Frequently Asked Questions
OVERVIEW
How much money could I save?
This would depend entirely on how much your property is worth and how much commission your estate agent is charging. On average, estate agents charge between 1% and 3% to get a property on their books. You can usually get a lower rate if you use them as your sole agency.
How much does it cost to advertise my property?
The title doesn’t lie! Property 42 simply asks for a one-off fee of £42 to advertise your property on the site for one year.
Are there hidden costs?
There are no hidden costs, the £42 allows you to advertise your property on the site for up to a year and the VAT is included. There is no commission to pay once your property has been sold.
How do I pay for my advertisement?
How do I pay for my advertisement?
The advertisement is payable through PayPal, an extremely secure site used by many online shops such as eBay amongst others. In order to pay through PayPal you simply have to enter your name, address and card details and PayPal will do the rest. If you already have an account with PayPal you just need to log on with your email address and password.
Is Property 42 an estate agent?
No. Property 42 is a marketing medium, your own shop window for you to advertise your property.
Can I sell my house without an estate agent?
Yes. Many people have sold their houses online through sites such as Property 42 over the past few years and have saved themselves a considerable amount of money. Estate agents do offer various additional services such as arranging appointments, giving advice on valuation, communicating with your solicitor, advising on ‘chains,’ holding deposits etc. However, the law does not state that any of these functions need to be carried out by an estate agent, and with a bit of time and effort it can all be carried out by you – the seller. If you find a buyer through Property 42 you simply need to pass the details straight to your solicitor who will then do the necessary legal work.
Can I still use an estate agent?
Yes, you can still use an estate agent, but if you sell your home through Property 42 you won’t have to pay the agent’s commission.
Should I tell my estate agent?
Yes. Just to make sure that everyone is happy and aware of the situation beforehand, speak to your estate agent and agree with them that they can’t charge you their commission if you find a private buyer and then have this written into your contract. This way there can be no misunderstandings over commissions at a later date.
What are my rights with ‘sole agency’?
According to the Office of Fair Trading - If a seller of a property enters into a sole agency agreement with an estate agent, no other agent has the right to sell the property during the period of the agreement. The seller can sell the property himself without paying the agent a fee - provided that the buyer was not introduced to the seller by the agent during the contract period.
When you receive your contract from the estate agent, check that they haven't specified a clause saying "sole selling rights" rather than "sole agent right". In this case you would still have to pay the agent commission even if you sold it yourself.
What are HIPs and do I need one? Home Information Packs (HIPs) became law in April 6th 2009 for all homes in England and Wales. This means that if you placed your home for sale after that date you are required to purchase one. If you are selling through an estate agent, they will usually organise this for you. We offer HIPs through www.ehips.com; simply click the link on our home page for more information and a free quote.
However, there are exceptions. If your home was put up for sale before the dates listed below, you may not need one
- 4 bedroom homes before 01/08/2007
- 3 bedroom homes before 10/09/2007.
- 1&2 bedroom homes before 14/12/2007
BUT, all homes advertised for sale after 2st October 2008 have to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), which is included in the HIPS offered though www.ehips.com and can also be ordered separately if the property is exempt from HIPs. What do I need if I am selling my property in Scotland? From December 1st 2008, Scottish houses put up for sale need a Home Report. This is a pack of three documents: a Single Survey, an Energy Report and a Property Questionnaire. This Home Report is to be made available on request to any prospective buyers of the home. This is an initiative lead by the Scottish Government and everything you need to know is on this site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/Built-Environment/Housing/Buyingselling/home-report/
SUBMITTING A PROPERTY
How do I submit a property?
On the home page, under the pink words ‘sell or let,’ click your mouse over the words ‘click here for details’. This takes you to a new page and you need to click on the words ‘to sell or rent your property online register here’. This will bring you to an online form which needs to be filled out with all your personal details, including your name, address, telephone number and a password. Make sure this is something you will remember as you will need to remember for logging onto your account again in the future. When you have filled out this form and the verification number you will receive an email into your personal inbox with a link. If you click the link in this email it will take you through to your property details page.
Once you reach your details page you will see a red box in the bottom right hand corner. Click this to add a property to sell or rent. This page lets you add all the details of your property in its relevant boxes (step one). After you have completed all the areas on your property’s details page, click ‘next’ which takes you to a page where you can upload your photographs.
Do I have to use my real name? (Sellers)
We advise that you use your real name when registering but it will not be visible to anyone other than yourself even after your register. Any interested parties can email you through the website mailing system but will not have your name until you yourself give it to them.
Do I have to use my real name? (Buyers)
Again, we recommend that you do. If you are a prospective buyer/tenant your name and email address will be passed onto the relevant seller/letter, but only when you contact them through Property42. The seller/letter can then respond direct back to you personally.
Are my personal details secure?
Yes, your details will not be seen or given out to anyone without your permission, i.e., if you are interested in a property and you email a seller through the site. As a seller, your details will not be given out to anyone, that will be up to you after a prospective buyer has contacted you.
What should I put in the property description box?
It is really important that you describe your house in as much detail as possible and you can use up to a maximum of 10,000 characters. Make a point of mentioning the different rooms, their memorable features and even measurements. Don’t forget to mention the garden if there is one or any outdoors spaces as they are always very popular with buyers. In order to make it more readable I would use headings and spaces between lines. Mention the area it is in, if it has local supermarkets, schools, churches etc... There is also an area where you can add a list of 5 important bullet points which will appear as a list below your advert.
