how long to wait for response to my offer ?

spiritus

Hi all,

I'm a first time buyer and wondered what is a reasonable length of time for the estate agent to get back to you with news on your offer.

I placed an offer yesterday afternoon but have heard nothing from the agent.

chrest

I would have thought by now. However depends how good the estate agent is. It took a week and chasing the ea twice for me to get a response about the offer we put in on a house. I'd just chase them.

spiritus

Thankyou. I would have said the same but I'm a novice when it comes to dealing with estate agents.

She's already irked me with her clippy attitude on the phone and an annoying tendency to slam the phone down once the conversation is over.....one of my pet hates.

Hope not all agents are like this !

livalicious

Spiritus, i had the same experience as you with the estate agent working for the vendor we were supposed to be purchasing from. We pulled out of the purchase now, partly to do with the ea's aggressive manner of handling the re-negotiation of our offer based on work that needed doing. We put our offer in six weeks ago, and since then had our mortgage offer, solicitors dealing with enquiries, survey done, etc. But the ea hasnt called once to inform us on any progress on the chain. I know the ea works for the vendor but i thought informing all parties concerned was part of what they were required to do. I could never get hold of her on the phone, never returned my calls after leaving numerous messages. Half the time she didnt have all her facts straight, and was very abrupt and really patronising. :mad:

I hope we not dealing with the same ea

Good luck with your purchase, hope ur offer gets accepted :j

spiritus

Livalicious,

Just like you, I am also aware that the agent works for the vendor but shoudn't they also act as a broker between the vendor and the buyer ?

I'm not even 100% confident my offer has been relayed to the vendor.

My mind is going off on a tangent here but I'm presuming it's not the correct etiquette to post a note through the vendor's house ?

This agent has got a terrible attitude. Pretty much as you described and it really peeves me when some people think that putting the phone down is an acceptable form of punctuating a conversation when all that is needed is a simple "thanks and bye" grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

fox_2

Not really the done thing to get in touch with the vendor directly.

I think all promotion materials for the sale will probalby state that the sales agent is the primary contact for buyers, or buyers agents.

The sales agent will probably see any direct contact between you and the vendor as an attempt to cut them out of the deal. This will probably not do your relationship with the vendors agent any good.. and might make it harder for you to deal with her...and her attitude definatley wont improve! )

Prob best to be patient at first - give her a call in a couple of days.

livalicious

Personally, i dont see any harm in dropping a note through the vendors door to notify them that you have put in an offer for X amount through the ea with your details on it. Im considering doing that too, cos i dont know how much of the ea's haggling was down to her "negotiation skills" or what the vendor has told her to do.

We sent quotes to the ea to pass to the vendor Friday morning and also our suggestion of a reduced offer, she called me back 5 minutes later and barked down the phone at me that the vendors were not reducing or willing to do the work required. And then told me i should make my mind up then and there whether we wanted to go ahead or not cos the vendor wants to remarket the property straight away. I refused to that (the cheek of it). I spoke to my partner later and he was fuming, cos i made a revised offer over the phone and she point blank refused it without consulting the vendor first?!! We put in a fair offer based on work that needed doing but the vendor / ea refused to negotiate so we pulled out. The same day the ea sent a letter out to our sols stating we have pulled out. So im thinking of writing down everything the ea said and what we offered and dropping it at the vendors. At least that way I know the vendor has our side of the story and not just what the ea has told them. I find it hard to believe the vendors would not reduce by £2000 when they had no other offers on their property in the 6 weeks they were on the market, and possibly put the house they buying in jeopardy by looking for another buyer now.

Anyways long rant, sorry to hijack your thread. But i just feel so unimpressed with the ea (i dont blame her for all of it mind) but i do feel she could have handled this a whole better.

Keep chasing that ea, and put the phone down on her before she gets a chance

spiritus

Fox,

You are the voice of reason

It's a semi serious question though.

My girlfriend works as a real estate agent in Poland and over there unless an exclusivity agreement is signed then there's always a risk that someone approaches the vendor directly.

In one way I'm surprised that estate agent's aren't being squeezed out more in recent years. It's quite possible for people to advertise their own properties very effectively over the internet.

spiritus

livalicious,

Reading your story I would be VERY tempted to contact the vendor directly via letter simply to notify them of what has gone on.

However, only do this if a) you're willing to lose the house and b) you accept it might burn bridges with the ea involved.

Shoddy customer service is a real pet hate of mine and always gets my blood boiling.