According to The Homebuyer Centre its service brings not just major change to the way people search for and buy property but fundamentally challenges both the traditional estate agency and portal models.
The Homebuyer Centre is a one-stop shop for prospective buyers, saving them from having to visit estate agent after estate agent on the high street (Phase 1) and scour portal after portal (Phase 2) in a bid to find property.
Instead, they simply deal with a completely impartial local buying agent in the area they wish to buy, who orchestrates the entire buying process on their behalf. This includes: finding suitable properties, attending viewings, negotiating hard on the purchase price to gain the ‘edge’ on the seller, arranging mortgage finance, surveys and insurance, and overseeing the entire conveyancing process to make for a stress-free home move.
Buyers simply brief The Homebuyer Centre buying agent on the type of property they are looking for and the specific area(s) they want to buy in and he/she does the rest, liaising with the buyer over the phone, face-to-face and through a powerful online interface where viewings can be arranged and feedback given.
Crucially, people using The Homebuyer Centre will not be charged upfront for the work carried out by the buying agent, but will only pay a fee if the buying agent negotiates a discount on the property that they want to purchase. This provides peace of mind for the buyer and incentivises the buying agent to secure the best possible discount on the property’s asking price. The fee is payable on completion.
There are currently 22 Homebuyer Centres across the UK, from Sheffield to Southampton and Cardiff to Canterbury.
This number is expected to double by the end of the year through an aggressive franchising programme.
The Homebuyer Centre draws on the highly successful business model introduced by real estate brokerage, Redfin, in the US, where two thirds of buyers now use this type of hybrid online/offline service when purchasing properties.
Redfin has grown rapidly since its launch, completing $2 billion in transactions in just three years, with a customer satisfaction rate of 97%.
