It’s certainly been interesting reading over the last week; the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) are now looking to promote online UK Property Listing services in a bid to drive down the cost of Selling or Letting your home.
Those who are savvy in their search for UK property listings know that there are viable alternatives to the traditionalist ‘list your property with the Estate Agent’ approach. Statistics continue to point towards the fact we spend more time searching UK property adverts and listings online regardless as to whether you want to buy or rent property. Therefore, given the recent OFT comments, there is a huge opportunity for alternative property listing services to not only enter the marketplace, but contribute to the goal of reducing the cost of selling or letting your property in the UK.
It’s a refreshing approach by the OFT. The momentum now has to be with those new property services that look to serve the UK property market consumers. However, such property listing opportunities need to be grasped now. There is no doubt that selling or renting a UK property online is convenient and can be hassle free.
In addition to the huge audience of excellent prospective clients, the Internet offers cost effectiveness that traditional media cannot. Websites are more engaging and informative than even the best printed brochures. Emails and the use of social networking sites make it easier and cheaper to keep in touch with existing clients. You don’t need to have a big marketing budget to create a professional online presence. Estate agents themselves already have an online presence. What will be interesting is whether the cost of selling or letting property in the UK does come down and if those new property listing websites can break the mould and become true competitors.
