I am a wimp when it comes to dealing with estate agents

whitesatin

They are all so pleasant when they come to give you a valuation but just how do you decide which one to use and how do you tell the others that is what you have decided without causing offence? I know it shouldn't matter but I do find it difficult.

libf

Best way to decide is to look into how quickly they manage to sell properties, and make sure they're not just dropping prices to do so, and then factor in the fee that they charge. Pick the one that sells the most without dropping the price for the best fee.

Just email the ones that you're not using to say thanks but you've decided to go another way.

stator

Pay close attention to the contract. Don't accept long lock in periods

eddddy

whitesatin wrote: »

... and how do you tell the others that is what you have decided without causing offence? I know it shouldn't matter but I do find it difficult.

Unfortunately, chapter 1 of every high-pressure sales training course is "make it hard for the customer to say No".

So the salesperson's (or EAs) tactics will include:
- pretending to be your friend,
- acting as though they're deeply personally hurt when you say "no"
- pretending that they can't believe you've made such a silly choice
etc etc

It's just a (rather cynical) game salespeople play. So bear that in mind when you're telling an EA "no" - and mentally give them a mark out of 10 for their acting skills.

katejo

whitesatin wrote: »

They are all so pleasant when they come to give you a valuation but just how do you decide which one to use and how do you tell the others that is what you have decided without causing offence? I know it shouldn't matter but I do find it difficult.

If i were selling now, I would try (if at all possible) to avoid those who are now charging fees to the buyer and asking buyers to pay deposits just for the right to make a bid. Their client is the seller and the seller should be paying for their property to be sold. This hadn't started when i last sold/bought so I haven't tested it yet. If I decided against an agent for the above reason, I would consider that a perfectly valid explanation.
I would also reject any agent who would not allow buyers to view without seeing their mortgage advisor first (even though they already had a mortgage arranged)

Innys1

If you're having this much angst about deciding on what agent to use, how are you going to decide when you receive an offer less than you want?

Hoploz

You don't need to 'tell' the ones you're not going with ... They'll see your house come on the market with the other agent and watch it. Then they'll badger you later if it doesn't sell right away

whitesatin

Innys1, a house is only worth what people will pay for it. It wouldn't take long for me to be realistic about its value and I am sure my chosen agent would advise me as to whether or not it is worth hanging on for a better offer. As long a I can still afford the one I intend to buy, I will make a decision based on the situation at the time.

SuzieSue

Find out if they force all their potential buyers see their in-house mortgage advisor and if they do, don't touch them.

Owain_Moneysaver

It is impossible to offend an estate agent.

Davesnave

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

It is impossible to offend an estate agent.

Errr...I was 'blacklisted' by Bairstow Eves in Tiverton for giving them negative written feedback. I said that their client was such a raving loony, no other agent would have accepted his business, let alone sent people to him unaccompanied.

The manager rang me to express how offended he was.