New UK app helps agents gauge interest in pre-sale properties

There's a new app that looks to allow agents to see how much interest a property will garner before it hits the market.

This would allow agents, or individuals who could use the app to sell their homes privately, to test the market and create a list of possible buyers, thus saving time in the transaction when the home is formally put on sale.

The Houso app is the brainchild of Ben Johnston, a residential developer for the past 13 years. The idea for the app has come about as a result of Johnston’s personal experience selling his properties through agents on the open market.

Johnston says that despite his app being available to individuals it is not intended to disrupt the work of High Street estate agents, who he wants to work with to develop and extend the product. He says he will not work with online agents as they are often the root cause of delays in transactions whereas his product is aimed at speeding up the process.

“We work a lot with downsizers and second steppers and I believe that the current route to market for both of these demographics is flawed. Both normally need to sell their home before they can move, and the majority will undertake viewings on homes before their own homes are even listed.”

— Ben Johnston 

He says that uncertainties over Brexit, the General Election and the future of stamp duty have combined to mean that millions of people may be interested in moving home, but are not satisfied with the current stock available on the portals. 

Therefore Houso allows buyers to see homes not formally for sale, but which may come on in the future, and whose owners can testing the market though exposure via the app.

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