Strike, a new digital-first estate agent, today announced it will be selling homes for free in the North East, covering the areas of Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and the Borders. On a mission to make moving easy, Strike is the first agent to sell homes via a mobile app and at no cost, offering a full-service from listing to completion.
Using Strike and avoiding estate agent fees could save sellers in the North East around £2,000 in commission, based on the average North East house price of £127,000*. Sellers still receive local expert valuations, photos and floorplan, plus the support of a dedicated team at every step.
Strike is the evolution of Housesimple, one of the UK’s first online agents, which sold £1 billion worth of properties after it became the first agent to sell homes for free in 2019. In the last 12 months alone, the agent has saved sellers in Yorkshire, North West and Nottingham a total of £11.4 million in fees.
The new brand Strike aims to become the biggest estate agent in the Yorkshire, North West, Tyne-Tees and Borders regions this year, and the biggest in the UK within 18 months. Its expansion will see the creation of dozens of jobs in the North East.
Sam Mitchell, chief executive officer at Strike, said: “Strike is here to redefine the way we move. Estate agency hasn’t changed for 200 years, we’ve been overcharged and underwhelmed. It’s time for a change.
“As of today, people will be able to start selling for free in Newcastle. We believe the way Strike blends people and technology to sell homes for free is a truly disruptive proposition that will lead to a better deal for customers.”
The launch of Strike’s digital services comes at a time when demand for online services has never been higher. New research conducted by Strike found that as a result of the pandemic 48% of those looking to sell their homes in the next 6 months in the North East said they are more likely to consider using an online estate agent. Prospective sellers in the region are also more likely to rate a good digital experience (37%) as more important than a high street branch (22%).
Strike’s research also found that 61% of sellers in the North East are now keener to use an agent who sells for free, with 61% saying the choice is a no brainer as they offer the same service.
Sam Mitchell, chief executive officer at Strike, said: “As Housesimple, we set out to shake up the estate agent industry last year, becoming the first estate agent in the UK to sell homes for free.
“Now it’s time to go even further. Estate agents are notoriously inflexible. Strike’s mission is to make moving easy. We offer our customers an intuitive, digital experience that’s safe, hassle-free and puts them in control. We have friendly experts supporting at every step and of course, a jargon-free and straight-talking culture.”
Strike has created a simple, new way to buy and sell through an app and hub. The new service also allows customers to:
- Control the entire process from your phone
- Manage adverts before they go live directly from the app
- Manage adverts, viewings and offers from our new Strike Hub
- Accept, reject and propose new times for viewing requests
- Message buyers or sellers directly once they’ve booked a viewing or made an offer
Rather than charging commission or upfront fees for selling homes, Strike earns referral fees from no-obligation selected services provided to sellers and buyers such as mortgage, conveyancing and insurance advice.
Go on Strike here.