What is your most scandalous Estate Agent experience?

Davesnave

Aidan010 wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]I never had any such horrible experience as I always deal in property with the help of a real estate agent. A real estate service provider helps a person to get the best deals on property purchase and he always ensure that it is not a scandal. So, always opt for a real estate service provider to help you out with the property dealings.[/FONT]

I smell a vested interest.

Tippytoes

Moved house several times. Dealt with EAs several times. Consider them all to be the scum of the earth.

Was trying to sell my house, having found my forward property. I got fed up with viewers coming round, "loving the house", but were either not sold themselves, or not even on the market. So, I instructed my EA to supply viewers who were in a position to proceed straight away.

Not trusting them one inch, I got my DS to ring the EA as a potential buyer wanting to view. Son instructed to say that he was not on the market yet and had yet to find out about mortgage. Excited EA rings me to arrange a viewing. I ask if the "viewer" is sold and if they have a mortgage arranged (a couple of previous viewers loved the house, but couldn't get a mortgage). Yes, yes, yes....this viewer was just perfect.

I put the phone down and walked to the EA office. Luckily, it was a Saturday and the office was heaving. I swear that guy wet his pants by the time I finished with him.

Like I said...scum.

DaisyDaisy82

A good friend of mine is currently selling and buying. They found a property they liked priced at £195k. The absolute most they could offer was £180k which they duly told the EA and this was put forward to the seller.

Two days later the EA rings back congratulating my friend their offer of £185k had been accepted. Friend says we didnt offer that we can't afford anymore than £180k we told you that. EA's reply well I suppose we'll have to find you another property!

Ten days later EA phones and says vendors will accept £180k reluctantly.

On speaking to the vendors they tell my friend not to worry. The EA made the same 'mistake' the last time they had an offer. They just didnt accept the reduced offer from the previous buyer.

Caveat_Mortgagor

Every day I see run down hovels in average areas being advertised for sale at 7 time the average local salary.

Who do they think their market is?

Lily_Mars

I can't say my experience is "scandalous" but anyway... Seven years ago I decided to sell my property (a larger than average studio flat), so duly asked 3 local agents to come round. The first two - no problems, but the third took the proverbial. After the usual flannel about the high ceilings and "character features" he proceeded to give his valuation of £120k. Fine, this is what the other two came up with so happy with that. Then he starts with the "we're the no.1 agency in the area, we have more coverage than all the others blah blah". I asked him his commission rate and he says 3% (the others came in at 1% and 1.25%). I said that was too high and would he renegotiate, to which he said no.

I put the flat on with the 1% agent and all was going well with viewings. Mr 3%er starts ringing me every few days wanting to know why I did that after all he told me. He then starts sending me letters trying to make me change my mind. I kept telling him 3% was far too much and that I was extremely happy with my chosen agent.

In the meantime, I accepted an offer at almost the asking price and everything was proceeding nicely. I wrote to him asking him to stop contacting me but it had no effect. Him calling me went on for a couple of months until mate of mine swiped my phone off me while the EA was calling me yet again and told him where to go. Not the most polite way of dealing with the EA but it did stop him ringing.

geoffky

I once when viewing a house had a child of about 3 barricade herself in her bedroom and would not open the door for a look inside,we never did see inside..bless her,she was crying her eyes out.

DVardysShadow

Davesnave wrote: »

I smell a vested interest.

Link spam in the profile http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/member.php?u=1523358
Spam clicked.

r7otl

When I was a first time buyer EA opened front door to a house I was interested in and sat there with a can of Stella (at about 10am on a Saturday) was a big fat bloke in a grotty pair of Y-fronts and a string vest watching WWF wrestling.

Surprise, surprise, house was horrible!

Enfieldian

Davesnave wrote: »

I smell a vested interest.

Yep.

From the wrong flipping country as well.

Werdnal

When we were looking for our current home, we went on the usual tour of all the estate agents to get put on their mailing lists. When asked by one what our criteria was, we said rural, preferably detached, in need of work, some outbuildings/land would be a bonus, for a max of £60K (this was 1992 by the way). One EA laughed out loud - quite embarrassing as there were other customers in his office at the time, saying it was the funniest thing he'd heard all year - places like that don't exist within our budget. Then asked why we wanted detached/rural - do we have wild parties or just not get on with neighbours? I'd love to go back and show him what we ended up with in 1993 - OK a bit more "in need of work" than we originally anticipated, but it is detached, with 1.5 acres and whats more only cost us £45K and having actually reduced our mortgage when we moved here, we have now paid it off completely!

Another story I heard on a radio phone in, was when the caller's mother in law had arranged for EA to come round and measure/take photos, and had given them her keys as she had an appointment that day. She came back early and caught the EA and his office junior half naked in her spare bed! Not sure what they were measuring or taking photos of!!!!