Can I Sell My House On Gumtree Or eBay

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Yes, selling your house (without a realtor) on e-commerce sites like Gumtree or eBay is possible. Interestingly, more UK homeowners and landlords are discovering new ways to sell their properties online.  

Listing your house for sale on many listing services is an excellent strategy to boost exposure.

The steps to list and sell a house online could appear daunting. But it’s relatively easy to do and could yield brilliant results! 

Discover everything you need to know about how you can sell your house on eBay or Gumtree.

Benefits Of Selling Your House Without An Estate Agent

If you’re considering selling your house privately, you should know the benefits of doing so. 

You should also research how to sell a house-by-owner to cover your basis before proceeding, enabling you to make an informed decision. 

Some of the benefits of selling your house without an estate agent include:

Pricing and Marketing Control

Selling your home by yourself allows you to determine your preferred price and make marketing decisions. 

An estate agent may suggest a conflicting price that may make it difficult to find a buyer, especially in cases where you need to sell fast. 

You could spend far less money on marketing than hiring a realtor. Additionally, you can directly engage with potential buyers and negotiate a fair deal.

Zero Estate Agent Commissions

The estate commission in the UK is 1%—3.5% of the selling price, depending on your location. 

So, if your property is worth £500,000, you will be paying £5,000 to £17,500 in commissions.

Selling your house by yourself can save you that huge estate cost, which you could use as a down payment on a new property.

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Complete Knowledge Of Your House

An agent will be unable to provide buyers with specific details about your house since it’s not theirs or they’ve not lived there as long as you have. 

As a landlord or homeowner, you have an emotional connection to your house and know the exact words to say to buyers to pique their interest. 

You will undoubtedly capture buyers’ attention and kindle their interest in buying the property when you establish connections with them through compelling tales and intricate details of your house.

How To Create An eBay Listing 

Surprisingly, you list your house on eBay the same way you would any other item on the site. 

This process saves you huge amounts of pounds in estate fees and commissions. But remember, you need to pay eBay charges and put in the marketing shift.

To start, create an eBay account, then follow these simple steps below:

  1. Log in to your eBay account.
  2. Click “Sell.”
  3. Type keywords related to your “item,” in this case, your house.
  4. Since it’s difficult to find similar “items” for a house, select “Create a new listing” rather than searching for a similar item on eBay.
  5. Add as many details to your listing as possible ⸺ including location, pictures, and choose your listing type.
  6. Click “Publish” to go live.

Check your listing regularly, update as required, and respond to prospective buyers.

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Costs Of Selling On eBay

When listing your house on eBay, you will need to pay a £35 insertion fee (this is a one-off listing fee).

Furthermore, most eBay vendors actively use PayPal to complete transactions. Though not an eBay fee, it’s a significant cost to note. PayPal charges a fixed fee (£0.20) + a 3.4% on all your transactions.

So, if the house listing value is  £400,000 and someone buys it, PayPal takes  £13,600.20, while the homeowner or landlord takes home  £386,399.80.

Additionally, you can pay to boost your listing’s performance on eBay. For example, you can upgrade your listing to a “buy it now” status. You can also sponsor your listing or add a bold title or extra pictures.

The goodness is that these services are only billable when your house sells.

How To Create A Gumtree Listing

Gumtree requires sellers to have an account on the site before listing any item. Visit the Gumtree homepage and click on “Register” (top-right corner) to create an account.

Enter the required personal details (name, password, and email address). You can also create a Gumtree account with either a Google or Facebook account.

Check the submitted email for an activation link from Gumtree. Once you activate your account, follow these simple steps to list your house:

  1. First, log in to your Gumtree account.
  2. Next, click “Post an ad” and enter an ad title.
  3. Provide details of your property (location, price, description, quality photos, etc.).
  4. Provide your contact details.
  5. Choose your preferred ad plan, whether free or paid options (plus, featured, or premium ad).
  6. Click “Post ad.”

Costs Of Selling On Gumtree

Property ad on Gumtree is free. But, you might need to consider some promotional features (extra charges) to boost your house’s chances of being sold.

You can subscribe to “featured ad” for Gumtree to show your ad on result pages. The pricing for this feature depends on your preferred duration for the promotion.

Gumtree’s “Spotlight Feature” is a unique package that places your ad on Gumtree’s homepage. Also, the “urgent label” increases your chances of making a sale.

Remember, property ads on Gumtree are live for 60 days. If you’re yet to sell your house after this period, your ad will become inactive. A “bump” refreshes your ad and keeps it active for another 60 days. 

5 Tips To Help Get Your House Sold Quicker On Gumtree Or eBay

  1. Post Crisp, High-Quality Photos

Your ad or listing photos attract home shoppers on Gumtree and eBay. Buyers often compare pictures of one listing/ad with that of another. Most times, they buy the ad/listing with better photos.

Your listing photos should be clean, clear, and accurate to increase your chances of making a sale. Additionally, post many pictures of your house (front, back, sides and interiors).

  1. Craft Compelling Headlines And Be Overly Descriptive

Gumtree and eBay provide ample room for your property’s description. Grab the chance to tell buyers about your property ⸺ what they are getting, how it looks, its status, and more. Use simple words and phrases to appeal to different types of buyers. 

Also, use keywords naturally throughout the text. Keywords enable your listing to pop up when various people search for a house using different search terms. 

  1. Stay Upbeat and Friendly

Ensure that your ad and profile are as friendly and approachable as possible. Seize the opportunity of an “About Me” section to make yourself look genuine and prove that you care about the buyer’s experience.

Remember, buyers connect more with a story, so make your ad personal. 

  1. Be Responsive

Potential buyers want quick responses to their questions. So, prompt answers to inquiries will increase your odds of getting your house off your hand.

  1. Consider How Your Listing Looks On The App

A lot of people access the internet from their phones. Therefore, you should optimize your listing’s appearance for Gumtree or eBay app versions. Mobile optimizations can help you sell your house quicker.

Ensure your ad looks crisp and easy to read. If it doesn’t look right or has lengthy text, edit it. You want buyers to review your listing without overwhelming them.

Selling Your House on Gumtree or eBay ⸺ Pros and Cons

Pros

  • You might save money since there’s no estate agent or commissions.
  • You could find a buyer quicker if you pay for extra promotion support.
  • Control over your house sale.
  • Both sites have a massive reach, with millions of monthly visitors.
  • You have the option to set a fixed price or set up an auction.

Cons

  • You may need supplementary advertising support to sell your house.
  • Ads have specific durations and need extra cost to reactivate.
  • You will shoulder all the marketing work (writing the description, setting the asking price, taking photos, etc.).

What Is Easier, Safer, And Fastest?

Do you want a cost-effective option to sell your house faster? Consider selling to a professional house-buyer firm that will buy your property.  

Unlike Gumtree or eBay, a  professional house-buyer firm is a guaranteed buyer and may complete the transaction within seven days. Furthermore, you can sell your house to them at no extra charge.

What’s Next?

Update your knowledge on your local estate laws, regulations, and requirements. They will allow list and sell your house on Gumtree or eBay without any legal situation.

Finally, it is up to you to determine if selling your house on Gumtree or eBay is a smart move. Gumtree and eBay can be effective tools, depending on your market and objectives. 

Now that you’re aware that you can sell your house on Gumtree or eBay, nothing should stand in your way of getting the homebuyer you want.

About Richard Mews

Richard has 31+ years of property experience, has been Chairman of several regeneration committees and has helped more than 600 homeowners and landlords get easy, stress-free personal solutions for selling their property. Richard’s goal is to give you unbiased help to receive a quick house sale, even if that means not working with him.

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