How do you ensure EAs and vendors regard you as a serious buyer?

Hebblethwaite

I'm a FTB looking to buy in the North of England. I was renting in a different county earlier in the year, and COVID put the brakes on me travelling to and from there to find a property to buy in my current location before moving. I then had a rather messy move (mostly a rucksack at a time via train/buses) to temporary rented accommodation/storage and was waiting to get all of my financial documents etc. in one place, my mobile changed to a new network that actually allowed calls in my new area, and bills in my name at a new address before I started requesting viewings. That way, once I saw a property I wanted, I would be in a position to actually proceed and not waste anybody's time. I had everything in order, and a mortgage agreement in principle in place around the same time that Lockdown 2 started and the local market ground to a halt. Still, there are a few properties on the market that look reasonable, so I started making enquiries to EAs. 

My initial enquiries to each of the EAs were online. I have had absolutely nothing in response from any of the EAs I have tried to contact in this way (even though they acknowledge receiving the messages when I call). Okay, lesson learned! However, even phoning, they tell me that they will call me back and then don't. Given they also tell me that they are not getting many requests for viewings currently, I would have thought they would be biting my hand off to view. So why aren't they? I am new to this, and suspect that just like emailing rather than calling, I must be making some other basic errors.

When I contact them, I am making sure to let them know that I am a chain-free FTB, that I have a large deposit (I haven't specified how much to them, but it's currently £100k, excluding money for fees/surveys etc, so at least a 35% deposit on the kinds of houses I'm looking at), that I am in very secure employment (doctor), and that I have an AIP. I'm not a huge fan of talking on the phone, but I do it regularly in work and my colleagues would definitely tell me if I was horrible at it. I haven't specified my salary (about £63.5k gross) or that I'm full-time. I do wonder if buying as a single female may be playing a part in the reactions I am getting. It's also entirely possible that I've just had a short run of bad luck with a small number of EAs (two where I've made multiple contacts, and one where I made an online contact but haven't followed up with a call yet in case I'm unknowingly making some horrible error) and that it's nothing to do with me at all. 

Obviously, you can't all stand behind me and listen when I call EAs, but do any of you have any hints or tips about how to ensure I come across as a desirable buyer so that they actually take me seriously? 
 
Edit: While typing this, I actually got a promised call back from an EA! That's one viewing lined up at last. However, I'd still love to hear any of your hints and tips, so that I can hopefully secure some more.

Thrugelmir

Find the time to visit their offices personally. Once you are able of course. Initial face to face meeting is the way to kick off any business relationship. 

LHW99

Why not have a look on rightmove (zoopla?) and see whats in your area and price range, contact the agent and say - I've seen this and would like to look round - and while i'm in the area can you set up any viewings on similar properties?

FinallyStoppedLurking

We felt we were ideal buyers:
Not house to sell, MiP agreed with 25% deposit. Living with relatives so relaxed about move dates.
We left out contact details with every estate agent and asked them to contact us if anything meeting our criteria (which we gave them) came up. We were doing the usual rightmove searches but hoped we might get a first look at a property given our position.

Not once did an estate agent call us up. We also had a few occasions where we tried to arrange a viewing or ask for more information and nobody got back to us. 

All I can put it down to is the estate agents not being very good at selling. They seem to rely on rightmove and just arrange viewings rather than actively contacting people who they know are property searching. 

Hebblethwaite

Thrugelmir said:

Find the time to visit their offices personally. Once you are able of course. Initial face to face meeting is the way to kick off any business relationship. 

Yes, that's a good idea. Have EAs been happy to have people in their offices over the summer? I've not found lettings agents to be very keen to have anyone in their offices, but I suppose that EAs stand to make a lot more money from me!

Hebblethwaite

LHW99 said:

Why not have a look on rightmove (zoopla?) and see whats in your area and price range, contact the agent and say - I've seen this and would like to look round - and while i'm in the area can you set up any viewings on similar properties?

I've been watching the local property market on RightMove (and recently Zoopla too) for about eight years now (while waiting to be in a position to settle in one area). This is predominantly how I'm finding the properties that I want to look at. I did exactly this while trying to set up the viewing that I now have (one contact on Rightmove, one contact via the EA's website, two phone calls via the Rightmove advert number). Despite me also asking to see another property I've seen on the opposite side of the road, they've only arranged one viewing. Might just be a dud EA!

steampowered

I had exactly this problem. It is frustrating.

I found a lot of the EAs I contacted to be completely hopeless. A lot of the properties I enquired about had already been SSTC, the agent simply hadn't bothered to update the rightmove or zoopla listing. A lot of the time the intern you speak to when you call up the agent didn't even know if the property was still available, and as you say sometimes they would promise to call you back, but never do. Despite having a mortgage offer in principle ready, deposit ready, no chain, and ready to move immediately.

I was buying in London so I had the luxury of being able to select from a lot of similar properties. I would tend to send perhaps a dozen messages on Zoopla or call up agents for all of the properties I was interested in.

If an agent did not respond to my message on Zoopla or did not call me back, I wouldn't bother following up and just moved onto the next property. I suppose if it was a property I really wanted I would follow up by phone call.

It is worth making it clear in your message or call - that you have your deposit and you have your mortgage in principle ready, so are ready to move quickly.

Hebblethwaite

steampowered said:

I had exactly this problem. It is frustrating.

I found a lot of the EAs I contacted to be completely hopeless. A lot of the properties I enquired about had already been SSTC, the agent simply hadn't bothered to update the rightmove or zoopla listing. A lot of the time the intern you speak to when you call up the agent didn't even know if the property was still available, and as you say sometimes they would promise to call you back, but never to. Despite having a mortgage offer in principle ready, deposit ready, no chain, and ready to move immediately.

Thanks. It's good to know it's not just me! I have already enquired about a property that the EA wasn't aware had been listed, which doesn't exactly fill me with hope. There have been lots of decent properties on the market over the summer, but as soon as I'm in a position to really get serious, lockdown 2 has frozen things up. I'm really hoping that things pick up at the start of December, (though then there will be the Christmas lull to contend with) and I can hopefully snap up a bargain if other viewers struggle to see past dreary winter gardens. 

moneysavinghero

Show em the money.

lika_86

I think you're overthinking things. If you're interested in a property you see online, ring up, ask to arrange a viewing,

I'm in a similar position and viewed the property we're buying, made an offer that night providing all the details (at least a 15% deposit, renting on a statutory periodic tenancy, hoped for timelines), didn't have an AIP (but had no doubt I'd get a mortgage offer) but did have a broker lined up who had all of my financial details, had the offer accepted the next morning. I don't think they asked for any real details upfront other than whether I had anything to sell, once I had made my offer they phoned my broker (presumably to check he was of the view I could get a mortgage). Maybe I was just lucky but I don't think it's anything to do with your phone manner.

Hebblethwaite

moneysavinghero said:

Show em the money.

Hmm, maybe I should show up with a briefcase like the macguffin in Pulp Fiction