What should I expect from my Estate Agent?

dzdoris

Hi guys

The property we're in is our first purchase so we're new to this selling game.

What exactly should we expect from our Estate Agent?

Our property has been on the market for 3.5 weeks now. Up until last Friday we had not heard a peep out of them so I decided to call them and find out.

Originally when they came to value our maisonette they valued it between £129,950 and £134,950. A couple of days later when they came to do the measuring and photographs they had wrote on the contract £129,950. I asked if we could put it on at the higher price because we expected to get offers below.

When I called them the lady said "has it been 3 weeks?" (as if she didn't know!!). She said that our property had come up in 419 searches and 27 people had viewed the details (probably half of these were me!!) and it was strange that nobody had showed an interest. So now I have said to drop it to the original valuation of £129,950 which was agreed on Friday.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought we'd have at least got a weekly update or something? I mean what are we actually getting for these scandalous fees they charge?? :mad:

Thanks in advance

Doozergirl

Which agent are you using?

I wouldn't expect weekly updates, however, I would have expected a viewing well before now and for the agent to call within two days with feedback from each viewing. As a new instruction I would have expected just a call to keep you 'looked after'.

Check that your place is on rightmove and that it is appearing in local newspaper adverts every other week.

wecanhelpu

May I point you in the direction of a rather excellent thread on page 4 entitled


"pushy estate agents - how to stay in control"

You should find all you need to know there

dzdoris

Thanks you two :thanks:

I'm using Syndney Mitchell (who are solicitors and have just opened an estate agents). It's always on Rightmove and so far been in the paper every week??

Am I just being too impatient?

Doozergirl

Who?! They obviously haven't got the hang of it, anyway!

I had such useless experiences with agents in Solihull, I just found them all entirely medicore. My husband was convinced that Burchell Edwards would do the job but they were awful too.

We used House Network (https://www.housenetwork.co.uk), sold to the first viewer and saved £2000. :rolleyes:

I think £129,950 is the right price for what it is, where it is. You might find that those offers are hard to push above £125,000 because of Stamp Duty. If you did risk someone like House Network, you could pay the stamp duty for your buyer (instead of paying commission to the EA) and might end up with a better price.

It should be relatively easy to sell a place at the bottom end of the market. I would sell them all day every day if I could!

dzdoris

Wow thanks Doozergirl!

Yeah I kind of guessed we would have the stamp duty problem. I was thinking maybe we could knock the stamp duty price off the asking price??

I've just had a look on that house network site, which package did you go for (if you don't mind me asking?)

Thanks again :beer:

Doozergirl

I paid the £199+VAT and then £199+VAT on completion. I paid £10 for a for sale board as well.

A nice man comes out to take all the photos and do the 360s. You have to hide ALL your stuff away for the 360s as it shows everything! It's good to clear out anyway as you have to do it before you move...

dzdoris

Thanks again Doozergirl.

I have been looking on this board a lot lately. I take it you're into buying your properties etc? I have seen your name a lot on here and the good advice you give people :money:

Doozergirl

You're very kind

I like buying them a lot! Well, I like shopping for them.

It's the essential stuff that goes with it, like selling, that impedes my ultimate happiness.

wecanhelpu

Doris-

Watch out for her alter-ego lynzpower though

dzdoris

Sorry Doozergirl, one more question I promise!

Our wonderful EA's never gave us a copy of our contract. I know we're tied into a 13 week sole agency deal. I'm going to ask for a copy tomorrow but in the meantime do you think they'll have any comeback if I take it off the market and go with that house network??

Thanks again!