While perhaps not one of the longest-running consumer advice sites out there, Property Road still has plenty to offer.
From guides to help homeowners buy and sell property through to advice aimed at property investors, there’s a wealth of top quality information available on the site.
In fact, the content is so good it has been cited as sources in articles on major new sites such as Forbes and Express.co.uk. That means the site is quickly building a reputation as one of the most authoritative blogs on all things related to property.
What They Offer:
At the time of conducting our Property Road review we found their blog consisted of the following:
- 100’s of articles giving top advice on matters related to properties
- Independent reviews of estate agents, investment platforms, insurance plans, and more
- A quick quiz to help you find the best online agent for your needs
- A range of tools to find and compare local surveyors, solicitors, and removal firms
- Downloadable guides that talk you through the entire buying & selling process
It is quite impressive just how much content is available on the site. Much of it is designed to help guide you through selling a property, with a particular focus on using online estate agents. In fact, the site could be said to be mostly pro-online agents and often writes about the benefits of using them over traditional agents.
That said, a growing amount of content appears to recognise the importance of traditional high street agents too so they are now well catered for.
Investors can also delve into the many articles written to advise landlords and those looking to make a quick income from property. There are also guides and tips on home improvements too.
Essentially the site caters for most people in the property market and while some content may spark debate and controversy, the majority is well-informed and highly useful information.
How It Works
As an online blog its probably not too difficult to see how the Property Road site works. You simply go to the site and navigate either via the categories along the top or the various options down the right hand side (desktop) or bottom (mobile).
There is also a handy search function that helps you find content that will cover any specific topics you have in mind.
Should you want more information, several of the articles include the offer of a downloadable guide at the end. This essentially puts you onto their email list where, in addition to the guide, you’ll get a 7-day crash course on buying or selling property followed by monthly updates via email. This is all free of charge.
If you’re in the market for a particular service, the website has several reviews written by their team. These cover estate agents, letting agents, property investment platforms, and more. Plus, there are a number of tools to help you find and compare local services you’ll need when moving house such as surveyors or removal firms.
It should be noted that several of these tools are provided by third parties, though they do clearly state that in advance of using the tools.
Advantages of Property Road
Here are just some of the key advantages we’ve discovered about Property Road.
Informative Advice
Whether you’re concerned about how Brexit will affect property prices or need to understand the concept of Gazumping, Property Road has advice and guidance to help you.
The articles are divided into categories; buying, selling, investment, home improvement, and a general news section. This means that you don’t need to scroll through hundreds of articles to find the ones of use to you.
Independent Estate Agency Reviews
For many of us, a house is our largest asset, so it can be daunting to choose an estate agent to try and get you the best price. Property Road provides independent reviews of most of the online estate agencies to help you to compare them with your local high street agent.
The reviews highlight the pros and cons of each service, before delving into the services, fees, and adverts for each company.
Disadvantages of Property Road
As with any platform, there are some potential disadvantages to Property Road.
Only Provides a Starting Point
Although Property Road does provide a fantastic resource, it is only a starting point for your research. You will still need to create a shortlist of online estate agencies and conduct further research before you make a final decision.
Gets Paid Through Affiliate Commission
Property Road is quite transparent about the fact that it makes its money through affiliate commission. Since it is a free platform, the company does earn a commission through the services linked to the site. While this has become more commonplace online, some people may view this as a negative.
The History
Property Road is one of the leading independent websites for the property market in the UK. It has the aim of educating consumers on all aspects of property ownership and investment.
The company was established in 2017. The founder and operator, Paul James, is a marketing expert who has a passion for property.
Paul is not only a property investor but has worked in some of the leading estate agencies’ marketing departments.
When Paul put his own house up for sale, he found there was a lack of reliable information on the internet. Most websites seemed to prioritise their own products and services rather than providing consumer advice. Paul created the Property Road platform to help consumers be better educated for the changing way people are buying and selling properties.
Today, the Property Road team consists of a number of property experts. With its base in the East Midlands, Paul now has contributors including property investors, former estate agents and other property pros working on the platform. Each contributor has a focus on protecting consumer interests. So, the reviews, articles, and advice on the site aim to educate without a hidden agenda.
A Closer Look
Property Road has a comprehensive website that provides a great resource for anyone interested in buying, selling, or investing in property.
Online Estate Agent Reviews
The first section of the Property Road website is the online estate agency reviews. This not only provides a rating system for each agency, but there are also detailed reviews. As we touched on above, this provides an excellent start to research which company offers the best service for you.
However, unlike many review sites, Property Road highlights the good and bad aspects of each service. In addition to the positives and negatives, there is an at a glance section, so you can assess whether this company offers the services you’re looking for. There is also a more in-depth look at the services, fees, and additional services.
This makes it easier to compare service providers and make an informed decision about which one is best for you.
Buying, Selling and Investment Advice
Property Road also provides a wealth of advice and articles covering all aspects of buying, selling, and investing in property. This can help newbies to learn about important terminology and other aspects of the segment, they may feel too embarrassed to ask their solicitor or estate agent about.
This includes tips and tricks for staging your home, understanding what fees apply to your house sale or what your solicitor will charge when you buy a property.
There are even informative articles about property sales when in probate.
There is also an abundance of resources for those considering investing in property. There are book recommendations, checklists, and guides about different insurance coverage for landlords. This effectively makes Property Road a one stop shop for any consumer with an interest in property.
Home Improvement Tips
Of course, the homeowner’s journey does not finish when you complete the sale on your property, and Property Road offers a variety of home improvement tips. There is guidance from basic issues such as choosing wallpaper and paint through to pro tips to get a great looking lawn.
This is a great tool, particularly for first time buyers who may be wondering where to start on making their new house a home.
UK Property News
The property sector can be fast moving, and sorting through the news that applies to the UK can be a challenge. Property Road collates the latest property news into easy to understand articles, so you can keep track of the latest developments.
With the current challenges in the economy, this is a handy resource, so you can get an expert take on how what is going on in the world will impact the property market.
Links to Service Providers
Property Road also provides links to service providers in the industry. Whether you’re considering listing a property and need an estate agent or you’re about to close and need conveyancing services, Property Road can help you to find a reputable provider.
There is even a section to obtain quotes for moving services in your area.
This makes it easier to find industry professionals without needing to spend hours trawling through search engine results or resorting to leafing through the phone book.
How Do They Use PropTech?
While not specifically PropTech, the site does use technology by virtue of the fact they are available as an online blog at all times. Plus, the tools and quizzes they use to help match you up to the right product or service could certainly be classed as a form of PropTech.
Property Road Reviews
Like many consumer advice websites that do not offer their own product or services, Property Road doesn’t have that many user reviews to go by. However, as a completely free service you’re free to explore their offering without risk which means reviews take on less of an importance.
