What's a high street agent?
Traditional agents operate from a local office, employ staff who know the area intimately, and typically handle every aspect of the sale — valuation, photography, viewings, negotiation, and sales progression. They work on a percentage fee (1-1.5% + VAT) payable on completion. The strength is personal service and local knowledge. The weakness is higher cost and variable quality — a great agent can outperform any alternative, but a poor one can be worse than doing it yourself.
What's an online agent?
Online agents operate from centralised call centres rather than local offices. They typically charge fixed fees (£999-£1,499) rather than percentages, and use technology for valuations, scheduling, and communication. Some offer 'hosted viewings' via local contractors; others expect you to show buyers around yourself. The strength is lower cost, especially for higher-value properties. The weakness is less personalised service and the risk of paying upfront for a service that doesn't deliver.
Cost comparison
On a £250,000 property: a high street agent at 1.2% + VAT costs £3,600 total. An online agent at £999 + VAT costs £1,199. That's a saving of £2,401. But on a £150,000 property, the saving drops to £1,001 — and the cost of a slower sale or lower achieved price could easily wipe that out. Online agents tend to make more economic sense for properties above £250,000 where the percentage model becomes expensive relative to the service provided.
Online agents are most cost-effective for properties above £250,000. Below that, the percentage fee from a high street agent may be worth the investment in local expertise.
Sale prices: is there a difference?
Research from the Advisory (2019) suggested that properties listed with online agents sold for 5% less on average than those with traditional agents. However, this is correlation, not causation — sellers choosing online agents may be more motivated to sell quickly or in lower-demand areas. What matters most is the individual agent's quality, local knowledge, and negotiation skill — not their business model. A great online agent will outperform a poor high street one.
When to choose a high street agent
Choose high street when: your property is unusual or hard to value (period homes, rural properties, development opportunities), you need accompanied viewings (work commitments, empty properties), the local market is slow and requires proactive buyer-finding, or you value face-to-face relationship management. High street agents are also better when the chain is complex — an experienced sales progressor can prevent fall-throughs.
When to choose an online agent
Choose online when: your property is straightforward (standard flat or house in good condition), you're comfortable conducting your own viewings, you're in a strong seller's market where properties sell quickly, or you have a higher-value property where percentage fees feel disproportionate. Also consider online if you've sold before and understand the process well enough to manage it yourself.
The hybrid approach
Platforms like open for offer offer a middle ground: test the market for free to gauge genuine buyer interest, then decide whether to list DIY (£9.99/month) or use our agent-matching service (0.5-0.8% + VAT) to get local agent support at below-market rates. This lets you make a data-informed choice rather than committing to an agent before you know what demand looks like.