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YoungBlueEyes
Posts: 4,041 Forumite
Hello all, I'm looking for people's opinions/experiences please. Apologies if this is all a bit basic but I really don't know so all answers will be appreciated.
Bit of background.
Sister and I are selling our house. We picked an EA, had a bunch of viewings and a few (some insulting) offers and one guy upped his offer to full asking price after his 2nd viewing. We accepted, happy days. He has his own survey done, then a mortgage one, all fine. Property info and fixtures + fittings forms done and sent back to solic. Sis got a mortgage sorted. We're chugging along nicely.
We've been in contact with our buyer for a few weeks now, he's a lovely bloke and been really helpful.
Then this morning he rang me to say he's sorry but he's changed his mind about our house as they've found another one they like more. I'm bloody disappointed and sis is really upset - she had her offer on a house accepted last week and is looking at furniture etc.
Conv with sis tonight. She wants to remarket with another EA cos she thinks ours are bleeping useless. We only have EPC to pay for with our current one. I think we should stay with this one, I think they have 'more to prove' (?) as they're already involved and might work a wee bit harder to get their fee. She disagreed.
Questions.
1. Has anybody ever managed to change a buyers mind after they pulled out? Is it acceptable to try and tempt them back - free furniture or a few quid off? Or is this not how it's done? Suggestions sent through EA I mean, not ringing his mobile in tears begging him to stay with us ha haa!
2. Is there truly a difference in EA's nowadays. As it's all on Rightmove etc, is there a value in an agent's contact book? Do these even exist any more?
I think the EA is fine, they got us viewers and offers. Sis thinks we should try "a fresh approach". Has anyone done this? What were the outcomes?
Bit of background.
Sister and I are selling our house. We picked an EA, had a bunch of viewings and a few (some insulting) offers and one guy upped his offer to full asking price after his 2nd viewing. We accepted, happy days. He has his own survey done, then a mortgage one, all fine. Property info and fixtures + fittings forms done and sent back to solic. Sis got a mortgage sorted. We're chugging along nicely.
We've been in contact with our buyer for a few weeks now, he's a lovely bloke and been really helpful.
Then this morning he rang me to say he's sorry but he's changed his mind about our house as they've found another one they like more. I'm bloody disappointed and sis is really upset - she had her offer on a house accepted last week and is looking at furniture etc.
Conv with sis tonight. She wants to remarket with another EA cos she thinks ours are bleeping useless. We only have EPC to pay for with our current one. I think we should stay with this one, I think they have 'more to prove' (?) as they're already involved and might work a wee bit harder to get their fee. She disagreed.
Questions.
1. Has anybody ever managed to change a buyers mind after they pulled out? Is it acceptable to try and tempt them back - free furniture or a few quid off? Or is this not how it's done? Suggestions sent through EA I mean, not ringing his mobile in tears begging him to stay with us ha haa!
2. Is there truly a difference in EA's nowadays. As it's all on Rightmove etc, is there a value in an agent's contact book? Do these even exist any more?
I think the EA is fine, they got us viewers and offers. Sis thinks we should try "a fresh approach". Has anyone done this? What were the outcomes?
The second man to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, Bobby Leach, survived the fall but later died as a result of slipping on a piece of orange peel.
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Comments
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unfortunately nothing is certain until the time of exchange, its not really the estate agents fault. I would not try to tempt them back as you will just enter a race to the bottom. You can use multiple estate agents, that usually gives them some intensive to beat the other estate agent to the sale.
I have to agree that there is not a massive difference in EA's as its mostly done on rightmove unless you have a bungalow or retirement house, estate agents have a contact book of people looking however if they are looking most will be on rightmove on a regular basis....
Check you contract but I would suggest you could do both, keep current estate agent and get new agent but make sure you dont pay two lots of fees.0 -
YoungBlueEyes wrote: »1. Has anybody ever managed to change a buyers mind after they pulled out? Is it acceptable to try and tempt them back - free furniture or a few quid off? Or is this not how it's done? Suggestions sent through EA I mean, not ringing his mobile in tears begging him to stay with us ha haa!
Not the done thing at all I'm afraid. Buying a home is very much a heart as well as a head decision and if they've seen something they prefer and can afford then probably the only thing that will make them reconsider yours is if that purchase falls through.
If you've been happy with the agent so far I wouldn't see this as a reason to jump ship, it could happen with any agent.0 -
YoungBlueEyes wrote: »
We've been in contact with our buyer for a few weeks now, he's a lovely bloke and been really helpful.
Big mistake. This is a business transaction. Better kept at arms length. As you've found out. You have no idea what they are really thinking or doing.0 -
Thanks buggy_boy and Red-Squirrel. I'll double check the contract but I don't remember what it says about sole selling/agency rights. It's fee payable on finding a buyer who's willing and able to exchange tho (or something like that).
I appreciate the guy's position. If you find something better you go for it. We wished each other good luck and all the best etc. It was just a bit of a shock is all.
If we go with another agent as well as this one, is that not seen as a bit dodgy/desperate by potential buyers? I know I always wonder about it when I see it on RM....The second man to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, Bobby Leach, survived the fall but later died as a result of slipping on a piece of orange peel.0 -
I shan't do it again Thrugelmir, it was only by chance it happened this time. He rang the EA as I was in there asking questions and the girl handed me the phone (he was organising access for his first surveyor). He gave me his mobile number so we could sort bits quicker rather than waiting on them passing messages etc.
Lesson learned tho.The second man to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, Bobby Leach, survived the fall but later died as a result of slipping on a piece of orange peel.0 -
How can "a few offers" (or any offer for that matter) be "insulting"?
Its an offer; you either accept it or you don't. The fact that multiple parties have put in lowball offers might also tell you somthing.0 -
YoungBlueEyes wrote: »If we go with another agent as well as this one, is that not seen as a bit dodgy/desperate by potential buyers? I know I always wonder about it when I see it on RM....
Yep, I think that it smacks of desperation when I see it. Perhaps not everyone does think that though.0 -
Unless the current EA have been really useless I woudl be very wary of getting a second EA involved.
If you do, make sure the new contract is crystal, so that you don't pay any fees to the new EA for a buyer that perhaps saw your place initially with EA1 but comes through EA2 this time. You could end up paying twice.0 -
Dear YoungBlueE
Completely sorry to learn that your house sale has fallen through. We are planning to sell our property in the not too distant future and I have been monitoring RM and the property press religiously lately trying to get an eye on what the "punters" are doing regarding the property market.
Apparently it is well known that house buyers are quite picky right now and maybe this might have something to do with it?
Where I live there are around 10 - 15% of property sales that appear to fall through, only for them to come out of "sold" and be re-advertised on the market. However, they always appear to re-sell later. This unfortunately seems to be "part and parcel" of selling your home at the moment, you are not on your own believe me!
Personally, I would give it a couple of weeks and re-advertised with another estate agent. Presently there are houses that just aren't shifting as the market appears very, very slow indeed. We plan on selling ours just before the next Election as they prophesize that the market should pick up by 2021.
Good luck for the future!0 -
I don't think EAs are always much of a muchness, no. But I think it's down to the individual agent being good rather than the actual firm necessarily.
Our flat was on the market for several months. We really liked our EAs personally but they couldn't shift it.
Switched agent and the guy literally bullied someone into buying it in three days. I happened to be at home during that viewing and heard him do it. That sale was all down to him as an individual bringing the right client in, who he'd shown a lot of other properties to already and working on him. Didn't even let him leave the flat until he'd agreed to a second viewing!0
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