Frequently asked questions

Q. What services do Move on the net offer?

A. Move on the net will help you sell your property. No commissions, no fuss.

We give you the freedom to advertise your property on the Internet to the whole world.

You choose the wording of your advert.

You can publish your own photographs and video tours.

We will give you a Move on the net for sale sign which you can tailor to suit your individual needs.

All signs are delivered as you require with a unique property reference. This will allow potential Buyers to immediately text the reference to Move on the net and receive instant details about your property. You can also advertise your contact email or telephone number.

Once you have registered you can receive e-mails direct from potential Buyers.

You can check whether potential Buyers have already registered interest in your area, street or road, price range etc.

You can register to allow SMS text alerts to notify you when you have e-mails on your account.

Move on the net will SMS text or e-mail all registered Buyers when relevant new properties are added to the web site or when changes such as price decreases occur. Your potential Buyers get to hear about your property as soon as it is on our web site.

Our extensive combination of marketing produces over 2 million visitors a month. We direct Buyers and visitors to our site and therefore your property by advertising:

in your locality;
in local papers;
on local radio
in local property guides;
national press;
on the Internet;
Our web site is designed to feature prominently on search engines;
we advertise your property via fish4homes.co.uk on all the following internet sites:

Q. What are the costs?

A. We aim to keep things simple. We have 3 packages:

How much will it cost with Move on the net?

Package 1 - What you get

For only £99 your property will be advertised on the Move on the net website for 6 months or until sold, if earlier, and will have all of the following benefits:

· A professionally presented property advert

· Immediate listing on the world wide web

· Freedom to upload 6 of your own digital photographs of your property to your advert

· Extensive Move on the net radio advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive Move on the net local newspaper advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive national internet listing to 2 million home buyers with:

· Total control allowing you to update/amend/change your advert details or photographs at any time through your secure online user account

· Secure and confidential e-mail facilities through the Move on the net site

· Printable property advert/flyer in PDF format.

Package 2 - What you get

For only £134 you will receive an eye catching Move on the net for sale or for let sign in addition to everything in Package 1 which includes:

· A professionally presented property advert

· Immediate listing on the world wide web

· Freedom to upload 6 of your own digital photographs of your property to your advert

· Extensive Move on the net radio advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive Move on the net local newspaper advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive national internet listing to 2 million home buyers with:

· Total control allowing you to update/amend/change your advert details or photographs at any time through your secure online user account

· Secure and confidential e-mail facilities through the Move on the net site

· Printable property advert/flyer in PDF format.

Package 3 - What you get

For only £154 you will be able to upload your own VIRTUAL TOUR of your property in addition to everything in Package 2 which includes an eye catching Move on the net for sale/for let sign and all of the following benefits:

· A professionally presented property advert

· Immediate listing on the world wide web

· Freedom to upload 6 of your own digital photographs of your property to your advert

· Extensive Move on the net radio advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive Move on the net local newspaper advertising driving interested home buyers to the site and your property advert

· Extensive national internet listing to 2 million home buyers with:

· Total control allowing you to update/amend/change your advert details or photographs at any time through your secure online user account

· Secure and confidential e-mail facilities through the Move on the net site

· Printable property advert/flyer in PDF format

Virtual tour - £40
For sale or For let sign - (for easy self assembly, including two vinyl strips that show the property's unique reference number which allows passing buyers to text for details) - £ 40 inc. of postage and packing.
Wooden post for the For sale/For let sign with a set of nuts and bolts (set will fix board to post and slips/small boards to For sale/For let sign ) - £25 inc. of postage and packing
Additional personalised vinyl strips - £15.00 each inc postage and packing.
Additional personalised small boards - £15.00 each inc postage and packing.
Priority property alerts by SMS text message – buyers can receive SMS & e-mail alerts as soon as a property fitting their search criteria is listed on the site. This occurs ‘real time' and the notification will be immediate. This is an invaluable tool for a buyer who is looking for a specific type of property or a property in a specific location. A great way to find your ‘dream home' - £10 for 20 SMS text messages (buyers will be notified if their credit is about to expire).
Priority SMS text messages for sellers - sellers can purchase SMS text credits so that they can be informed when they have received a message from an interested buyer through the site rather than waiting till they next switch on their computers. £10 for 20 SMS text messages (sellers will be notified if their credit is about to expire).
Gauge buyer interest – FREE – for registered members.
Property alerts - FREE – for registered members. This provides alerts by e-mail to buyers of property details that match the search criteria they have entered.

