Help!

[Homeseller]

Hi there! I'm seriously thinking of setting up a new national business and need some advice from the forum.

I need to know if there is a network of people who can help me visit the client, take photos and measurements and do a floor plan. I am intrigued to know where the online estate agents get this kind of expertise from.

Can some kind soul give me some advice here?

Thank you.

[drhouse]

Originally Posted by Homeseller

I need to know if there is a network of people who can help me visit the client, take photos and measurements and do a floor plan. I am intrigued to know where the online estate agents get this kind of expertise from.

Can some kind soul give me some advice here?

Thank you.

There is a network - Estate Agents. As to where they get their 'expertise' from they either don't have any or have been estate agents themselves and think that being online alone is enough. It should be remembered that the internet is a tool in selling a house (albeit a very important one) but it is not enough on its own.

[googler]

Expertise in what? Taking measurements, taking photos or generating the floorplan?

All seem fairly straightforward to me.

What's your 'national business' actually going to do? What's your business model?

Or are you really asking "How do online estate agents find their clients?"

[Homeseller]

No, I'm not asking how online estate agents get their clients and, no, I'm not looking for full estate agency services either. I'm looking for exactly what I said : a network (if there is one) to simply take photos, measurements and a description. I suspect that the answer lies with the estate agency photo people (3d tours etc.). Any help or steering in the right direction would be much appreciated.

I'm sorry for the vagueness of what it is I am trying to do but I'm sure you understand that I'm trying to keep that a secret until it's ready to be revealed!

[googler]

You want us to help you, but your business is such a closely-guarded secret that you won't give us a hint as to what you want us to help with?

If you're looking to provide a countrywide network of people who would be available to estate agents, offering a photo/measure/floorplan service for a set fee, I think you're idea will be a non-starter.... IMHO

Or is your secret idea based on another business model?

I get the impression that most of the online estate agents rely on their clients to provide photos, measurements etc. Since the primary reason people list their properties on these sites is NOT TO SPEND ANY MONEY, they're unlikely to want to pay you to send your local rep round to do this for them

[Homeseller]

Originally Posted by googler

You want us to help you, but your business is such a closely-guarded secret that you won't give us a hint as to what you want us to help with?

If you're looking to provide a countrywide network of people who would be available to estate agents, offering a photo/measure/floorplan service for a set fee, I think you're idea will be a non-starter.... IMHO

Or is your secret idea based on another business model?

I get the impression that most of the online estate agents rely on their clients to provide photos, measurements etc. Since the primary reason people list their properties on these sites is NOT TO SPEND ANY MONEY, they're unlikely to want to pay you to send your local rep round to do this for them

Trust me. You don't need to know what my business model is or what it is that I am trying to do. I'm not trying to set up as a network, I just want to know if one exists or if, in ALL cases, this is kept in house by estate agents i.e. it is never outsourced. Are you able to help me?

[Homeseller]

Any help then? Anyone? I'd be very grateful. Googler's gone quiet on me!

[googler]

I replied to you less than two days ago. I don't live here, ya know!

[drhouse]

Originally Posted by Homeseller

Trust me. You don't need to know what my business model is or what it is that I am trying to do. I'm not trying to set up as a network, I just want to know if one exists or if, in ALL cases, this is kept in house by estate agents i.e. it is never outsourced. Are you able to help me?

There is no network that I am aware of and I never outsource. Can't see the benefit when we can do it in house.
Oh except once I commissioned a tour cos the client wanted it. Wouldn't choose to do it again though.

[Homeseller]

Originally Posted by drhouse

There is no network that I am aware of and I never outsource. Can't see the benefit when we can do it in house.
Oh except once I commissioned a tour cos the client wanted it. Wouldn't choose to do it again though.

Thanks a lot for replying DrHouse. Much appreciated. Just out of interest, did you have a bad experience with the outsourced tour?

Googler - yes, you responded. Lots of questions about what I'm up to but no help as far as I can see? I've seen your other posts and can see that you are experienced - why no help or advice? I'm just curious.