The photographs are the most important part of your advertisement. It is the first thing prospective buyers or tenants will look at and the thing which will encourage them to read through your descriptions. Make sure there is a good photograph of the outside of your house and one of every major feature which you mention in your description, whether that is your kitchen, sitting-room or garden. It is best to take external pictures on a sunny day when there is more natural light. Make sure your house is tidy when you take the internal pictures and keep the curtains open, to add light to the rooms, you may well need to use a flash as well though.
How do I upload pictures?
Once you have written your description in the relevant boxes, you click ‘next’ at the bottom of the page which will take you to a new page (step two) where you can upload your photographs. If you click on the first box which says ‘browse’ it will open up a box containing your desktop. From here you can find the file containing your photographs, select the one you want and click ‘open’. Do this for each box, so each contains a different picture and then click ‘finish’ at the bottom of the page. This will take you to a third page (step three) where you can review your advertisement and then finally pay. Click the link (‘click here’) to see a preview of your advertisement. Once you are completely happy with the way your advertisement looks you need to click the ‘buy now’ tab at the bottom of this page.
How many pictures can I upload?
You can upload up to six pictures.
What do I do if my pictures are too big?
The website can handle large files but do not recommend files bigger than 2Mb. If they are larger, re-size them on your computer before you upload them.
How do I pay for my advert?
The payment system we use is called PayPal (www.paypal.com) and it is a secure and reliable e-payment system, trusted by many large companies such as Boots, DHL and Laura Ashley. It is simple to use and you don’t have to have an account with them to make a payment. The payment is only made after you have written your description and uploaded your photographs. The advertisement will only be live on the website for people to see after payment is successful.
Can I change or ad pictures for my advert?
You can change your words or pictures by logging on to your account and then click on ‘edit your property’s details’ which will take you through to the original form with your property’s details. If you click the ‘next’ tab at the bottom of this page it will take you through to the picture uploading page which allows you to amend, delete or update any images.
How long can I advertise for?
Your advert will remain on the website for 1 year from the date of your payment.
SEARCHING FOR A PROPERTY
Do I need to pay £42 to search for a property?
No, you don’t need to pay any money for property searches but you still have to register your details. If you click the ‘register’ tab at the top right hand corner of the home page and enter your details and a password you will be able to login. Once logged in you can then contact sellers through the site.
How do I search for a property?
On the home page, chose whether you are looking for a property to buy or rent. Then in the relevant box type in any part of the address you are interested in, the town, county or postcode.
Why hasn’t my search come up with any properties?
If you searched a particular postcode, try widening your criteria to a town or country. Bear in mind that Property42 is a new site and there will be new properties added to it daily.
How do I see the full details of a property I like the look of?
Once you have put in your general search on the home page and clicked ‘search,’ a list of relevant properties should come up on screen. To see any property in more detail including more pictures of it, simply click on the words ‘more details’ below. This will take you to a page devoted to the property with a detailed description and further pictures. If you click on any of these, the image will open in another larger window.
How can I contact the seller or letter of a particular ad? Once you have found a property you are really interested in and you have read all the details, you can reach that seller or letter of that property by clicking the box below called ‘click here to contact seller.’ This will bring you to a page with a contact box where you can write your message and then click the box at the bottom which says ‘contact the advertiser.’ They will then have your email address and can contact you back at their discretion.
How can I add to my favourites?
Once you find a property which interests you just click on the blue highlighted words ‘save property’ beneath it. This will save those properties to your details page so you can find those properties easily again. If you are no longer interested in a property you can delete them from your favourites by clicking the words ‘remove from my favourites.’
HELP FOR SELLERS ALREADY REGISTERED ON PROPERTY 42
How do I change my email address?
If you need to change your email address, click on the ‘my details’ page at the top of the page. When you get to your details page delete the present email address in both boxes and type in the new one. Once you have checked that the email addresses are correct, simply click ‘save details’ at the bottom of the page and the new address will be saved.
I’ve forgotten my password – what should I do?
If you enter an incorrect password or have forgotten your password, please send an email to lostPassword@property42.com and your password will be emailed to you within 24 hours.
How do I renew my ad after the year’s subscription runs out?
When you log in to your details page, you will see the date that the advert runs out beside it. Once it has expired (this will be shown in the box beside your property on your details page) you need go back through the details and pictures pages by clicking ‘next’ twice and it will ask you for payment again.
How do I make changes to my listing?
Log into your account and click on the ‘edit property details’ words to the right of your house listing. This will take you back to your property details page where you can change any of the details or add more information. Then click ‘next’ which will take you through to the picture uploading page. Here you can change or add any pictures by clicking ‘delete image’ and then ‘browse’ to upload a new one.
How do I prepare my home for sale/rent?
Buyers want to buy the best home for the best price so it is important to make sure your house looks as good as it possibly can. Touch up any chipped or old paintwork and make sure it is very clean and tidy. This will give prospective buyers and tenants the best impression.
What happens when my property is sold?
When your property is sold you simply need to log into your details page and click the ‘remove property’ tab next to your property and it will be removed.