Q. What if I'm already using an estate agent?

A. You can advertise your property with Move on the net and with an estate agent provided that you have agreed with your estate agent that his commission is not payable if you find a buyer yourself through the Move on the net website. Once you have agreed this make sure you confirm it back to the estate agent in writing.

We would recommend that you carefully check the terms and conditions in any estate agent's agreement you enter into. If your estate agent tries to agree ‘Sole selling rights' with you then this would only allow your agent to sell.

If you are already with an estate agent and you want to find your own buyer privately without an estate agent then you should give notice to end your agreement. There will normally be a period of notice where you will have to wait for the agreement to end and where you will not be able to advertise you property privately. The agents should still market your property during this period. Once the notice period ends and you are free from the terms and conditions of the agreement and you can then try to find a Buyer privately and use the services of Move on the net.

Estate agents are the traditional method of selling and letting property but Move on the net is committed to providing an alternative service that provides a complete freedom of choice and a massive cost saving benefit.

More and more people are deciding to sell/let their own property but all too often are only able to purchase and display a private for sale sign and/or pay for a local paper advert. Although this may produce a successful sale/let, the chances are that it will not.

Move on the net have created an opportunity for private sales to take place at a fraction of the cost of an estate agent by;

Allowing a Seller to present their property themselves in a professional, clear and user friendly way online.
Through local, national and online advertising, Buyers will be directed to view the site looking for their new home.
Interested Buyers will be able to make contact directly cutting out delays, lack of communication and worries.
The ability to include photographs of their own choosing, Virtual tours of their property and other benefits such as, SMS text and e-mail alerts, personalised for sale/to let signs, gauge Buyer interest etc.

If you are using an estate agent we would recommend that you get more than one estimation of the value, invariably there is a large difference in each agent's valuation.

It should be remembered that an estate agent can be anyone. They don't have to be qualified to do business. Great care is therefore needed in dealing with an agent who, after all, is in the business of maximizing profits. We would recommend that you only use an estate agent who is a member of a recognised professional body.

We would not recommend that you accept an agent's valuation without doing your own research (click here for tips on valuing your property). Essentially, without assessing the value yourself you will never know whether an agent is valuing too low so they get a quick sale or too high to win your business over other agents. Either way this is not in your best interests.

Q. Can I sell my house without an Estate Agent?

A. Yes you can. It is very straight forward. It is just the same as buying and selling any other thing. You would not dream of paying an agent to help you sell your car privately or to help you negotiate a price with, say, decorators. Ultimately, even if an agent negotiates a price for you, it is down to you to accept or reject it.

Once you have negotiated and agreed a price for your property then you should contact a solicitor to arrange the legal formalities to complete your sale.

Q. Can I update or change my details on the Web site?

A. You can easily change your details at any time. Simply go to the ‘Your account' section and follow the online instructions.

Q. When do I have to pay?

A. Only when you have entered your property details onto http://www.moveonthenet.com/index.php and are satisfied with your advert.

Q. Is there a discount for multiple properties?

A. Yes. Developers, estate agents, builders and landlords etc who are selling multiple properties will receive discounts. Click here for further information on the discounts and procedure involved

Q. How long can I advertise for?

A. For an unlimited time. You pay initially for 6 months but you can purchase additional packages for as long as you wish.

Q. Do I need a for sale sign?

A. A for sale sign is not compulsory. They are a great way to advertise your property. The Move on the net for sale/or let signs are included within our advertising packages 2 and 3.

