Strange behaviour by estate agent

paulj2021

There’s a property I’m interested in but the agent selling it is acting quite strangely... to cut a long story short they seem really reluctant to arrange viewings or to send out information on it, not returning calls or emails, sounding quite negative (in a vague non specific way) when I talk to them on the phone, it’s not like it’s in great demand or anything, it’s been listed on their site since the beginning of the year and has just been reduced in price. Reading between the lines it gives me the impression that there’s some issue with this property that they can’t mention... or maybe they are just incompetent? Or maybe there’s something about me as a buyer that puts them off? Would be interested to hear some thoughts about this! 

Salemicus

I once had this issue, it turned out that the estate agent was also managing the property and didn't want it sold because they would lose the management fees. But it doesn't really matter why they are behaving like this, only that they are. Ultimately, you have a choice:
* Be extremely forthright with the agent.
* Bypass the agent and ask the vendor directly. 
* Walk away. 

cheeky-peach

I have had a similar experience! Firstly, waited for a call back to arrange a viewing... had to chase them. Viewing was conducted by the vendor which was fine but I had a few follow up questions which, when I called the EA office, I had to speak to 'Mr X' about. Mr X was 'just on the other line' all the time and never called back. I called the next day and the same happened but I did get a call back in the afternoon saying he needed to find out and would get back to me and that was yesterday and nothing since. It has really put me off pursuing further if I'm honest. I'm not sure why they are so evasive or even if it is on purpose!

I did read someone on here suggest putting a note through the door of the property you were interested in asking if you could view as EAs weren't forthcoming. Not sure if that will help?

eddddy

As a starting point, send your request for a viewing via email - to establish an electronic paper trail.

If the EA really is up to mischief, they can misrepresent what you and they said in a phone call (e.g. they can say to the seller that you asked about the property, but you never asked for a viewing). But if your request is in an email, it's harder to 'fib' about it.

paulj2021

cheeky-peach I did read someone on here suggest putting a note through the door of the property you were interested in asking if you could view as EAs weren't forthcoming. Not sure if that will help?

Thanks, I might resort to that if I can’t get any joy from the EA. I would be tempted to just walk away but it seems to be a very suitable property in a good location 

okigen

It seems to me that all agents are super busy at the moment, so I would not be too worried if they don't reply calls or send info promptly. For some properties at reduced price, I did notice that the agents sounded a bit ... unenthusiastic. In some cases they were just plain incompetent (hence the property couldn't sell!). In others they knew it was a total write off inside and hence would not sell at the price tag that the vendor required. For some, they couldn't get hold of the vendor for permission to get inside until the last minute (perhaps another reason why these properties had been sitting there for ages).

Anyway don't worry it's not about you at all.

Alter_ego

Of course it could be that the EA has a favoured customer/mate/buyer and the price is not low enough yet

md258

My guess is that it isn't really for sale- we viewed (and offered) on a house like this. In our case it was a divorcing couple and one wanted to sell and the other was trying to raise the funds to keep it (which they eventually did).

EAs are so busy at the moment that they don't have time to sell a house where the vendor isn't going to accept a realistic offer.

Scotbot

Anything that has been listed since Jan is overpriced. Agents are exceptionally busy right now and will focus on properties they know they can sell. As this vendor has only just reduced the price sounds like they are not realistic. It is not you it's them . They don't sound that motivated. 
Persist with the EA to arrange  a viewing and leaflet the vendor, this should give you a good indication of how keen they are to sell.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Could you get a friend to ring up and ask about it, just to see how the agent responds to someone else?  

Davesnave

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

Could you get a friend to ring up and ask about it, just to see how the agent responds to someone else?  

You wouldn't be suggesting that the OP sounds weird on the 'phone?

It depends where it is of course, but in the majority of places the market is buzzing, so if it's been on the internet since January and it's not in an undesirable location there's definitely something amiss.

I would email your experience so far and ask, "OK what's the back story?" in a somewhat less blunt manner.