Our prospective vendors are moving agents

rio

Our prospective vendors are moving agents, they are currently with the same ones as us, but are now switching to a different one. Apparently they have had lots of people to look, but most people (including us) think that their house is overpriced. We are yet to sell, but we have already put in an opening offer which has been turned down, so they know we are interested in their property. We had heard that they were thinking of changing EA from friends of ours who live round the corner and are well up on the local gossip! What should we expect to happen now? Will our EA push our property because we are the only people he has shown round who have expressed an interest in the other one, and are therefore the only way he can gain commission? Also, do we need to liase with the new agents, or do we just ignore them?, and are they likely to push the property knowing that another EA's clients are already interested? I understand that if we wish to view or offer on the property again we have to use their original EA - but how does this work in practise?

Lots of questions I'm afraid!

silvercar

The current agents will be entitled to commission if you purchase, so your only agency contract should be through them. Itis up to the vendors to sort out the new agent, ideally they should inform him from the outset that they have had one (rejected?) offer from you so that the new agent will be under no illusion that he can claim commission from your purchase if it materialises.

Of course the old agent will now push the vendors to accept your offer; that's fine. The new agent will be working to get higher offers - let him try!

In practice most agents speak to each other and understand that a chain can involve a few of them and do co-operate, even if grudgingly.