Diary of a House Search

jibbyboo

Have been reading this discussion with intrigue.

Personally, I've been searching for properties for a couple of weeks and have had the following *very disappointing* experiences (bad to worst):

- one EA enthusiastically told me that if I was serious about buying a property soon, he would take the time out of his schedule to show me all his suitable properties in one afternoon, would email them to me and call to follow up. Have heard nothing since

- admin assistant of EA turned up to viewing without a brochure or EPC. Brochure I can live without, EPC legal req. When I emailed to ask about getting one, didn't receive a response to that specific question

- got a call from an EA after a rightmove query, asked them to confirm the location of the property in question and was told "you should really know where the property is before you try to arrange a viewing"

- today, most disappointing of all, went for a second viewing on a property (no EPC house) and suggested in Martin's buying tips, asked that the boiler was switched on to ensure that the heating was working effectively. Was greeted with a snarl by the EA (who eventually told me she's a LA (like me) who was standing in for an EA). She replied condescendingly "no I don't think we'll be doing that, someone has got to pay for the gas. Who would be wanting to pay for that?" I replied stating that surely the house is owned by somebody, someone that is responsible for paying the bills. Retort from LA "no, if there are problems with the boiler then you can get a gas engineer to look at it if you buy the property". Disgraceful! I am going to put an offer in for the property, however my terms will be specific to the fact that the boiler and heating are in perfect working order having had that experience.

I would be livid if my EA treated prospective buyers like that.

I hope you have a better experience! Good luck

lessonlearned

My goodness - that is quite a dossier.

What a damning indictment of laziness and ineptitude, especially with your run in with the EA over the boiler. That is shocking.

Generally speaking I would say that the first viewing should normally need to be quite brief - after all at this stage you are usually just ruling out the absolute no-hopers.

Looking on RM doesn't really tell you much about a property and a preliminary drive-by only tells you whether or not you fancy the location.

So the first viewing is just a way of filtering or as Money calls it "winnowing" - basically sorting out the wheat from the chaff. 10 minutes is usually plenty of time.

However, the second viewing definitely needs to be far more thorough and detailed. Was the EA aware that is was, in fact, your 2nd viewing.

As for who pays for the gas - absolute piffle. The Vendor pays for all services until Legal Completion when the meter readings are read and ownership is transferred.

I take it the Vendor does not currently reside in the property, so writing to them to let them know what has happened may be rather fruitless.

I do think the Vendor should be made aware of this incident though. They are paying for a service which is clearly not being delivered.

If you do proceed to make an offer then once you get to the Solicitor stage I would be inclined to write a letter to the Vendor which your solicitor could then pass to the Vendor's solicitor.

At any rate should you decide to proceed I would suggest that you insist on a further viewing with someone who is either competent or at least sufficiently interested so that you can double check on things like boilers etc. before you exchange contracts.

If you do not proceed with the purchase then I still think a formal letter of complaint to the EA's boss would be in order.

What a dreadful catalogue of "disappointing" experiences you have endured thus far.

jibbyboo

lessonlearned wrote: »

...the second viewing definitely needs to be far more thorough and detailed. Was the EA aware that is was, in fact, your 2nd viewing.

...I take it the Vendor does not currently reside in the property, so writing to them to let them know what has happened may be rather fruitless.

...I do think the Vendor should be made aware of this incident though. They are paying for a service which is clearly not being delivered.

Thank you for the advice learned, I may well pursue that down the line. Unfortunately, being a LA I have a professional relationship with this particular EA and I need to handle the situation somewhat delicately.

In answer to your questions:

- yes, the EA/ LA made a point of setting that they knew it was my second viewing.

- vendor does not live there, and the EA was collecting post on their behalf so it would need to be conveyed later on in the deal - I will actually be having my mortgage broker make my offers for me, so may explain the situation to him and see if he's able to mediate somehow to disclose the information in a subtle way


Great to hear that this isn't considered standard/ acceptable EA behaviour. I think because I am a relatively young buyer, I'm not treated with as much respect as someone who has been through the mill. The EA today spoke to my dad (who came to have a look around for the first time), in a very different way.

Fortunately I have my LA background so I know what to ask and what to look out for!

moneyistooshorttomention

One thing I have noticed is that, right at the outset, estate agents aren't necessarily very clear in indicating exactly where a hard-to-find house is.

There's one like mine near me that has been for sale for some weeks and the estate agent couldn't even get the name of the street right on the details. That is a basic for any house. For this particular house, they needed to give a little sketch map to show people just how to get to the house in the first place. I'm a local and I only spotted it with difficulty. Reason being that it's down a little pedestrian-only street that most non-locals won't even know exists.

In their EA's position, it would have made sense to get the road name right, give that sketch map and then make a selling point of it being a more private location. Not sure whether they should have made a thing of it being a car-free location (which would have been a selling point to someone like myself) on the one hand or gloss over that fact (as most people want to be able to park their own car right outside) on the other hand?

Somehow that house has still managed to be sold - but I suspect more than by pure luck than by design.

I'm now wondering just how much the "passing trade effect" has on selling a house - as my own house gets a lot of "passing trade" and all sorts of people will just see the For Sale sign up outside my house just from going about their daily business nearby. Whadya think?

Also wondering whether buyers are deliberately not "leaping straight onto" a new house on the market by not going to view during the first few days in order not to seem too eager (ie so that the vendor thinks "ooh instant interest ...I will get darn nearly my asking price then:)"? I'm wondering whether no "instant interest" means "The weather is blimmin' awful and I'm going to stay in until it passes" or "a few FTB's trying to introduce a new mindgame tactic onto the British housing market by making vendors wait for their first few views". Probably just the awful weather - even if my own estate agent made the cynical comment that "A lot of these FTB's think they can get a lot more for their money than they really can...:cool:".

lessonlearned

jibbyboo wrote: »

Great to hear that this isn't considered standard/ acceptable EA behaviour. I think because I am a relatively young buyer, I'm not treated with as much respect as someone who has been through the mill. The EA today spoke to my dad (who came to have a look around for the first time), in a very different way.

Fortunately I have my LA background so I know what to ask and what to look out for!

I am afraid that you may have a point here. It was certainly the case with the young couple quoted in my story.

That was over 20 years ago. I would have hoped that type of scenario was now a thing of the past, apparently not.

Your subtlety in handling the rude/incompetent EA with the issues over the boiler is to be applauded:T:T

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

One thing I have noticed is that, right at the outset, estate agents aren't necessarily very clear in indicating exactly where a hard-to-find house is.

I am afraid the assumption among younger EA's is that all viewers will be using Satnav.

This isn't necessarily the case, not everyone uses Satnav and in some circumstances it would be inappropriate anyway, ie pedestrian access only properties might be problematical for electronic media. In the case of a secluded tucked away property then a simple sketch map is a good idea.

My own property was tucked away in a cul de sac with a very strange numbering system. I had to always give very precise details to anyone visiting my house for the first time.

I'm now wondering just how much the "passing trade effect" has on selling a house - as my own house gets a lot of "passing trade" and all sorts of people will just see the For Sale sign up outside my house just from going about their daily business nearby. Whadya think?

In a property with good "passing trade" some 70% of the interest shown is generated simply by the sale board. So the theory is if you live in a popular location where there is good passing trade then a sale board alone could be enough to generate enough interest to secure a sale. Which is why on a main road you will often see private "for sale" signs.


Also wondering whether buyers are deliberately not "leaping straight onto" a new house on the market by not going to view during the first few days in order not to seem too eager (ie so that the vendor thinks "ooh instant interest ...I will get darn nearly my asking price then:)"? I'm wondering whether no "instant interest" means "The weather is blimmin' awful and I'm going to stay in until it passes" or "a few FTB's trying to introduce a new mindgame tactic onto the British housing market by making vendors wait for their first few views". Probably just the awful weather - even if my own estate agent made the cynical comment that "A lot of these FTB's think they can get a lot more for their money than they really can...:cool:".

There is only one way to test what is happening. Get a friend to pose as a potential purchaser, ring up the EA and ask for a viewing.

Sneaky??? Yes - but at least you will be able to test whether or not your EA is on the ball.

moneyistooshorttomention

I think it's basically an age thing and the same person will be treated differently according to what age they are.

