What do EA's actually Do?

partialycloudy

Fire_Fox wrote: »

If your area is so much more desirable why have you had BTL but not singles/ couples/ small family buyers?

Well this is another point! I have no idea!
Maybe we are just being inpatient!

Fire_Fox

partialycloudy wrote: »

Well this is another point! I have no idea!
Maybe we are just being inpatient!

Again post your Rightmove link.

R_P_W

Get a floor plan on there. I bought a flat in London last year, looked at hundreds on right move and probably viewed about 10. I had a much better first impression of the listings that had good photos of the entire property, had floor plans and epc. Was frustrating with looking at incomplete listings.

R_P_W

Post the link. What's the big issue with potentially being identified - would imagine it is unlikely

StuC75

May have posted elsewhere on here comments about people they know - and a potential work colleague may identify from there..

Would also be a lot more viewings on RM, which again wouldnt convert into viewings...so would confuse the EA even more..

were someone on here to be interested, then the OP has already given away a bit of there strategy regarding price..

R_P_W wrote: »

Post the link. What's the big issue with potentially being identified - would imagine it is unlikely

InMyDreams

Another vote for getting a floor plan on.

If I was struggling to find suitable properties to view (or had viewed all the available ones in the area already) it wouldn't put me off viewing eventually, but I'd be viewing all the other ones first.

Lack of floor plan says several things to me.

Either the vendor thinks the floor plan would put me off (which would appear to be the correct conclusion in this case) in which case he might be right so I'm best off seeing other properties first that have floor plans that don't put me off.

Or the vendor is cutting costs in which case I'd be wondering what other costs he's been cutting.

A floor plan helps the buyer visualise your property, mentally working out what they would use each room for, and that also makes it more memorable, I think.

Why not include a floor plan and see if viewings pick up? If not, take it back off again.

Better_Days

Something I have been wondering myself today.

Yesterday I emailed 20 EA's to remind them we are chain free cash buyers. Two rang me, 3 emailed me back to say they have nothing new on their books, and I have heard nothing at all from the other 15.

The EA market is very fragmented in this area, there are 10 EA's with more than 10 properties for sale in the area I am looking in. There are a further 37 EA's with 9 or less properties for sale (many with just one). Despite emails and phone calls it seems the only way to get on their 'radar' is to go on viewings. Trouble is our needs are very specific and I don't like wasting vendor's time or my limited energy.

Still we are slowly working down the list of EA's for viewings but it is difficult to maintain momentum.

OP, two weeks is no time at all to be on the market. Have a look on http://www.home.co.uk/ for info regarding the average time on the market in your area. Click on property for sale tab, enter the postcode, click find and on on the LHS is a link to 'local information'. This gives details of local EA's, prices and time on the market figures split by property type.

Depending on your local market I would give your EA at least 6-8 weeks. In my experience the local independent agents offer a better and cheaper service than the corporates - the latter will have a lot of slick marketing gimmicks which have to be paid for.

Do get a floorplan done. So hard to visualise a property without one.

You could also try speaking to your EA and ringing round some local EA's and ask them their views on the current state of the market in your area. You will probably get a lot of flannel but if you persevere you will hopefully get an honest opinion. Then you will have a better idea what is going on. I usually ask when I am speaking to EA's regarding properties to view. The likes of Haart trot out without fail that they are selling loads of properties, but other agents have admitted there are less properties coming onto the market atm. At the same time buyers are seemingly more cautious as there isn't a lot of choice. The cold weather hasn't helped.

GL with your sale.

Riggster

partialycloudy wrote: »

So our property has been on the market for two weeks, and in that time we have had two viewings.

I spoke with the EA on Monday evening and he said, in regards to righmove statistics, we are in the top fived viewed properties on their books and he was disapointed that hadn't resulted in more viewings.
The photos are good, and the price is about right for the area. So we are thinking about our options when the contract with the EA runs our (we signed for 4 weeks).
1)Reduce the price
2)Move EA's

We have no problem doing 1 but we are in no massive rush to sell at the moment so would rather hold out a while longer.
But with point (2) what exactly would another EA do differently? Now that properties are on RightMove et al surely it makes very little difference what EA you are with??
Or does each EA have secret marketing tactics?

2 viewings in the first 2 weeks? Not bad at all. It would be nice to get 2 a week but hey. Stick with it, if you haven't had an offer in 3 months, then start thinking...

Riggster

BTW definitely get a floor plan. I for one would be much more likely to view...

ash28

partialycloudy wrote: »

Thanks, I don't think I would be inclined to move EA's if we had more viewings. Fair enough if people were viewing and not liking what they see but if we can't even get them in the door its rather frustrating.

We decided not to have a floorplan as the shower room is on the small size and we didn't want to put people off even coming to look as the two double bedrooms and mass of outside space more then make up for the small shower room.

The area is very popular and has kept its value over the years but we right next to a school so don't know if that would put people off.

Right next to a school would put me off.....but I don't work and I suppose if you do work being next to a school might not be so off putting.

No floor plan would put the house in the "might look at later" category, I like to see how the rooms flow in a property, it's quite important for me.

I've been a homeowner for over 30 years and floor plans have been one of the best things to happen in property advertising....less time wasted looking at property you find on viewing don't suit your needs or requirements.

I wouldn't let a small shower room put me off having a floor plan especially if the other rooms are good...people make compromises all of the time when it comes to property.

We moved 18 months ago and when I was looking at Rightmove if there was no floor plan I didn't even look at the pictures...I looked at the floor plan first and pictures and description second. One of our requirements was access to the kitchen from both the hall and the lounge that was something we weren't prepared to compromise on, and you'd be surprised how many houses don't have that.