Remember that 70% of all Buyers first find out that a property is for sale by viewing a for sale sign.

Q. Why choose Move on the net as against other internet portals?

A. Move on the net provide the best value for money as they do not just rely on internet marketing of the site and your property but will actively market the site locally in press and radio. Just click here for a comprehensive list of how we do it.

Q.Have you any tips on preparing my house for sale?

A.There are many home make over programmes on TV these days and they always seem to carry the same basic advice for preparing your home for sale/to let;

De-clutter and de-personalise the property. The potential Buyers will want to see the property as they would like to live in it, not how you are living in it.
Make sure the house is clean and tidy before any viewings and smells good. Some make-over companies recommend that you brew coffee to give the property a homely feel!
Finish any maintenance, DIY or other essential jobs.
If possible and if budget allows it is always a good idea to paint the house in light neutral colours to make it as attractive to potential Buyers as possible. A little bit of expense here could ensure that the maximum selling price is achieved.
Smarten up the front of the house. First impressions last so a bright newly painted front door and/or a tidy front garden will always help.

Q. Are the personal details held by the site safe?

A. Yes they are. Please refer to our data protection privacy policies by clicking here.

Q . How do I value my property?

A. You can value your own home.

You are the best person to know it's worth.
Most people now know the likely sale price of their home.
Who else knows your property & location like you do?

To assist you in valuing there are many tools and helpful websites to enable you to do so accurately;

You can now find out from the Land Registry what neighbouring and similar properties have sold for at www.landreg.gov.uk.
You may search this site to see similar properties and the range of sale prices
You should examine local papers and property guides for similar properties.
If unsure use the services of a professional valuer. See the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors at www.rics.org who will be able to put you in touch with a local valuer.
If you require our assistance, we can arrange for you to be contacted by a local professional Valuer who, through Move on the net, can offer reduced rates in respect of their fees. Please e-mail us at mailbox@moveonthenet.com.
You could seek an estimation of the value from two or three estate agents. Most agents offer a free valuation. However, you have to be careful not to rely only on their advice. You cannot always be sure that the agents are accurate or that they are simply trying to win your business.
We wouldn't recommend accepting an estate agents valuation without doing your own research.
Set any asking price higher than you expect so that there is room for negotiation but do not unrealistically over price the property. The price needs to be realistic to attract Buyers.

Q. How does Move on the net market my property?

A. Our extensive combination of marketing produces over 2 million visitors a month. We direct Buyers and visitors to our site by advertising:

in your locality;
in local papers;
on local radio
in local property guides;
national press;
on the Internet;
Our web site is designed to feature prominently on search engines;
we advertise your property via fish4homes.co.uk.

Click here for further information

Q. How do I go about appointing a Solicitor?

A We have a panel of carefully chosen expert solicitors who will offer a discount to Move on the net customers. Please e-mail us at mailbox@moveonthenet.com for a no obligation quote.

Q. How do I go about arranging viewings?

A. Move on the net will allow you to set the way in which you are contacted about your property as follows;

You may wish to have Buyers call you directly and openly advertise your contact telephone number (either mobile or land-line). This can be done on your property advert and/or your For sale sign.
You may wish to limit contact with Buyers to the Move on the net system for e-mail. The site provides a safe system of communication where a Buyer can send a message to you by e-mail but neither of the e-mail addresses will become known until either yourself or the Buyer wish to disclose it to each other. Alternatively, you are free to openly state your e-mail address on your property advert and/or your for sale sign.

Once you have communicated with the interested Buyer it is entirely a matter for yourself as to how the viewings are arranged. WE WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND FOR SECURITY AND SAFETY PURPOSES THAT YOU VERIFY THE IDENTITY OF THE INTERESTED BUYER FIRST.

N.B. YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ANOTHER PERSON WITH YOU IN THE PROPERTY WHEN THE VIEWING TAKES PLACE.

