Death of the estate agent?

JoeCawley

Would be interested to hear what people think about the increasing trend for house sellers to use FSBO or Private Property Sales websites like Mouse-Move.com or Privatepropertywales.co.uk
Does this mark the end of the golden age of estate agents, and if so, why?

coal9011

I hope so! These "fat cat" estate agents have been drinking their cream for far to many years!

I can think of no other occupation (you can't call it a profession) where the rewards are so great for doing so little work.

lynzpower

coal9011 wrote: »

I hope so! These "fat cat" estate agents have been drinking their cream for far to many years!

I can think of no other occupation (you can't call it a profession) where the rewards are so great for doing so little work.

:rotfl:

i take it youve never been an estate agent then :rotfl:

coal9011

I would rather be a Traffic Warden, Tax Inspector, Undertaker or work at McDonalds then be an Estate Agent! :mad:

No, that would be insulting the people who work at McDonalds :rotfl: :rotfl:

daisyroots_2

I suspect it will be good for the Estate Agency business. I think the lazy, ignorant EAs will go out of business, and the few remaining will be those who listen to buyers and sellers, are honest, polite and pro-active (calling a buyer when something they might like comes on for example)

There will always be those who want the assistance of an Estate Agent, but now that customers have a choice, EAs will have to work harder and smarter to stay in business. I just hope those vacated high street premises don't all become Starbucks

emmalt

What were estate agent's fees 10-15 years ago? Nowadays it is about 1.5 - 2%.

emmalt

Assuming they were the same (percentage wise), 10 years ago the house my OH bought would have incurred, @ 2%, EA fees of £1200. Recently the same house was sold again and the fees would have been £4200.

I don't remember anything else rising that much in price over 10 years!

Almost_Redundant

emmalt wrote: »

Assuming they were the same (percentage wise), 10 years ago the house my OH bought would have incurred, @ 2%, EA fees of £1200. Recently the same house was sold again and the fees would have been £4200.

I don't remember anything else rising that much in price over 10 years!

Try house prices!!!! Lol

coal9011

Oh! "emmalt" I wish that you had not pointed that one out!

That makes me even more angry !!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

coal9011

Death of the estate agent? ............... my sincere condolences :rolleyes:

lynzpower

coal9011 wrote: »

Oh! "emmalt" I wish that you had not pointed that one out!

That makes me even more angry !!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

dont forget that not only have house prices have gone up

so have:
commercial premises
petrol and motoring costs
advertising costs ( 10 years ago there was no rightmove/primelocation/propertyfinder etc - it all costs money)
wages
mobile phone usage
web usage.

bit shortsighted to expect the fees to be the same when the costs have risen :rolleyes: