduct local viewings?”
The majority of online estate agents operate on a fixed fee basis but also offer a number of add-ons for an additional cost. You can opt for a viewing package and have your property shown to potential buyers by an experienced estate agent.
Many estate agencies advertise themselves as being online agents with local property experts but often aren’t local enough to know your area and they can’t value your property accurately. They will likely value your home using online valuation tools and data.
Best online estate agents in the UK
Note*** The prices and services displayed in this section of the article may be inaccurate because Online Estate Agents change their prices and services regularly. Please check individual agents’ websites to see their full fees.
1. Love Your Postcode
Love Your Postcode™ is a modern, performance-driven estate agency offering all the services a traditional estate agent does, but in ways that deliver far more value for our clients. Our aim is to leave you with more of the sale, saving you a huge amount of money as we secure you a higher selling price. We are modern and understand that 98% of people now begin their property search online, so your home’s digital marketing is of paramount importance to the selling process.
Our agency will display your homes up to 180 million property searches per month. Furthermore, your listing will be shown on a huge number of sites, papers, and online portals. On average when compared, our clients are better off by up to 4.6% on their final selling prices because we don’t negotiate. Our valuations are accurate, our waiting list is enormous and our team delivers on its guarantee.
Fees: Call 0333 344 7772.
2. Emoov
Selling your home with Emoov is just like selling with a high street agent – but without the high fees. Much like a high-street agent, they cover every aspect of selling your property; from the initial valuation to negotiations, all the way to the completion of your sale.
Just like the high street estate agents, they will visit your home to provide you with an accurate valuation of it. All packages include professional photos of your home and a detailed floor plan. This online agency will advertise your home on leading property websites, giving your home exposure to millions of buyers each month.
Fees: From £895
3. Housesimple
Housesimple are members of The Property Ombudsman redress scheme and are also registered members of UKALA, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA Propertymark), TDS, and mydeposits.co.uk. Housesimple was founded in 2007 as a Partnership and in 2011 became Housesimple Ltd. Their head office is in Essex.
They cover England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and market your property on hundreds of websites including Rightmove and Zoopla, S1homes.com in Scotland and PropertyPal.com and Propertynews.com in Northern Ireland.
Housesimple can get your property on the market within a matter of days; your home visit can be booked as soon as you have signed up with them.
Fees: From £995
4. Tepilo
Tepilo has redesigned the property selling process around the customer with phone support from a highly experienced team and an easy to use website that allows you to track your property sale and receive instant notifications as soon as progress is made. They have highly experienced sales managers who are there to help you at every stage of the sales process from appointment to completion.
Tepilo also has a team of experienced valuers, negotiators, and sales progressors ready to support you and ensure your house will sell quickly and for the best possible price.
Fees: From £895
5. Purplebricks
Purplebricks is an online estate agent that operates in the UK, Canada, US, and Australia. Founded in 2012 by Michael and Kenny Bruce, it is backed by investors that include venture capital firm DN Capital as well as Neil Woodford, Paul Pindar, and Errol Damelin. The company has faced a variety of criticism since its launch, primarily around the validity of its online reviews.
Many customers rely on Purplebricks’ Local Property Experts and their teams to manage viewings due to their experience of managing buyers and their knowledge of local housing markets.
Fees: From £899 (£1,399 for London & surrounding postcodes)
6. Doorsteps
With Doorsteps, you can sell your house for less than a hundred pounds, without leaving your home. They offer a transparent and hassle free way for you to sell your property, with a great level of service at a fantastic price.
Doorsteps.co.uk is a hybrid estate agency with teams of local property experts based across the UK. They combine the human face of high street agents with a unique online infrastructure.
Surely, this is one of the cheapest online estate agencies on the UK property market, with very low fees.
Fees: From £99
7. My online estate agent
Their team of experienced estate agents is committed to providing customers with the best possible service and is here to support you through the entire process of selling your house from start to finish. They arrange viewings, contact prospective buyers for feedback after viewings and help negotiate the best price and offer for your property. My Online Estate Agent sells houses online quickly, securely, and without expensive commission or fees.
Once you contact them, they will call you to arrange a time to visit your property. It is mandatory that an agent visit your property before placing it on the market.
Fees: From £99
8. Imovehome
The selling process starts with your basic details – name, address, email – the usual. This generates your personal iMOVEHOME account and your free property valuation. You’ll instantly get a price range for your property based on smart data. If limited data is skewing the value, or if you think they’re off the mark, you can set your own asking price.
They are an innovative, easy to use, money-saving, time-saving, and brand new estate agency with national coverage. Replacing the need for a traditional estate agent to sell your home with no contract and complete control. For a low price, you can now upload your property directly to their site without having to worry about any hidden costs!
Fees: From £249
9. House network
Their business was launched nationwide 15 years ago and this has enabled them to create custom-made software to reduce the administrative duties required as part of the selling process. This means they can handle vast volumes in comparison to conventional agents.
In addition to a standard listing on Rightmove, Zoopla, and Primelocation you also get a premium listing on Rightmove and social media advertising to reach a wider audience of buyers. You will be ready to market your home within 24 hours of their first visit to your home.
