How to Sell Your House in London Without Paying Estate Agent Fees
Why Are London Sellers Dropping Their Agents?
Here's something that catches most London homeowners off guard. When you sell a property worth £800,000 through a traditional estate agent, you'll typically pay around £12,000 in commission. That's 1.5% of the sale price, gone. And what exactly does that £12,000 buy you? An online listing (which you could place yourself), some photos (often taken on a phone by a junior), and a handful of accompanied viewings. For twelve grand.£12,000+
Average Commission on a London Home
That's the typical fee on an £800k property at 1.5%. Enough to cover your stamp duty on the next purchase, or pay for a full kitchen renovation.
Selling Costs: Agent vs Going Direct
| What You Pay For | High-Street Agent | Selling Direct (My Savvi Home) |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Commission | £12,000 - £20,000+ | £0 (small flat listing fee) |
| Solicitor/Conveyancing | £1,500 - £2,500 | £1,500 - £2,500 |
| Marketing & Photos | Often extra (£500+) | Included |
| Who Runs Your Viewings | A junior at the agency | You pick who comes and when |
Pro Tip
2. Get proper photos taken
London buyers scroll through dozens of listings before they'll book a viewing. If your photos look like they were taken on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, you've already lost them. A professional photographer costs about £200 and the difference it makes is night and day.
3. List on a platform that puts you in front of buyers
You don't need a shop front on the high street to find a buyer any more. You need your property on the portals where buyers are actually looking, and you need a way to talk to them directly.
## The Short Version
Selling privately in London isn't some fringe experiment any more. Thousands of homeowners do it every year. The legal process is identical, buyers find you on mysavvihome.com, and you keep thousands more when it completes.
In SW and W postcodes, garden space and off-street parking add more value per square foot than extra interior space right now. Factor that into your pricing if you've got either.