22% of sellers 'consider' using online agents - but few actually do so

A large survey of home movers reveals that over one in five of them considered using only an online-only estate agent to sell their property.

The survey, conducted by Property Academy, consisted of 5,420 recent home movers, 57 per cent of which were women. The survey did not reveal how many sellers went on to use online-only agents, although recent research suggests well under five per cent of stock is held by onliners.

The rest of the Property Academy survey makes fascinating reading.

Only six per cent of respondents were below 30 years of age and the vast majority had sold within the past year; just over a quarter of those who answered were based in south east England. Over a half of the homes were priced between £125,001 and £400,000.

Some 28 per cent invited only one agent to give a valuation on the property for sale; 29 per cent asked two agents and 34 per cent asked three agents. Perhaps surprisingly, 45 per cent of respondents had not visited the websites of the agents they invited.

However, 39 per cent of respondents had read one or more reviews of the agents that had been invited and 30 per cent of movers never visited their agent’s office at any stage - whether before or during the transaction.

Over 80 per cent of respondents said that did not go on to choose the agent with the lowest fee.