What is the difference between a High Street and Online Estate Agent?

The main differences between online and high street estate agents in the UK lie in their service models, costs, and levels of personal interaction:

Online Estate Agents

1. Service Model

– Operate primarily over the internet.

– Offer a range of packages, often including DIY options where the seller handles some aspects of the sale themselves.

– May provide services like property valuations, photography, and listing on property portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla.

2. Costs

– Generally offer lower fees, often a fixed fee rather than a percentage of the sale price.

– Fees are usually paid upfront, regardless of whether the property sells.

3. Personal Interaction

– Limited face-to-face interaction; most communication is conducted online or over the phone.

– Viewings may be conducted by the seller or can be arranged with a viewing agent at an additional cost.

4. Flexibility and Convenience

– Services can be accessed at any time online.

– Sellers have more control over the process, which can be a benefit for those comfortable managing their sale.

5. Coverage

– Wide coverage as they are not limited to a physical location.

High Street Estate Agents

1. Service Model

– Operate from physical offices in local areas.

– Provide a full-service approach, managing most aspects of the sale from start to finish.

– Offer face-to-face valuations, property viewings, and negotiations.

2. Costs

– Typically charge a commission fee, a percentage of the final sale price, which can be higher than online agents’ fees.

– Fees are generally paid upon successful sale of the property.

3. Personal Interaction

– High level of personal interaction and local expertise.

– In-person support and advice throughout the selling process.

– Conduct viewings and handle buyer queries directly.

4. Local Expertise

– Deep knowledge of the local property market and neighborhood.

– Often have a strong presence and reputation in the local area.

5. Marketing and Reach

– Strong local presence, often supplemented with online listings.

– Established local networks and client base.

Key Considerations for Choosing Between Them

Budget: Online agents are often more cost-effective, but high street agents provide a comprehensive service.
Level of Support Needed: High street agents offer more hands-on support and local expertise, which can be valuable if you prefer a more guided process.
Control Over the Process: Online agents offer more control and flexibility, suitable for those comfortable managing parts of the sale themselves.
Local Market Knowledge: High street agents’ local market knowledge can be beneficial for setting the right price and attracting local buyers.

Choosing between an online and high street estate agent depends on your priorities, budget, and comfort level with handling the selling process.

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What do our customers say?

We recently helped our daughter buy her first flat and Tom and Liza Donnelly were incredibly helpful throughout. It was a long process through no fault of theirs and they were both always readily available to help with good humoured and useful advice.

Nick Phillips

Absolutly incredible from start to finish, moving house is ment to be stressful but when you work with a professional like Tom. They take the stress away, we sold out house for what we wanted, even in a tough market.

Scott Lowther

Tom and Lisa recently helped me sell a rental property in Pudsey. They were both a pleasure to deal with throughout the process. Their advice was excellent, there was no hard sell or false expectations and their communication was brilliant. The service was multiple levels better than that we received from a regular 'high street agent' during a previous sale. I highly recommend them and look forward to working with them again in the future.

Andy Norman

Tom was our first estate agent while looking for our first home and, in short, he has set the bar exceptionally high. We were always greeted with detailed documentation and a big smile! He is extremely knowledgeable of the properties and areas. You can tell he puts in a lot of effort to get to know the sellers and their property based on the information on the neighbourhood and community, and getting to know us as buyers.
Tom is always easy to contact and responds quickly, answering all our questions. We're still looking for our perfect property, but we always look forward to viewings with Tom!

Jessica Mowatt

My son recently purchased his first property through Tom Donnelly Estate Agency. It was an amazing service with step by step help for the first time buyers. Any queries or issues that arose was immediately dealt with very efficiently and with fantastic communication. I would highly recommend Tom and his sister Liza, as they made the whole process happen very smoothly and very quickly. They make a fabulous duo and would not hesitate to use them again. Thankyou so much to both of you for all your help.

Kathleen Heyhoe

Dealing with Tom has been a pleasure. From beginning to end, he did an excellent job at selling our home. He is highly professional, has excellent knowledge of the housing market, and goes the extra mile to work for the best result and experience for his clients.
We first met Tom when viewing a property and we were impressed by his friendly, personable and professional nature. It was great to deal with an estate agent who actually knew about the home and the position of the sellers.

Lucy and Stephen

I had the pleasure of working with Tom and Liz at Tom Donnelly Estates while purchasing my first house, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. In a market filled with slow, mismanaged, and unrealistic estate agents, Tom Donnelly Estates stand out for all the right reasons.
I highly recommend Tom Donnelly Estates to anyone looking to sell their house, especially if you want a quick, stress-free and seamless transaction.

Hamzah Ahmed

My partner and I recently purchased our first property where the sellers were being represented by Liza. She provided a much better service than I've experienced with other estate agents, making sure to communicate clearly and non aggressively. She was prompt and made things easy to organise (viewings, survey etc.) so would recommend.

Alice

Tom is an excellent estate agent who helped us to purchase our dream home and made the buying process as straightforward and stress-free as possible. We'd highly recommend Tom's services, knowledge and expertise to anyone.

Jodie Morrison