Over the past few months, estate agents have seen a major increase in the sales and marketing activity from HIP providers. Almost every week sees a new company enter the sector and the market leading provider The Live Organisation welcomes the competition.

Tim Price , Sales & Marketing Director of The Live Organisation explains, “This type of regulation always attracts new companies to a market sector. Extra choice for the estate agent can only be a good thing. The difficulty is how the estate agent can make that choice – especially when their own experience of what is required has been limited.

In terms of choosing suppliers it is always important to check that the fit with your agency is right – even if you are a member of a network and that network recommends a supplier – you should still check that the relationship will work for your company in the long term”.

The Live Organisation has suggested that some simple questions can give any estate agent a clear understanding of a HIP supplier and their proposition.

How easily can you order your HIPs?

Ask your software provider if they are working on integration with HIP providers and if they are not, ask them why not. Live can deliver this now.

Live has partnered with Visual Files, a market leader in document processing technology and have invested over £1.2 million into this IT infrastructure need to provide a slick system for ordering and administering your HIPs. We are working with the leading estate agency software vendors on integration with these agent systems to enable a really slick and simple way of ordering a HIP at the press of a button. Single Data entry will enable the agent to focus on selling properties and not spend time hopping from system to system.

How are your HIPs going to be delivered and then passed on?

When it comes to delivery this can be done ranging from paper (professionally printed HIPs will be provided as standard as part of the Live proposition)to the internet, CD or more innovative systems like Live’s own HIP stick.

You will know your customer base better than any HIP provider so it is important the provider has the right solution to fit your market. Consider the best way for you to hold the information, a combination of all of the above might be advisable so that you can satisfy all clients. Any reputable HIP provider, such as Live, should be able to provide you with these distribution solutions including a web ordering system, online tracking and HIP progress text messaging.

How much is a HIP going to cost?

Pricing will start to be announced later this year as the Live pilot schemes are assessed. It is just as important to consider the payment options on offer and decide if some of the industry ‘hype’ can be delivered.

Does your HIP provider have any white label experience?

Live is the largest white label provider of conveyancing in the UK property market and we can tailor our service to support an agency’s branding structure using our experience of

10 years in white labeling estate agency services.

Does your HIP provider have sufficient resources?

Part of the First Title organisation, The Live Organisation is the UK’s leading provider of residential conveyancing and has the largest call centre operation in the market. The Live Organisation has already invested in two HIP specific operational centres in Bromley and Leeds, providing 700 staff in the UK dedicated to the HIP production facility.

What resources will your HIP provider apply to the production process?

Live will be providing dedicated manpower to chase information , this process needs to happen within defined timescales as your competitive edge will rely on your ability to put properties on the market quickly.

Is your HIP provider prepared to agree to a service level guarantee?

HIP providers ought to be quite comfortable guaranteeing service. Live by capping its HIP production to 350,000 is able to make guarantees on time, process and accuracy.

Is your HIP provider giving expert help to you and/or your clients?

Once buyers receive a pack, they are likely to ask more questions then they ever did before. Live will be providing help lines, manned by suitably, qualified and experienced people that can answer your clients’ questions, explain the contents of a Pack, both generally and in detail.

Training will also be provided for your staff to ensure they fully understand the processes and how to use your proposition to gain competitive advantages.

Will your HIP provider be able to source sufficient Home Inspectors? Is this resource expandable? Will they be able to cope with peaks of demand and still deliver on time?

Live’s partnership with e.surv, the UK’s largest provider and distributor of residential valuation instructions, will ensure that Live has control of the home inspection element of the HIP by having direct access to a pool of employed home inspectors. The Live Organisation also understands the need for flexibility and enables agents to utilise their own Home Inspector or a recommended Home Inspector business with whom they have an existing relationship.

Who owns the HIP?

There is a distinction between the different models being offered. If your HIP provider owns the pack, or you do (funded or pre-paid), then it's possible for you to have more control of your client and the ability to offer a more packaged service. If the client has instructed the pack by signing a credit style agreement, then they can change the agent outside agency terms more freely and take the pack with them, subject to the current 28 day ruling.

Can you be part of a pilot scheme?

Live is currently operating a full HIP pilot scheme across the UK and any independent agent wishing to test out the Live HIP service is welcome to join.

Anyone who is not willing to offer you a HIP pilot now and be measured should raise your suspicions. Pilots no matter how small will teach the agent valuable lessons. Doing nothing then pressing the button on June 1 st 2007 is not advisable!

“By asking these questions of any HIP provider will allow estate agents to ensure that they will choose a provider who can deliver when HIP production starts and who will still be delivering the same levels of service in the years that follow” adds Tim Price.

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