An Ostrich property in Lonsdale Square
(Picture: Jonathan Bond)London is full of homeowners who know they would like to sell, but have no real pressure to move and so can wait for the right buyer.
Now, one start-up is hoping to oil the wheels of this process by matching Londoners toying with selling with buyers who like the look of their home, without having to involve an estate agent until much further into the process, if at all.
Ostrich launched in September, aiming to capitalise on a surge in homes being sold off-market. Would-be sellers list their homes on the portal for free, with photography sorted by Ostrich. The listing can then be viewed by potential buyers who have registered on the site.
They can join a waiting list for any homes they are interested in and will be tipped off when the property actually comes up for sale. Very keen buyers can submit an offer on the spot.
“Very few people are in their forever home but 98 per cent of properties are not on the market,” said co-founder Duncan Jennings. “What if you could create a permanent listing for your home, but without the hassle and commitment that comes with the portals?”
For buyers, he said, it’s a far more efficient version of posting a hopeful note through the letterbox of a much-admired home.
“There’s so much serendipity in the property market. A seller is trying to find the perfect buyer relatively quickly to get a good price, while the buyer is seeing a tiny fraction of the homes in their desired area.”
Currently 60 homes in Islington are listed, ranging from studios to £3.5 million townhouses. Mr Jennings hopes to expand probably to Hackney and Camden, followed by a full London roll-out.
There are just over 3,000 registered browsers.
Rob Berrisford listed the home he shares with his wife and two children after a referral in a local WhatsApp group. He said: “We’ve always had this vague idea that we’d leave London once the kids were a little older. But once it’s on Rightmove, you’ve broadcasted it to the world.”
So far the family have had one offer, which they declined, but say there is a number that would convince them to expedite the move.
Mr Jennings said he expects the first Ostrich deal to be made soon.
