One of the latest for-sale-by-owner property websites, hablib, has launched two new promotions to boost its services.
In the first, the winner will be picked up, according to property portal watch, by millionaire hablib founder Anton Kreil and spend a day racing supercars. (We don’t think this will appeal to many women, by the way. At EAT, we prefer lunch, shopping and shoes.)
In the second promotion, hablib will be reimbursing the legal fees of the 21st private vendor to sell their home through the website. Kreil expects this to happen next summer.
Hablib’s dominant message is that people can sell homes through a social networking site.
Kreil said: “The competition is to display how fun and fulfilling life can be if we all pull together to trade homes amongst ourselves instead of paying agents fees.
“The fastest growing demographic of Facebook users in the UK is the over 40s. hablib’s market is essentially for the over 30s. Essentially what will make hablib a success is if the over 30s and over 40s embrace social networking.”
By the way, anyone know how Sarah Beeny’s website is doing these days?
Also, can any of our regular EAT readers think of one good reason for consumers to use a private sale website?
For further information about hablib, try this interview courtesy of propertyportalwatch.com
Comments
Where is a good place to sale my old wrecked car? Please help me by sugesting some sites or companies.
Jimmy you really have got a cliched view of estate agency haven't you.
Estate Agents have no power to prevent anyone else coming into the market. Market forces decide. The general public use estate agents because they want to not because they have to. Very simple, much like your naive comments.
I guess you must be a frustrated wannabee agent who didn't make the grade.
You have absolutely no basis for your arguments apart from the 4/5 agents that make posts on this website. The only agents that are paranoid are the ones that know they aren't doing their job properly. You adivse me to grow up and yet you tar every estate agent in the country with the same brush. You are obviously quite sad because you post on a website that is for estate agents and yet you claim to have such a disregard for agents. Why are you even here apart from thinking you are better than every one else by insulting agents. May I ask, what is your job?
Nah. The two have diametrically opposed interests. Besides, agents are utterly paranoid that they'll lose their market.
Do you think there will ever be a private house sales website that is so good (mypropertyforsale.co.uk ;-)) that agents would list properties along side the private sellers?
Grow up! Learn how to debate without making it personal. Not an estate agent, are you?
I never mentioned anything about blocking private seller sites etc. I simply stated my opinion as to why most Estate Agents are worth their money and why I think that private seller sites won't work. How can they be blocked when there are literally arlready hundreds (even with celebrity endorsements) that exist and have done nothing. You are obviously not going to change your point of view and I will not change mine with regards to these views. Your attitude is a joke and you are quite clearly an idiot.
I'm happy for private sellers websites....in fact my old manager set one up not too long ago and good luck to him. I think there is plenty of room for there to be private sellers and estate agents selling properties aswell. Everyone has different opinions and some people will choose an agent and some people will choose to sell privately. There is value in both methods. Be a bit open minded and stop treating agents like we're crooks or stupid. I offer a great service to my clients and I tell you what, not a lot of people can do what I do, like I couldn't do a lot of the jobs that other people do. It's not an easy job but you wouldn't know that until you tried it.
Hi Stating the obvious. Well, you've stated the obvious. So agents call prospective buyers to tell them about houses they've got for sale. Whoop-de-doo. So what? Where's the skill in that? Fair enough if it's a seasoned agent who is actually good at selling (this is a generic skill and not one that EAs are taught or that they uniquely possess) but often it's a spotty, begelled junior who doesn't know his arse from his elbow.
The point is that the structure and workflow of this industry centres around agents not allowing anyone else to sell houses. As you'll see from any thread that mentions these types of thread EAs are paranoid about private sales and claim that everyone misunderstands them and their abilities. I don't.
Sure they can do something that you don't have the time or the inclination for however if you do then why shouldn't you be able to do it more easily and with the same marketing powers as an EA? These powers have hitherto been the reserve of the EA and his shop window. No more now that the internet is around.
People will still want EAs so don't feel so threatened as to say that we're not having a grown up debate. However, why should you block others coming into the market to service another part of the market?
I think people sometimes don't realise what work estate agents do to sell houses. We don't just put your property in the window and on the internet and hope that a buyer comes along to purchase your home. I spend my whole day on the telephone proactively phoning potential purchasers in order to get my client the best deal possible for their property. Tell me........how many private buyers have the time, resources and database of buyers to be able to do that.....NONE. We don't get an articificially high price for properties, we have the time, skill, knowledge, motivation and database of buyers to get the best possible price.
"Private Sellers websites will keep Agents on their toes"How can you justify such a supid statement!?
How is achieving a better asing price "artificially bumping it up"? People pay estate agents because of the results they provide. Selling houses isn't simply putting it on the market and waiting for someone to buy. That's why agents have contact lists, hot buyers etc, so they can achieve the best price possible. I don't mention skill anywhere but the estate agents with skills excel and corporates spend a lot of time training staff. Therefore. they do have skill and you sound quite immature and bitter. It is only because of people like you that have some sort of personal vendetta that agents nowadays are talked about badly. If people didn't like estate agents, they wouldn't instruct one to sell their house, full stop, there are plenty of alternatives. I know that certain agents in my area will be around for a on time because they are good at what they do. And jimmy, there have been hundreds of agents that have set up with lower fees or internet private selling sites and none of them work, because it takes time and money to achieve a sale (especilly the top price) which is why they will never get anywhere. You get what you pay for. Please do not come back at me with an ill thought out and pointless retaliation, at least lets have an adult discussion.