Fees: From £795
10. 99home
Whether they’re selling, buying, letting, or renting commercial or residential property, the 99home team believes that all parties involved deserve the best value in terms of service. Their membership of The Property Ombudsman Redress Scheme, endorsed by the Office of Fair Trading is a testament to the quality and credibility of the services they offer.
The expertise, reliable resources, and strategic partnerships on which they rely allow them to deliver incredible results to the clients. With professional photography, floor plans, inventory services, and advanced software for marketing and property management services, they ensure a smooth and efficient selling, letting, and property management process.
This online estate agency provides free, accurate, and competitive valuations for property lettings and sales. With a widespread exposure across all leading property portals, including Zoopla, Rightmove, and much more, they offer personalized local services with all the benefits of expansive national coverage.
Fees: From £99
11. SellMyHome
Founded in 2013, Sell My Home was born out of a desire to give you more choice when it comes to selling your home, and importantly, save you money along the way. Their service enables you to choose how much control you wish to have in the sales process, along with the amount of money you wish to spend on marketing your home to prospective buyers.
Because they are based online, don’t have the need for multiple branches and lots of cars cluttering up the roads. As a result, their overhead costs are considerably less, meaning they can pass on these considerable savings to the customers.
Fees: From £575
12. Griffin Residential
You can use Griffin Residential to market your property from £195, putting you in complete control of your sale whilst saving you thousands of pounds in estate agent fees. Over 85% of prospective buyers use online portals to look for new properties. When you sign up with Griffin, they list your property with the three main portals for maximum exposure: Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location.
Each of their packages provides several benefits that will help you sell your home online. Depending on your budget, you can opt for a range of added extras that will enhance your listing and improve your chances of finding the ideal buyer.
Fees: From £195
13. Yopa
Yopa is an affordable, simple, and transparent way to sell your home. You get a dedicated local Yopa agent, a free valuation, expert marketing of your property on the major online property portals, offer negotiation and sales support all the way through to completion.
You also get your own personal online control center, where you can oversee all aspects of the sale. No strict estate agent office hours here. You can see viewing requests and viewing feedback 24/7.
Fees: From £889
14. Upad
Upad began in 2007 and has grown into the UK’s largest online lettings agency by offering a simpler, more cost-effective way to find tenants and let a property. This has proved equally popular among landlords who previously used a high street letting agent to find tenants as well as those who used classified channels.
Fees: From £149
Compare online estate agents fees & Trustpilot ratings | |||
Estate Agency | Fees | Rating | |
1. Love Your Postcode1. Love Your Postcode | Call agent | 9.6 | |
2. Emoov2. Emoov | From £895 | 8.2 | |
3. Housesimple3. Housesimple | From £995 | 9.3 | |
4. Tepilo4. Tepilo | From £895 | 7.6 | |
5. Purplebricks5. Purplebricks | From £899 | 9.5 | |
6. Doorsteps6. Doorsteps | From £99 | 9.6 | |
7. My online estate agent7. My online estate agent | From £99 | 8.3 | |
8. Imovehome8. Imovehome | From £249 | 8.7 | |
9. House network9. House network | From £795 | 9.3 | |
10. 99home10. 99home | From £99 | 9.8 | |
11. SellMyHome11. SellMyHome | From £575 | 9.7 | |
12. Griffin Residential12. Griffin Residential | From £195 | 8.9 | |
13. Yopa13. Yopa | From £889 | 9.4 | |
14. Upad14. Upad | From £149 | 9.1 |
Online Estate Agents: Related questions
Who is the cheapest online estate agent?
The cheapest online estate agents in our top: Doorsteps with fees from £99, My online estate agent with fees from £99, 99home with fees from £99.
Who is the best online estate agency in the UK?
We compare in our article the top online estate agents in the UK: Love Your Postcode, Emoov, Housesimple, Tepilo, Purplebricks, Doorsteps, My online estate agent, Imovehome, House network, 99home, SellMyHome, Griffin Residential with fees and users rating.
Can I sell my property without an estate agent?
You can advertise your property without an estate agent. Several sites allow you to list your house for free. You can’t advertise your property on Rightmove without an estate agent.
How online property valuations work?
Online valuations are based on online data, from sold house prices in your area to local current market trends, property size, location and other data. That’s why estate agents ask for your address, the number of bedrooms, etc.
What are the best online property valuation tools?
There are hundreds of sites and estate agencies that offer online property valuation tools for calculating the price of your property. With just a few clicks, these property valuation tools allow users to get their home estimate price value.
In conclusion, you need to make a careful look at all estate agencies operating online, you need to compare fees and services offered at that price. Estate agents selling fees compared it’s always a great solution before to choose your next agent.
Love Your Postcode Estate Agents gives your home maximum exposure online & offline, getting it more views from potential applicants, therefore more offers, and ultimately the highest possible finishing value. This means you end up with more money in your pocket and you enjoy a higher quality service. Call us on 0800 862 0870 or book a free valuation today.
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