Why does it feel like estate agents hate FTBs?

MobileSaver

FTB0212 said:

I go back to the seller/agent on this due to the spend and my surveyor basically saying I should be renegotiating significantly on price. I know the agent is actively advocating against my offer (despite this being a reasonable reflection of the revised position, asking for original offer less costs of the works to make the property liveable from companies who have provided reliable quotes!!).

It's a negotiation and what seems reasonable to you obviously did not seem reasonable to the vendor and/or EA.

Without knowing what the significant issues were (and their cost) it's impossible for anyone here to comment further but EAs generally only get paid once a house is sold to a ready, able and willing buyer so it would be rather odd for an EA to hate an entire category of buyers; with this in mind it must just be you!

Ultimately of course it is the vendor who decides whether to accept your offer or not so your ire towards EAs may well be misplaced.

geekrd

Mimi123456 said:

Unfortunately most EAs don’t care about anyone in the process. They don’t care too much about the vendor either. All they want is to sell asap and get their commission.

While cynical, this view seems about right IME. EAs want to get things done quickly and efficiently. The faster houses move on and off their books the faster the commissions come. And IRL those commissions aren't that big so don't support much TLC.

The situation is exacerbated by UK housing stock being generally old, poorly built, poorly maintained, and poorly specified and deigned. Most every house you get surveyed will have a list of defects identified and a whole bunch more that the surveyor couldn't identify for various reasons.

The best you can do is identify your budget range, pick your area, and then go with that. If the agent or seller become problematic then walk away from the sale. Buying houses is an arduous process. But it can be fun if you go at it with a flexible approach to the nonsense you come across. 

Good luck!

Slithery

lookstraightahead said:
I do agree with you about the garden, just proved why as a buyer you have to delve deep. My garden actually belonged to someone else - not sure I could have ascertained that in 20 mins unless I could see into the past.

That's why it's always a good idea to pay £6 to download the title plan and deeds for any property you are interested in before even deciding whether to view or not. It's then only going to take you a few seconds to check that everything lines up when you get there.

theartfullodger

Think of it the other way round.  If you're an estate agent wanting your commission you'll much prefer many others before most FTBs.  Starting with buying for cash, no chain, can exchange and complete tomorrow then others higher up THEIR priority stack e.g. someone with large deposit, familiar with buying process etc etc etc..

Whenever trying to work out why you may have an issue consider WIIFM from the point of view of the other party.   What's in it for me (for them).  It's how most people's brains work.

lookstraightahead

Slithery said:

lookstraightahead said:
I do agree with you about the garden, just proved why as a buyer you have to delve deep. My garden actually belonged to someone else - not sure I could have ascertained that in 20 mins unless I could see into the past.

That's why it's always a good idea to pay £6 to download the title plan and deeds for any property you are interested in before even deciding whether to view or not. It's then only going to take you a few seconds to check that everything lines up when you get there.

It would have probably put us off viewing in the first place (although very difficult to decipher deeds against just some photos that the estate agent has taken and much better to see the property). And we ended up sorting it out and buying the property. 

But I agree, armed with deeds at a viewing is even better, although I would think you would be seen as an even bigger PITA.

there is a thread on here somewhere about an open day being confined to the house and not the garden (can't remember why).