When I bought my starter/current house many years back I was much younger (and looked young for my age at that time) and found that some of the workmen I hired for work on the house just didnt seem to be taking me seriously and I would be treated as the "little woman who should keep the cups of coffee flowing". When my father came in visiting on the other hand he got Instant Attention and Obvious Respect. I was gritting my teeth very hard at times thinking "Just who the heck do you think is going to be paying your ruddy bill mate? It'll be little me - not my father:mad:"

Roll forward many years and it is possible that the average workman is more "liberated" than he was in his attitude to independent women. However, I am inclined to think the more "serious" attitude I usually get from them these days is down to my being an older age group and looking my age these days (hopefully to soon resume normal service of "looking younger than my age" once life stops being such a pain....:cool:).

There does have to be some advantages to getting older and the Invisibility Zone that women at least realise we have entered when walking down the street:(

moneyistooshorttomention

lessonlearned wrote: »

There is only one way to test what is happening. Get a friend to pose as a potential purchaser, ring up the EA and ask for a viewing.

Sneaky??? Yes - but at least you will be able to test whether or not your EA is on the ball.

I am keeping that "ostensible viewer" tactic for EA up my sleeve if I feel the need. I do honestly think that my EA will be doing their bit and forwarding on viewers that come up. I don't think any of them in that office could tell a lie to save their lives looking at their honest faces and I have been promised I will be phoned the second a potential viewer comes on the phone to them.

Good to hear that the passing trade effect can be so positive:D. I was very tempted to just hang out a bedroom window keeping a darn good eye to see how much attention is being generated by that sign the first couple of days:rotfl:. I have been resisting that - but was gratified to notice a car (not of the "old jalopy" persuasion either) drive up the road, do a doubletake and reverse back down to just near enough to see what estate agent my board indicated I am with and then drive back up again. So did spot that that board is literally sticking out a mile and hopefully doing me some good.

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

'


Probably just the awful weather - even if my own estate agent made the cynical comment that "A lot of these FTB's think they can get a lot more for their money than they really can...:cool:".

TBH - I don't like the sound of your EA's rather rude, and, as you have already pointed out, rather cynical comment about FTB's.

It doesn't exactly smack of sincerity and it doesn't bode well for how he treats people.

At best it's just a lazy complacent assumption, at worst it shows a certain contempt and lack of respect towards his customers.

Sorry to be so blunt but it doesn't sound very good.

We've all heard the saying "Never judge a book by looking at its cover".

After years of dealing with buyers and sellers alike I have developed a certain radar that enables me to pick out the genuine people from the time wasters but even then people can still surprise me.

One day a man came to see me on site. It transpired he was a "Diamond in the Rough", but this was not immediately apparent.

He showed up in combat gear, covered into tatoos, numerous piercings, with two enormous rotweillers in tow. He spoke with the roughest of voices in an almost impenetrable local dialect.

He ended up being a cash buyer, he had a number of businesses, one of which was as a freelance fitness trainer and personal safety adviser to the local police force, he was married to the most beautiful and genteel lady you could possibly meet.

He looked every inch the thug and my initial response when he first entered my office was a certain fear and trepidation because his first greeting, bellowed at me whilst he held back his snarling dogs, was

"Ey up me duck, are them gardens big". :rotfl:

He turned out to be as gentle as a lamb and an absolute true gentlemen - in the oldest and truest sense of the word. He was generous to both myself and the lads on site, they got a Christmas box of a case of whisky and I got a couple of bottles of wine.

He was a joy and a pleasure to do business with - one of the nicest men I have ever met.

Then there are the others who would roll up in their flash cars, dressed from head to foot in designer gear, rude, arrogant and obnoxious. They would try and boss everyone around, they treated the lads on site with contempt and who would have treated me like dirt if I had let them.

They may have had money but they had no class and certainly no manners. :eek:

Your EA should have learnt that appearances can be very deceptive and that it is not wise to make snap decisions about the person who is standing in front of you.

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Also wondering whether buyers are deliberately not "leaping straight onto" a new house on the market by not going to view during the first few days in order not to seem too eager (ie so that the vendor thinks "ooh instant interest ...I will get darn nearly my asking price then:)"

That would be a strange tactic. The best houses go fast. Two of the best houses among all those I saw were under offer before I could view them.

Most people who are up to speed with their local market view anything that attracts them as soon as they can, bearing in mind job and family commitments.