Estate Agent - need to vent!

Cockney

Just had a voicemail from the EA confirming the appointment of our full building survey on monday and asking me to give him a call.

So I called him and he tried to convince me NOT to do a full survey on the property - I asked him why and he said "you wouldn't believe the people that back out of sales after a full building survey" :mad: - he was generalising there as he hasn't even seen the house in question.

The house is over 100 years old and there is clearly some work that needs doing (which was reflected in the price and we have budgeted for) so a full survey was clearly the only option.

It staggers me that he could be so unprofessional by blatantly asking us to take a massive risk so that he can get his commision.

Vent over.

QTPie

Ignore him...

I am sure that a lot of full surveys DO throw up a lot of things (some more serious than others) and maybe a number of properties, that have full surveys DO fall through. BUT I doubt the decision to withdraw an offer following a full survey is taken lightly: bare in mind that a full survey is not cheap and shows SERIOUS commitment from a buyer... yes there may well be points of contention brought up by the survey that will then be used to negotiate down the price a bit, but that is life.

Think that you are very sensible to get a full survey.

QT

Robert_Sterling_3

Remember that the E.A. is trying to get the highest price for his client.

Cockney

Robert_Sterling wrote: »

Remember that the E.A. is trying to get the highest price for his client.

But surely advising me to do something which is clearly not in my best interests is little more than immoral?

ILW

Cockney wrote: »

But surely advising me to do something which is clearly not in my best interests is little more than immoral?

He is working for his client, not you.

Zelie

Cockney wrote: »

But surely advising me to do something which is clearly not in my best interests is little more than immoral?

Ask him if his company is willing to provide a written guarantee stating that they will pay for any defects with the property which can be shown to be in existance at the time of purchase. Don't be surprised if he suddenly has a pressing appointment and hangs up.

Robert_Sterling_3

If the estate agent urged you to pay a higher price for the house it would not be in your interest.

You do what is in your interest.

Cat695

As a FTB I have come to learn from meeting them and from various forums that you should very rarely believe what comes out of a EA mouth.

And anything that they do say you should do the complete opposite.....your story tells me that a full survey has been done before on this property and the EA knows whats wrong with it, and knows that its going to make you think twice about buying it.

Robert_Sterling_3

Cat695 wrote: »

And anything that they do say you should do the complete opposite.

So if you were to become an E.A. you would be telling buyers to have an expensive full survey done so that they would not do so.

chickmug

The fact of the matter, from the EA's perspective (that used to be me), is that full structural surveys are very very bad news. They always throw up issues even if the house is only a few years old. One local surveying, firm near to where I used to work, made a big play of the fact that the cost of paying them, for a full structural survey, could be recouped, with ease, with re-negotiating a lower price based on what the survey was to say.

So from the EA's point of view their client IS the seller and as such will do whatever they can to ensure a smooth ride for the seller - which is to discourage a structural survey.

chickmug

Cat695 wrote: »

As a FTB I have come to learn from meeting them and from various forums that you should very rarely believe what comes out of a EA mouth.

Believe me the same applies to what comes out the mouths of many of the sellers and buyers I used to deal with. The human being is capable of lies and deceipt whatever their job.