Changing Estate Agent - Do I smell a rat ?

RocketRonnieRadox

Hi all, we have been with the same well known established EA for 360 days and we i’ve had a number of viewings but no offers so we feel the agent is not doing enough to sell our house. Whether or not to change the estate agents is not what I would like to discuss have decided to appoint another agent regardless of the reason that our house has not yet sold.

it just so happens that of the day I gave the 28 days notice required by the agent that they inform me of somebody who would like to view our house. I agreed to the viewing and spent hours preparing the house only for the viewing to be cancelled at the last minute. 

the estate agent said that they would contact the viewer and see if they would like to reschedule. a few days later I received an email saying that the viewer would like to view the property on Saturday, the 23rd of August which happens to be bank holiday weekend. I agreed, but thought it was a little bit strange that the person wants to view it at least two weeks after the initial date. Then it occurred to me that this viewing may be bogus and what would happen if they made a bogus offer which they then retracted further off down the line. 

intention was to list the property with the new agents at the beginning of September in hope to find the buyer in the September and October buying season before things slow down for Christmas.

Am I being overly cautious or is there a strong chance that our current estate agent is trying to sabotage our plan And subsequent new instruction with another estate agent?

does this kind of thing happen? I mean a false viewer and fake offer? I guess that if an offer is followed  by a survey I’d be more inclined to believe it this is all incredibly time sensitive. I notice period ends on the 1st of September so we could list with the new agents on the 2nd of September.

Thanks in advance

MysteryMe

The viewer may not have been local, ask the EA why they are arranging a viewing so far in advance.

strawb_shortcake

Two weeks, may also suggest they are on holiday especially as it's the summer holidays 

david29dpo

Stands a good chance it was a fake viewing. Agents will do anything, including selling there grandmother, to get there fee.
Plus i would not allow a viewer who cancelled at the last minute to view, no matter what the excuse.

RocketRonnieRadox

Hmm I think it’s fishy personally. I may be wrong it’s just a gut feeling.

cancelled last minute a few hours before the viewing suggests that they are not from a far. 

Arranging a viewing while on holiday plausible but hmmm 

RocketRonnieRadox

Oh and one other thing - they are not proceed-able as yet to put their house on the market. 

Would that deter ?  

eddddy

RocketRonnieRadox said:

Am I being overly cautious or is there a strong chance that our current estate agent is trying to sabotage our plan And subsequent new instruction with another estate agent?

If you get an offer via the current estate agent which you are dubious about...

• You can tell the buyer and the current estate agent that you're accepting the offer... but you're going to continue to market the property with the new estate agent, until a survey/valuation  is booked.

• And tell the new estate agent that you have an offer of £x which you are dubious about, so you want to continue marketing, which might motivate the new estate agent to get a quick offer..

(And make it clear to the new estate agent that you won't pay a fee to the new estate agent in respect of any buyer introduced by the old estate agent.)


But... if the offer is legitimate from a legitimate buyer, this plan might really annoy the buyer, and maybe even make them walk away.

WIAWSNB

RocketRonnieRadox said:

Oh and one other thing - they are not proceed-able as yet to put their house on the market. 

Would that deter?  

That is entirely your call to make, and would likely come down to how quickly you wish to move.
But there's no guarantees either way.
You might have an offer from someone themselves already under offer, but in a chain. Huge uncertainty over timings either way.

vic_sf49

As you're still with this agent, until after the viewing, then you may as well allow it. 

They might be waiting until they find something they like, before putting theirs on the market, which then could happen within days.

Would that make a huge difference after being on the market for a year (unless that's a typo)?

As my friend says, it only takes one offer at the right price, to sell your house.