Your experiences (good & bad) with estate agents

lauralla

Thanks Badger-Lady, and everyone else. I have to admit, I hadn't realised how much people would value accompanied viewings. It honestly never occured to me that this would be important. I fully intend to start offering this as part of our standard service from now on. I also agree with the weekly updates via telephone or email - I will be doing this starting from Monday with all of our properties.

Thanks everyone, the feedback I am receiving is invaluable - there is nowhere else I know of that I could get this much genuine feedback in such a short space of time - keep it coming....

pinkshoes

1) Turn up ontime for appointments, or at least ring if you're going to be late
2) Don't bullsh*t! People aren't stupid, and they know when an EA is lying, so it's best not to do it
3) Phone clients regularly to update, even if it's not alot to say
4) Reply to messages left by clients.
5) If you do get caught out lying, don't continue to lie. The client KNOWS you're lying. Just admit you made a mistake... or preferably avoid making false claims in the first place!

BrixMorta

Best of luck Lauralla it's an interesting world being an EA. Not at all what you would expect from the outside looking in.

lauralla

BrixMorta, that sounds like you are an estate agent?! It isn't how I imagined at all, and its more difficult than I thought too!

coal9011

Oh No!!!!! lauralla, not an "INDEPENDENT" MORTGAGE ADVISOR!!!!:eek: This thread is going from bad to worse!

Don't you know that there is no such thing as an "Independent" Mortgage Advisor. Your sister will recommend to your client's the mortgage provider who pays her the most commission or the company who she has an informal tie with. Go on .... ask her?

Call me a grumpy cynical old bug*er, but you have a lot to learn about business, life and Estate Agency!

But you do still sound like a real sweetheart and I must not be nasty to you :A

BrixMorta

Unfortunately sellers are attracted to rogue agents like moths to a flame, it's really tough trying to compete on a squeeky clean professional basis. It is possible but the first few years are really tough. The key to success is longevity, once customers can see that you've been around for a while, whilst staff at your competition are constantly changing, it makes a difference. 7 years is the key time period as this is the average time scale people move and this is when repeat busness starts to come through.

lauralla

Well call me innocent and naive:p , and I know that most people believe the same thing, but there are decent people out there, and I have to tell you my sister and me are two of them!

Of course, I would say that, but its true!:D

She used to work for one of the big five banks as a mortgage advisor and hated it because she couldn't recommend the best mortgage for her clients, she was tied in to a certain company. Now she isn't, and she will truely find the best deal for her client. She does of course do it for a living, but she won't push them in a direction purely to benefit her own pocket.

We both believe that honestly is very important in business, and people will appreciate the honesty - perhaps you wouldn't have such a bad opinion of EAs and mortgage advisors if you hadn't been lied to at some point?!
I suspect that we will be fighting an uphill battle competing against people who will manipulate and lie to get business, but we'd rather do without the business and retain our integrity.

But thanks for your opinions all the same, I do value the bad stuff, if I only so I know what to avoid!

lynzpower

lauralla wrote: »

Thanks Badger-Lady, and everyone else. I have to admit, I hadn't realised how much people would value accompanied viewings. It honestly never occured to me that this would be important. I fully intend to start offering this as part of our standard service from now on. I also agree with the weekly updates via telephone or email - I will be doing this starting from Monday with all of our properties.

Thanks everyone, the feedback I am receiving is invaluable - there is nowhere else I know of that I could get this much genuine feedback in such a short space of time - keep it coming....

iF as a EA you dont do accompanied viewings and expect the vendor to conduct them then you will be competing with the likes of www.housenetwork.co.uk who do what it says on the tin for less than 500 quid.

lynzpower

lauralla wrote: »

Well call me innocent and naive:p , and I know that most people believe the same thing, but there are decent people out there, and I have to tell you my sister and me are two of them!

Of course, I would say that, but its true!:D

She used to work for one of the big five banks as a mortgage advisor and hated it because she couldn't recommend the best mortgage for her clients, she was tied in to a certain company. Now she isn't, and she will truely find the best deal for her client. She does of course do it for a living, but she won't push them in a direction purely to benefit her own pocket.

We both believe that honestly is very important in business, and people will appreciate the honesty - perhaps you wouldn't have such a bad opinion of EAs and mortgage advisors if you hadn't been lied to at some point?!
I suspect that we will be fighting an uphill battle competing against people who will manipulate and lie to get business, but we'd rather do without the business and retain our integrity.

But thanks for your opinions all the same, I do value the bad stuff, if I only so I know what to avoid!

I disagree. I was an agent for a few months ealier in the year, and I think that its really myth and hearsay that make so many of us sceptical (to put it politely) about EAs. In saying that there have been scores of experiences on here that have been slack, lazy, or downright immoral/ illegal.

I am honest too, and I would often a) tell buyers upfront whether there were structural problems with property before them layong out on surveys etc ( and thus calling me a liar) I would always give buyers the honest reflection of an area ( it does have social problems as opposed to calling it up and coming or some other such nonsense) and be clear with vendors as to the state of play in the market. ( theres not a lot of buyers out there that can afford your place, we could be waiting a while etc)

I ALWAYS ALWAYS gave feedback, HONEST feedback to the vendor. Itsd hugely important. Even if its just a voicemail. I have said to people, " buyer felt that your garden needed work and wondered what else was being covered over" " they felt the property was overpriced" " they thought the decor was too scruffy" At the end of the day feedback like this gives vendors
a) the opportunity to improve thier properties if they wish
b) the knowledge you have actually asked your buyers what they thought

accompanied viewings are vital. It gives you a chance to build rapport as they say, but also to find out what sort of thing motivates them and specifically what they are looking for, meaning a prudent use of time. some will always want a garage not a drive. that sort of thing. If you are not there, then you wont be able to pick up on nuances.

scottishsuz

Wanting to be an EA has been a guilty secret of mine for a few years now, maily because I'm a nosy b!!!!r and love looking round other peoples houses :rotfl:

Anyway, my one piece of advise would be pass on what potential buyers are telling you about houses on your books, good and bad. I sold a flat with a huge very well known EA and ended up moving to another agent because they were so non-comittal about why our flat wasn't selling and wouldn't pass on potential buyers opinions. How can sellers fix something if they don't think its wrong? The second EA were local and really nice, though we ended up selling because of my mum, not the EA but thats another story.