Ocean estate agents
Selling your home is most likely the biggest single financial transaction you’ll make in your life – and certainly one of the most demanding and stressful experiences, if not handled properly.
So we thought we'd highlight some of the key differences between the level of service provided by Ocean and what you can expect from an online agent. We hope it will help you make your decision.
• With an online agent, you pay a fixed fee – whether or not they sell your home.
• We only get paid when you sell and our fee is based on the sale price, so we work hard to get you the best price possible.
• Compare like for like. Headline figures quoted by online agents are usually for the bare minimum level of service only. And our fee is certainly not as much as they like to claim it is.
• With an online agent, sellers conduct their own viewings or pay extra for a ‘viewing package’.
• Viewings are time-consuming and potentially stressful – buyers can sometimes be a little unpredictable, and appointments often don’t go as planned.
• If you pay for viewings, they are usually subcontracted to a ‘local agent’ who may lack the knowledge or experience to advise the buyer.
• We provide fully accompanied viewings by your local team of experts for as long as it takes to sell your home.
• Contact with an online agent will usually be only via email, or by phone to a call centre. Local contact will be via a sub-contracted agent.
• We assign you a dedicated Move Manager who will contact you directly and always be on-hand to answer any questions or concerns face to face, you can just pop in to your local high street office.
• Local knowledge is key in getting the best price for your home. Valued too high, your home won’t sell, too low and you could lose thousands of pounds.
• Online agents often use internet-based valuations or sub-contracted valuers who may cover a large area. Subtle differences of specific neighbourhoods, streets or even different sides of the road can easily be missed. Knowing recent 'offers accepted' by nearby sellers is crucial.
• Our valuers have a wealth of local knowledge and valuation experience and will ensure you get the best price possible for your home.
• Online agents often limit how long they will market your property. We are committed to marketing your home until we sell it, no matter how long it takes.
• They also rely exclusively on online property websites. Ocean has been online ever since there's been an 'online', we are a Rightmove.co.uk national Top 100 agent. But, as well as using the number one property portal (and this rather good website!) we also use the local press, our network of 11 Bristol offices, and existing day-to-day relationships with quality buyers to directly target a much wider audience.
Click here for more on the Ocean property marketing portfolio.
• We know from long experience that the best way of selecting high quality, serious buyers is by meeting them in person and reviewing their situation. We also 'qualify' them with the help of our independent mortgage advisors.
• Online agents generally rely on prospective buyers to supply details of their buying position accurately, or may use a third party to collect this information.
• We’re with you all the way, through all the challenges and potential pitfalls of completing your sale. With online agents offering just the ‘essential’ service to keep their fees low, contact is typically through call centres or via email, and they’re unlikely to go the extra mile for you.
• Managing chains, dealing with surveyors, mortgage lenders and solicitors, explaining the conveyancing process, chasing outstanding documents, and negotiating with buyers are all in a day’s work for our Move Managers.
• We believe that accepting an offer is only the start of a sale, not the end!