Property News NI: 'atatouch.com' estate agents
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New kid on the block 'atatouch.com' boasts on its website to have a 'unique menu-based pricing structure', it's Ads state that it's in partnership with the Ulster Bank and the claim is, that it will save you thousands, so let's have a look!

The 'atatouch' site is reported in the Belfast Telegraph as costing almost £1m and one must assume that all of the cost involved is for the development/maintenance of processes available to subscribed users once logged in, for prior to login their appears to be little to instill confidence.

'Atatouch' is the brainchild of Northern Ireland estate agent Eric Cairns, who ran Holywood based estate agents Eric Cairns prior to it merging with BTW Shiells, to create a residential division called BTW Cairns and perhaps this in itself is a point for uneasiness. For this new business venture seems to fly in the face of the old, so should we rely on experienced property professionals such as those from BTW Cairns or are we all qualified enough to go it alone?

The 'atatouch' chairman, also indicated in a News Letter article that he was delighted by the backing of the Ulster Bank, further indicating that this was the first time that he was aware of, where the bank were allowing him to use the phrase 'in partnership with' and indicated "that’s unheard of". Rather than instilling confidence in me, this concerned me. The property selling and property buying process is complicated enough without worrying about whether your current bank, or possibly a bank you are considering approaching for a mortgage has a 'partnership' with the property company marketing or selling your home, I'd want to know the exact details of that partnership, before proceeding. According to the Belfast Telegraph report, 'the new company is 'backed by Ulster Bank' and local technology firms gem and Kainos, along with private equity investors.'

In a city, like Belfast where you are able to sell your property for a flat fee of £500 upwards and you have deals such as no sell no fee, does the claim that this site will save you thousands stand up. Of course, it would appear that the claim is qualified and the comparison is made against agents who charge a percentage fee.