How is achieving a better asing price "artificially bumping it up"? People pay estate agents because of the results they provide. Selling houses isn't simply putting it on the market and waiting for someone to buy. That's why agents have contact lists, hot buyers etc, so they can achieve the best price possible. I don't mention skill anywhere but the estate agents with skills excel and corporates spend a lot of time training staff. Therefore. they do have skill and you sound quite immature and bitter. It is only because of people like you that have some sort of personal vendetta that agents nowadays are talked about badly. If people didn't like estate agents, they wouldn't instruct one to sell their house, full stop, there are plenty of alternatives. I know that certain agents in my area will be around for a on time because they are good at what they do. And jimmy, there have been hundreds of agents that have set up with lower fees or internet private selling sites and none of them work, because it takes time and money to achieve a sale (especilly the top price) which is why they will never get anywhere. You get what you pay for. Please do not come back at me with an ill thought out and pointless retaliation, at least lets have an adult discussion.
The majority of home owners lack the confidence and do not have the time to sell their own property privately. Sellers also rightly know that they will obtain the best price for their property if they instruct a proactive agent - usually the one in their local area displaying the most number of For Sale and Sold boards. That is the key for success for any Estate Agent and the top achievers know this only too well.
Really? So people can just become Doctors, Accountants, Lawyers, Architects, Dentists etc etc etc can they?!?!
Is it really any wonder that estate agents and car salesmen have the reputation that they do? It's because they are unqualified and have no better skills than the average person that knows how to sell. Those people who do know how to sell still have to use an agent at the moment because EAs own the property marketing sector and squeeze out everyone else.
Mark my words, it just needs one site to come along like Rightmove but for private sellers (or even a cut down EA at a much lower price - yes, I'm aware of internet EAs) and it will all change.
Stating the obvious: are you saying the reason to instruct an estate agent is to artificially bump up the asking price?
You also say: ' The internet has been around for many years and since not once has there ever been a threat because private selling sites never have or will (in my opinion) have had the funds to attract buyers to actually search there sites.'
Quite right. Then along came Google...
Jimmy, you state that there would be no need for agents if private sellers new what to do. That is the same scenario for almost every service ever created. What a stupid and obvious point to make. The internet has been around for many years and since not once has there ever been a threat because private selling sites never have or will (in my opnion) have had the funds to attract buyers to actually search there sites. A good agent will turn that £3,000 spent on their fees into a much higher asking price achieved thanks to the tools they have at their disposal. It is by far, a worthwile a investment.
Yes, I can think of a good reason for selling without an agent : to save £3,000.
The thing is, anyone can be an estate agent. There's no skill to it. Well, no more than any effective private seller who knows how to sell something.
What is the reason for using an estate agent? Well, historically they've not had any other form of competition and the EA office and window was king. Now the internet is here. That changes E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
Michael, would you mind though if I was to visit the properties you were selling to try and get the business, don't think you would like that. We actually offer a service for private sellers and agents where we show them the local agents in the area who do not mind them selling privately and with their own agency, it works well.
Instead of touting other Estate Agent's properties - Agents should instead consider touting for business from the Private Sellers websites. I have done so and earned valuable commissions.
There will always be a minority of sellers who will attempt to sell privately. Estate Agents naturally do a better job and the mere existance of Private Sellers websites will keep Agents on their toes.
Wakeup has hit it on the head. Bearing in mind the thousands that get sold through agents, 21 private sales by "next Summer" isn't going to justify the millions they reckon it's going to cost. And by the way, who prepares and holds the HIPs? Someone will have to.
"MyPropertyForSale.co.uk currently advertises over 100 new properties every month, we don't need gimmicks like that to attract sellers."
Yes, but how many are SOLD through your website, as opposed to how many LISTED...?
It's a case of "Been there, done that, got the T shirt". It ain't a new concept but hey! if it works then who are we to knock or mock?
DON'T WORRY! The threat of private sellers to agents in the UK in miniscule and irrelevant. Even in the US where fees are three times the UK rate, only 9.5% of properties are sold privately, and a third of these are "in family" sales. People have always been able to sell their house privately, but how many home-made boards or ads do you see? Nada, nil, nicht! Those who try to cut corners selling privately are usually those who also cut corners on the DIY as well and are usually the type of people who are not that committed to the sale. Leave 'em to it! (Let me know if you want some anti-private sale prospecting letters free to EAT readers!)
"Essentially what will make hablib a success is if the over 30s and over 40s embrace social networking". - IF - Small word to put your big millions into.
MyPropertyForSale.co.uk currently advertises over 100 new properties every month, we don't need gimmicks like that to attract sellers.
Surely the fact that a website aimed at the whole nation expects to sell 21 houses in the next 6 months shows the lack of confidence in their own business. People pay agency fees because it becomes a mess most of the time if they don't. Good luck to those who try to sell wihtout one.