3 EA valuations – Now done...

jawa1

Well the house is all looking clean and tidy and recently decorated so I have
have booked 3 EA for a valuation this Friday. HELP!

I have read the tips on here but I am unsure about look-ins periods.

In the tips it suggests I should be Looking for a fee of 1% with no lock-ins.

Is the lock-in period how long I have to be with the EA OR how long after I give them notice that I want to change that I cannot go elsewhere.?

What is the average lock-in period?

These are the questions I have got so far to ask them…

Looking for a fee of 1% with no lock-ins

What details will you be putting in the marketing materials?

How many photographs will be used?

How many photographs will appear on rightmove website.

Can we ask for new photographs to be taken of the garden in the late spring / summer.

How often will it be advertised in the paper?

Will it be advertised in colour?

Do you contact viewers to ask for feedback and is this always feedback to me?

What have similar properties in the area sold for?

How long is the average property on your books for?

How long do you think it might take to sell the property?

Can you suggests any small improvements to the property to help sell it?

Can you recommend a Solicitor?

Any more I need to aks / think about ?

cattie

I wouldn't ask them if they could recommend a solicitor, if you want a recommendation then try to get one friends or neighbours can recommend or phone around for the best quote. The costs can differ by quite an amount from practice to practice.

Depending on where you are, trying to get 1% from the agent may be a pipe dream as could be no tie in, so don't set your heart on it & feel real hard done by if you don't achieve this.

Regarding the photographs they may not be able to answer how many they will use until they see the results of the pics, some rooms just don't photograh to their advantage for one reason or another, so a savvy ea won't use any they feel add nothing to the appeal of the property.

I wouldn't be asking questions about new photographs being taken in spring/summer as this is kind of implying that expect the property to still be hanging around then. Cross this bridge as & when you come to it.

Also in regards to how long it may take to sell, surely most agents are going to tell you it shouldn't take long at all, so again not really worth asking them. Ask them instead if they have recently sold properties the same or very similar to yours & how quickly they sold & what asking price they achieved compared to the marketing price.

Do local property papers actually advertise properties in b&w as opposed to colour where you live :eek: ? In the areas I've lived in they have always been full colour & I would have assumed this was standard in this day & age.

As regards to feedback from viewers I think it's best if you contact the ea yourself afer viewings have occured, rather than expecting the ea to ring you each time, as in my experience this would be very unusual for them to do so.

Good luck, I hope it flies off the books.

jawa1

Thanks,

Any help with...

Is the lock-in period how long I have to be with the EA OR how long after I give them notice that I want to change that I cannot go elsewhere.?

cattie

The lock in period is how long you have to be with them, but you generally need to give some notice too, the period will be stated in the contract. So if it were a 2 month contract & 2 week notice you'd need to give written notice after 6 weeks if you want out as soon as the 2 months were up.

Mutton_Geoff

Jawa1, unfortunately, your "lock in" period may be longer than you think. Once you appoint an agent, their filthy sleazy hands will be after the commission for selling your house whoever buys it at any stage after your "lock in" clause ends.

My experience over 30 decades with estate agents are that their industry is the most corrupt, unlegislated trade in the UK.

With the power of the internet, I would strongly recommend you look at alternative ways to sell your property than feed the hungry scum that didn't do well at school and can't get a job anywhere else.

Sorry to sound bitter, but here's the thread about my last experience.

Countrywide PLC seem to have a surplus "o" in their name.

MJMum

With the power of the internet, I would strongly recommend you look at alternative ways to sell your property than feed the hungry scum that didn't do well at school and can't get a job anywhere else.

That's a bit strong!

Mutton_Geoff

Sorry Mum, I'm still feeling sore after being lied to and cheated of several thousand pounds by the last two agents I dealt with.

jawa1

3 house valuations done of my house in Hull.

A,- £115,000
B,- £115,000
C,- £125,000

So a £10,000 difference!

A - don’t advertise in colour! and was not that impressed with them.

B - are the biggest company in our area and always seems way too busy, hard to get through on the phone, don’t spend that much time with you when you go in the agency, and after the first month only advertise once a month.

C -They are better presented, good size colour adverts every 3 weeks, friendly service, and take the time to fully describe the all the rooms on rightmove with good photographs.

Much prefer C but they have way overvalued the house.
Wonder if they have taken on a new valuer and they just got it wrong.
Unless they will drop it to near to others then going to have to rule them out.


Will estate agents let you tell them the price we want on at?

rebeccaj

jawa1 wrote:

Much prefer C but they have way overvalued the house.
Wonder if they have taken on a new valuer and they just got it wrong.
Unless they will drop it to close the others then going to have to rule them out.


Will estate agents let you tell them the price we want on at?

yes, you can always tell them what price you want it to be marketed at. Their valuation is just a guide anyway (as they will be quick to tell you if it doesn't attract much interest at the price they value it at :rolleyes: ) so now you have a ballpark figure, you can choose your EA and tell them what price you want them to offer it at.

Alan_M_2

go with C and tell them to market at £120K, you can always drop the value, difficult to increase it.

zipwen1

have a look on the net to see what similar houses in your area are going for, the first two could have undervalued to get it off their books quickly.