As Guildford goes into Tier 4 and many shops and services close yet again, it’s easy to see why so many people are turning to the internet for shopping, banking and entertainment. What about selling houses? Online-only estate agencies are attracting clients in these troubled times, but we believe you’ll always have a better experience with a local estate agent like Cobbles. Here’s why:

1.     Local knowledge

At Cobbles, we pride ourselves on our expert local knowledge. We know how to price properties in the Guildford area, we understand the market trends and how to connect your property with the right kind of buyer. Cobbles’ owners, Eugene and Katrina Gallagher, have both lived all their lives in Guildford and understand exactly what attracts people to the area. As well as selling houses, they can also sell Surrey life. 

Online agents often cover the whole of the UK. Can they offer the same local expertise as a high street agent?  

2.     Motivation

A keen, motivated estate agent is an important element in getting your house sale completed. When you use a local, in-person estate agent, that motivation is built into the business model – you only pay the estate agent once your property is sold, and the amount you pay is an agreed percentage of the selling price. At Cobbles, we pride ourselves on a great service, underpinned by our commission model. In turn, this translates into swift property sales at the right prices – the ideal outcome for any seller. 

Many online estate agents claim not to charge commission but do demand an upfront fee, whether or not they sell your home. The fee may be less than the commission would be, but having received it, where’s the motivation for the online agent to complete the sale? Often fewer services are covered by an online agent’s fee than by a traditional estate agent’s commission - instead of looking for the lowest figure, consider whether you’re getting value for money.  

According to the Advisory website, online estate agents only complete 50% of sales, compared with local estate agents who complete 84% of sales. We believe the figures speak for themselves. 

3.     Freedom and flexibility

Some online estate agents require you to use their conveyancers and no one else. But when you use a traditional estate agent, you can choose your conveyancer, mortgage advisor and anyone else involved in your sale. If you’re stuck, we’ll happily recommend qualified experts in these fields, but we believe sellers have the right to choose their own. 

4.     A personal service

Much of the work we do at Cobbles is repeat business. Some of our landlords have let their properties with us for years, while others who came to us as first-time buyers are now second-steppers, instructing us to sell their flats as they move up the property ladder. 

This is the result of building trust and nurturing lasting working relationships. We started Cobbles because we wanted to offer a more personal service, and if you read our reviews, you’ll see we’ve succeeded! We don’t believe that any online agent could offer that – just as we all know that Christmas over Zoom won’t be as good as the real thing, so property sales over the internet can’t be as personal an experience as dealing with a high street agent. 

We believe that Cobbles provides a better service than any online estate agency and offers better value for money too. We love using our extensive Guildford knowledge to help owners sell their homes – to find out more, get in touch today on 01483 457000.