Q. What do I do if I receive an offer?

A. If you are happy with the offer you can indicate to the potential Buyer that their offer is acceptable and then place the matter in the hands of your solicitor.

If you do not wish to accept the offer you can reject it and you can make a counter offer. You can reject as many offers as you like and you can make as many counter offers as you like. You are advised to clarify offers in writing to a avoid misunderstandings and make all communications on offers subject to contract.

Q. What happens after sale terms are agreed ?

A. You should then place the matter in the hands of the expert solicitor. Your solicitor will make contact with the Buyers' solicitors. He would discuss with you and advise you on what the terms of sale should be, for instance how much deposit you will pay, when you wish to move etc. E-mail us at mailbox@moveonthenet.com for a free no obligation conveyancing quote.

Q. What is a draft Contract ?

A .This is a legal document drafted by your solicitor. It details your terms of sale for your property.

Q. What are Pre-contract Enquiries ?

A. These are the enquiries that a Buyer (through their Solicitors) make to establish whether they should enter into a contract with the Seller. This is normally the longest stage of the process. The enquiries are made up of questions the Buyer will ask the Seller about ownership of the property and also searches such as to the local authority (inc. planning department searches), Coal Board Mining, etc.

Q. What does Exchange of Contracts mean?

A. Once the parties wish to be legally bound to buy and sell the property the contracts that they have each signed are then exchanged (swopped by their Solicitors so that each party's solicitor holds the contract signed by the other party). At this stage an agreed deposit is paid by the Seller to the Buyer. This ‘exchange of contracts' means that the Buyer is bound to buy and the Seller is bound to sell. The date is usually set for completion and is written into the contract.The process then moves towards the completion stage where the purchase money is exchanged for the deeds and the Buyer can take ownership of the property.

Q. What is Completion and what is involved?

A. As stated above, completion is where the purchase money (less the deposit paid) is exchanged for the deeds and the Buyer can take ownership of the property. The date for completion will be agreed and written into the contract.

Prior to the day of completion the parties will need to make arrangements for the hand over of the keys to the property.

On completion day, once confirmation is given that the monies have been received by the Seller, the keys can be collected and the Buyer can move in.

Q. How long will the transaction take?

A. An average time will be eight weeks from start to finish. Some transactions move quicker than that and some can take considerably longer. If the Buyer of your property is reliant upon selling his house then you are involved in a transaction chain. Transaction chains can be lengthy and they invariably slowly the transaction process down. Each transaction in a chain can only happen after the previous transaction has completed. Your expert solicitor will advise you on this.

Q. At what stage do I need to pay any money?

A. Your expert solicitor may not require any money from you for his fees and the fees he incurs on your behalf until the end of the transaction.

Property Buyers will need to give their solicitor enough money to pay a deposit before the exchange of contracts.

Q. Do I have to pay a deposit?

A. Deposits are normally paid on exchange of contracts. Deposits are not normally refundable and they are required to show good faith as they exchange of contracts legally binds the Buyer and Seller to the property purchase.

The amount of the deposit is a matter for negotiation between the parties. Sellers will wish to receive a deposit as big possible. Buyers will wish to pay as little as possible.

Q. What type of survey do I need?

A. If a Buyer needs a mortgage the lender will require a survey to be carried out to ensure that the value of the property is worth at least the amount the Buyer has asked to borrow from the lender.

A more detailed inspection by a surveyor is useful to Buyers as it can reveal more important detail about the property and the surveyor might be held responsible for omitting any detail that he ought to have included.

Q. When will I get my money?

A. Any surplus on the proceeds of a sale are usually given to the Seller by their solicitor on the day the sale completes or the next working day.

Q. Where and when do I get the keys to the property I am buying?

A. The keys will be available on the day the sale completes, as soon as the Seller has left the property and has received confirmation from his solicitor that the Buyers' money has been safely transferred. Buyers are advised to agree, ahead of the day the sale completes, as to when the keys will be available.