DIY Real Estate Websites?

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Oneman

Well-Known Member
7 September 2017
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4
199
Hi,
Has anyone had any experience of buying/selling through the DIY Real Estate companies currently advertising on line?
Thanks.
 

Tim W

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
28 April 2014
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2,894
Sydney
If you are brave enough game enough
foolhardy enough to attempt to do what will likely be
the single most significant and highest value transaction of your life
by yourself, then good luck to you, and be it on your own head.
 

Oneman

Well-Known Member
7 September 2017
65
4
199
Hi Tim,

Thankyou very much for your reply.

You seem to be strongly against the process, a thing that I find strange especially for a lawyer. Because of my experience with real estate agents they seem to do very, very little to earn their commission. The lawyers really do all the work and yet get paid far less than the agents.

I had a real estate agent try to sell my house about 12 months ago. He met about a dozen ‘qualified’ clients at my house over a period of 6 months. He stood there like a block of wood during the inspection to the point where I had to ‘sell’ the house and answer the lookers (who mostly seemed to be ‘tyre kickers’) questions myself. And for that he wants about $30,000 commission? Seriously?

As a seller, I don’t see any great problem in it. I advertise, guide the potential buyer around the house, if we agree on a sale price I go to my lawyer, get a contract drawn up, present it to the buyer and thereafter leave everything to my lawyer. The only thing that concerns me a little is the ‘on-line’ DIY Real Estate site. Am I missing something?

Please elaborate a little more on your reply. I value your opinion as you are a lawyer and obviously have much more experience in this field than I.

Thanks again.
 

Tim W

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
28 April 2014
4,913
820
2,894
Sydney
In the end, your typical DIY provider does little that you cannot do yourself.

While some of them are merely actual agents providing fixed fee services
(sometimes cheaper than market average),
some of them are basically sellers of marketing tools and services
(pretty signs and what have you).
And I'm not sure why you'd pay a middle man to list your property on Domain etc.
 

Oneman

Well-Known Member
7 September 2017
65
4
199
Tim,

Thank you greatly for your reply.

Completely agree with your answer and appreciate your advice. As for the 'middle man' reference, I've checked out pricing on Domain and they only give a limited 3 month agreement and that's only on their site for roughly the same price as the internet based Real Estate DIY companies and they place the ad on numerous sites. I've just read through the T & C's for a couple of them and they seem to be reasonable enough.

I've taken your advice and opinions on board and thank you again.

If my place sells then I'll happily make a small donation to the Queensland Law Society through my solicitor (LOL).

Cheers,

Oneman
 

Tim W

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
28 April 2014
4,913
820
2,894
Sydney
I don't work in Queensland... but I'm sure there's a charity of some kind who would welcome your donation.