Valuation Appointments

geoffky

If i was you i would email them back and tell them you want another 5k on the price because you have just added a vase of twigs and you can smell coffee in the kitchen....but not in the real world...

LydiaJ

Do you know anyone who's bought in the area within the last few years? If so, ask them what they made of the various agents. I've recently bought after more than a year of house-hunting, and there was a huge difference in the service I got from the agents. Some of them worked really hard to keep in touch with me, tell me (as an individual) of every suitable property that came on their books as soon as they got it, keep talking to me to find out exactly what I was looking for, and so on. Others were completely useless. One that sticks in my mind as particularly irritating was a countrywide one. Having asked me in exhaustive detail about what I was looking for, they then merely emailed me once a month with an enormous list of all their properties over a wide area, with no regard for my requirements at all. After my experiences as a buyer, I know exactly who I would want marketing my house if I were selling it, so see if you can find someone to give you that kind of perspective on the EAs in your area.

lilab_2

Look in the T's&C's for the wording regarding terminating the contract. Even if you agree a certain period of weeks for them to sell ie 12 weeks, there may well be a clause that says you have to give 2 weeks written notice even after the 12 weeks is up. So you would need to put in writing to them at 10 weeks that you won't wan them to continue after 12 if it hasn't sold. (Of course you might be happy with them to continue after 12, but if you've not had good service and want to cancel then check this clause). Also if you do want to change, hand deliver two copies of the letter and get them to sign for receipt on both copies so that they can't say they didn't receive it.

dnwilliams

Are there no independent agents in your area? I would use a good local independent and member of the NAEA, agree a short tie in of about 6 to 8 weeks and negotiate a fee around 1.25 to 1.5%. The reason mann & Co are vague about their T & C's is because they are much higher than most other agents and if they reveal them to potential sellers, know one would use them.