Estate Agents causing me no end of stress.

PJD

Conrad wrote:

We can all pat each other on the back here and be freinds or we can be honest?

You say youve 'sacked' a couple of EAs (so wasted thier time and money which includes salaries cars etc) and now you have an EA that has a buyer but still youre not happy.

I run my own biz and we have a word for people like you - Time Vampires.

Why dont you go sell it yourself as you seem to have all the answers.

Oh and BTW, do you mind if I come to your work and waste a few of your hours, not pay you then 'sack you'?

One minute I read 'EAs are greedy they just want to ramp up the price of houses to maximise commision' the next I read 'they just want you to accept the lowest offer so they get thier commision'??

You sound like a typical estate agent, you just hear (or read) what you want to hear (read!). I never at any time said they tried to ramp up the price to get themselves more commission. Try reading (& understanding) my post again before you comment.

I sacked the first one because he done sweet sod all. Took a few crappy photos, two of which I re-took myself on my bog-standard digi camera, & they used them instead. I had 2 viewings from inapproprate buyers in NINE WEEKs.

How does that make me a "time vampire"? Should I have carried on with these idiots? Wasn't 9 weeks enough?

Second estate agents were hugely unprofessional, made silly schoolboy mistakes all over the shop, NEVER rang me back when they said they would. NEVER gave me any feedback. Showed people around my property like amateurs. Tried to get me to sign a form saying i'll use their solicitors even though I had no intention of doing so - the agent told me that she would get commission & I can then just say that I dont want to use them later on (after signing a legal document!!?!).


What motive have I for being a "time vampire"? I just want to sell my propery my friend, & i'll happily pay 1.5% commision to whoever does. Moving home is stressful enough, without having to deal with estate agent scum.

PJD

Doozergirl wrote:

PJD, I understand your feelings exactly. It makes my blood boil. Generally, I know the estate agents well enough that they know better then to try it on with me, but it does still happen. I suggest you have a strong word with the sales manager. As far as I'm concerned, battering down your confidence and/or trying to make you feel stupid for not taking the deal is a true sign of a poor salesman.

If it does happen again, remind the agent that the asking price was their valuation of the property and that you're paying them to get you the best price. Ask them to use the sales pressure on your buyers instead! If you have an offer, take it quickly and tell the agent you will consider it and call them back. Don't give them the opportunity to cloud your judgement.

Hi Doozergirl,

well, i've made this estate agent eat his words, - as I say, he told me on Saturday that i'll regret not taking that offer, yesterday, I get another offer from another vendor, £4,500 higher. Just goes to show that EA's will say absolutely ANYTHING to get their greasy little hands on a little bit of commission.

I've accepted the offer, but i'm not counting my chickens yet though, as i've been burnt before.

hollydays

I have to say your original post is par for the course.I guess they have a living to make too.I have no complaints about my EA but we have to make sure we get honest feedback,and I always remember we both want the same thing-to make loads of money and get my house sold asap-however this means different things to each of us.

courtjester

Conrad wrote:

You say youve 'sacked' a couple of EAs (so wasted thier time and money which includes salaries cars etc) ...

Have to say this is hardly down to PJD - the contract offering no sale no fee is designed by the estate agents who impose this basis of payment. Personally I think agents should go over to time based charging as the commission system is one of the biggest causes of complaint and bad practice as it relies essentially on agents professionalism which many simply are unable to embrace.

It is up to the agent to decide how he/she wishes to be paid and if they go for no sale no fee, they can hardly complain about time wasted if they don't get the sale - it's their choice.

Homeowners who sell via an agent and pay the commission are effectively paying for all the time that the agent spends on marketing homes they don't sell, so are already subsidising the agents unproductive time.

I think I would prefer to pay an agent for the work he/she does only on my property rather than for loads of other clients.

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PJD

courtjester wrote:

PJD - why not consider selling the property using your own initiative and advertising - providing you choose carefully, you can take out advertising with a professional property website or your local newspaper and deal with buyers direct and this doesn't affect your sole agency contract.

Get your own for sale sign in place of the agent's one. That will get their attention and maybe they'll start working a bit harder to achieve the sale YOU want on YOUR terms.

If you sell privately, you won't owe the agent anything as long as you haven't signed a sole selling rights contract.

Courtjester - it's a great idea, & one which i'm sure I will follow through next time. The reason I went with EAs this time was because of the nature of my property, - there's a reasonably narrow market tbh. What can I say, I was a first time buyer...

I believe, & hope, that with the powers of the internet, EAs will become a thing of the past in a few short years to come....