Another EA question...

bylromarha

We're looking to change our EA as coming to the end of our contract and not happy with ours.

We live in a small town sandwiched between a larger town and a city.

The agent we're currently with is located in the small town...and was the only one of the 5 that was at all professional when I went in as a buyer. I've not heard much from any of them as a buyer after registering with them.

The newspaper advert for all the EAs go into the local paper for the large and small town. One of the small town EAs also puts a page in the city housing paper once a fortnight. However, we really don't trust this EA as they lied to us during the valuation they did and refused to use a floorplan, stating them as a gimmick, but happy to use 360 tours

We think that we would like to go with one of the city agents as more exposure to more buyers in the paper and we've had some good updated info from some of them as buyers...we would never have considered living in this town if we hadn't seen an advert in the city paper, and we're thinking that there must be others like us.

We're thinking are we shooting ourselves in the foot by not staying with an agent from the small town? We think they have a limited buyer database compared to the city agents, but it's a select database of people who want to live in the town.

Any advice welcome. Stick with the small or city size it?

Thanks

PS: Sorry I've started so many threads recently, it's just I love to know everyones opinion on these things and you often think of things that OH and I don't!

Doozergirl

It's beneficial to have your property marketed over as wide an area as possible.

You could go dual agency with one town and one city agent. In my area, it's possible to still only pay 1% for dual agency, though they mainly charge 1.25% for dual agency. It could be worth the extra money to you if you hit both areas.

When we sold our home, we used one local agent that advertised in the local paper but asked for adverts in the Birmingham Post and paid extra for those adverts.

It would depend on the value of your home as to which option would work out cheaper for you.

bylromarha

Dual agency was considered, but we always thought that made the vendors look desperate for a sale.

I'm assuming you only pay the EA who finds the buyer? Silly question, but I'm new to this house selling lark!

Jorgan_2

Some people will interpret the fact that you have gone dual agency, as a sign that you are desperate to sell. Tell them that you have gone dual agency to give the best coverage, by being with the local agent & the city agent no one will argue with you. The majority of people, when looking for a property will go to the area they want to live in and speak to the local agents, by not being with a local agent this may affect how quickly the house will sell.

You will need to clarify with the agents concerned as to how they willl accept a dual agency, some will work on a split fee 70-30, the higher fee going to the agent who sells it while others work on a winner takes all principle. Personaly, I work on the winner takes all principle, you will probably find most agents will respond better to this. If they do the job they get the full fee.

bylromarha

Jorgan wrote:

Some people will interpret the fact that you have gone dual agency, as a sign that you are desperate to sell. Tell them that you have gone dual agency to give the best coverage, by being with the local agent & the city agent no one will argue with you. The majority of people, when looking for a property will go to the area they want to live in and speak to the local agents, by not being with a local agent this may affect how quickly the house will sell.

it was not being with the local EAs that concerned us. We rented in the city, then saw this house in the city paper, which made us mosy over and buy. Especially as it's only a 5 minute drive from where we were looking anyway. We would never have considered moving to this town had it not been for the ad in the city paper.

And love the spin on the dual agency! It's all true, but makes it sound so positive as pro active vendors!