A new platform is being launched which aims to exclude estate agents from sales.
PropTech firm Hizzy says it “allows homeowners to sell their property directly to buyers for a fixed fee, and with no commission to pay.”
And it says this is because “no one knows a home better than the person who lives there.”
The platform charges vendors £179 a month as a basic charge, for which customers get what is described as an “AI-assisted listing writer”, a dashboard through which they can see offers and talk to buyers; a Zoopla listing; and a For Sale board erected.
There are also optional add-ons, at additional cost.
This includes a one-off £129 for “professional photos, floorplan and a 360-degree virtual tour”, and £89 for an “independent marketing valuation.”
There is a reference on the service’s website to “accompanied viewings” but no charges are set out.
If after six months the property remains unsold (by which time the vendor will have paid six monthly payments of £179) that ongoing monthly fee is waived but they will then have to pay £50 a month to remain on Zoopla.
There appears no reference to issues such as the checking on the accuracy of details, or the handling of negotiations, or whether the platform is part of a redress scheme.
The creators say the idea came after one of their relatives purchased a homer directly. A statement from them says: “Because the buyer and seller already knew one another, the transaction progressed directly between the two parties, with the main cost – beyond the purchase – being legal fees.
“The experience prompted the founders to consider whether technology could bring some of that simplicity into the wider property market.”
The platform says it also captures substantial information upfront, in a way which it claims conforms with broad government ambitions to make buying and selling easier.
The platform is being launched only in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, with some radio and digital audio marketing.
The team behind it says there is a planned national roll out.
You can see the service’s website here: https://hiizzy.com