You don't need an estate agent. Do you?

Many people have a horror story to tell about estate agents

Lots of us begrudge forking out around £2,940 (based on paying 1.5% commission on the sale of a £196,000 house) to them. The internet has made selling your home both easy and cheap (from £50 to £200 depending on the service and company) and web companies say 70% of prospective buyers look on the net when house-hunting. The downside is that you do a lot of the work. It takes around 13 viewings for a sale to be agreed and you'll have to show prospective buyers round (some web companies do this for you).

Is it right for you?
• You can save thousands on fees.
• Many sites will advertise your home on other sites as well (like www.rightmove.co.uk and www.propertyfinder.com).
• Some offer virtual tours round your home, so you only have to show round serious buyers, not time-wasters.
• You don't have to rely on estate agents for feedback.
• You'll need to devote more time to chasing up solicitors, your buyer and any other loose ends.
• You need to be confident, with good negotiating skills.
• If you get offers, it's down to you to try to up the price. If you're not good at this you may lose more than the money you've saved through not having an agent.

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