A quick guide to Ostrich
Ostrich connects buyers who can't find the right property on the open market
with owners who are considering selling in the next few years.
To see how this works, meet our buyer, Laura, and our homeowners, Cecile and Jerome.
Laura signs up to Ostrich
Laura signs up to Ostrich
After saving a deposit, Laura’s ready to buy her first home. She’s been looking for six months and, despite viewing 23 properties, hasn’t found her perfect property. After hearing about Ostrich, Laura signs up and sets her preferences to let Ostrich know what she’s looking for.
Cecile and Jerome list their home on Ostrich
Cecile and Jerome list their home on Ostrich
Cecile and Jerome bought their two-bedroom flat in Canonbury a few years ago. They love it, but they know they’ll need more space at some point in the next few years.
They aren’t in a rush and don’t want to deal with endless viewings. So they decide to list their home privately on Ostrich.
The Ostrich team takes photographs, prepares a floor plan and gives guidance on valuation. Within a week, Cecile and Jerome receive a beautiful listing that captures everything that makes their home special.
Laura makes an offer
Laura makes an offer
Laura gets an alert when Cecile and Jerome’s property goes live on Ostrich. It’s exactly what she’s looking for, so she makes a viewing request with an indicative offer to let them know she's serious.
Cecile and Jerome are interested
Cecile and Jerome are interested
Cecile and Jerome have received a few viewing requests through Ostrich, but nothing that’ll persuade them to sell and move now — so they politely decline. That’s until Laura’s offer comes through.
As well as being a tempting number, they like that Laura’s message mentions specific details she loves about the flat. Cecile and Jerome decide they want to invite Laura to view the property. They set their availability in the Ostrich system and Laura books a date and time that works for her.
Laura views the property and makes a formal offer
Laura views the property and makes a formal offer
Cecile shows Laura around the property and answers her questions. Somehow, it’s even better than it was in the photos!
Ostrich speaks to Laura after her viewing to gather feedback and she decides to submit a formal offer.
Cecile and Jerome accept
Cecile and Jerome accept
After taking a few days to think about Laura’s offer, Cecile and Jerome decide to accept. They’ve always wanted a fixer-upper project, and have seen a couple of interesting properties on the market.
Ostrich issues a Memorandum of Sale that sets out a summary of the terms and connects both parties' solicitors.
Ostrich keeps things moving
Ostrich keeps things moving
It often takes longer to buy a house than people think, but Ostrich ensures the sale goes smoothly. The Ostrich team keeps Laura, Cecile and Jerome informed throughout the four-month completion process, with a dedicated point of contact available to answer any questions, anytime.
Laura moves in, Cecile and Jerome move forward
20 weeks after Laura made her indicative offer, she gets the keys and moves into her dream home. Now she just needs her new sofa to arrive!
Cecile and Jerome have the bigger home they need and get to spend the next few months renovating it.
