A UK Buyer’s Tool
Took a look at the Netmovers.net site. It is an internet service in the UK that allows potential buyers to look for homes on their own without the use of a realtor. In fact, the blog talking about this service claims there are “NetMovers are the UK ’s number one commission free estate agents, with no hidden costs to worry about.” So for $99 dollars (something I offer for free here) you get access to the mls and you can get information about the area. While I agree having a first look at the area through the web is a wonderful feature, it certainly help decrease the hours looking at places that just don’t fit. It does not replace having somebody drive you around a few selected areas explaining where things are, merits vs minuses of one neighborhood over another, not to mention about quality of schools from a parent point of view, or about the little nuances that just don’t show up on a map or website.
While I do understand that Brits do things differently just seems to me trying to take the agent out of the real estate transaction leaves buyers and sellers in the position of not having access to a wealth of knowledge that the full-time real estate profession has just from doing his or her job. Knowing how much to offer on a house, getting together the information on what other properties have sold for in the area, and knowing what to expect after one makes an offer are a few things most people look to a realtor for assistance.
Buyers will learn little about a neighborhood until they ride though it. A tool like Netmovers, gives you cold information while the realtor can give you that information in the setting and offer tidbits of information that does not appear on websites. Viewing pictures even high quality images does not take the place of a drive by with someone whose job it is to know the area.
I find it interesting when people get a new tool and think that tool can replace human knowledge and ingenuity. The realtor has been around assisting buyers and sellers for more than 200 years. It is unlikely a website can replace what a human real estate professional brings to the buying and selling arena.