Estate agents ....****** useless!!!!

[Mel B]

Just need to let off a bit of steam!!!

 

Here we are trying to sell our bungalow, been on the market since last year when we signed up with a nice estate agency with a good reputation and knowledge of the local market. Okay, so we know the market is still flat at the moment but obviously patience is a virtue and we're just waiting for a buyer to come along. Problem is, we've now found out that our ****** estate agents has been on reduced hours ... since MARCH!

 

When we signed up with them the local office was open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm every day Mon-Sat. We found out accidentally just over a week ago that they are now only open from 10-2 Mon-Fri, plus Saturday mornings. Now forgive me for being picky, but if they are not OPEN how the hell are they supposed to sell our blooming bungalow!!!! >:-(

 

I only found out because one of the assistant in the agent's office wanted me to contact her for something and said to only ring between 10.00 am to 2.00 pm, if she hadn't done this we would still not know they were closed for 50% of the time!!!

 

I spoke with the owner's wife who also works in the office and she said it was due to the economic climate, but surely reducing your availability is actually making things worse? She also said that they are considering increasing the hours so that they are there 9.00 am to 3.30 pm (can't do later as the assistant has child care issues!!!!), plus Saturday morning - I sympathise but it is still NOT what we 'signed up' for.

 

To add insult to injury, they are also now using the premises for an antiques business too, no doubt to supplement their income, but it does NOT look very professional.

 

Consequently, we've curently looking at moving to another agent, so I've just written them a letter terminating our contract with them and pointing out that, as they've 'breached' our agreement I don't expect to have any withdrawal fees levied. It won't make up for the fact that their actions could have seriously reduced our chances of selling during the summer, even in the current market - we'll never know. Its a matter of trust - we have had our trust undermined and abused.

 

I've had one agent down already and am waiting to have a visit on Tuesday from another before we decide which to go with, in the meantime to be safe I've put a private ad on the internet so that we don't breach any HIPS rules (it has to be continually advertised otherwise we'll have to repeat the searches ... no chance!).

 

At some point we'll sell (she says hopefully!) and can move on with all our future plans.

 

Fuming of Cottingham! >:-(

[W3526602]

Hi,

 

During the boom years in the 1970s we called into our estate agents to ask a question. Mid afternoon. We found them about to lock up and go down the beach. OK, it WAS a very hot day.

 

More recently, an estate agent told us that most of their customers came via the internet, and they only advertised in the local rag too keep their clients happy. But that was THEN .... before the crunch.

 

Most EAs now want sole selling rights. YOU find a buyer, they still want their commission. I guess you have to live with that. But you are cutting off your nose if you don't try to sell it yourself too.

 

Ebay charge £30 for a weeks listing, but you get lots of room for description and photos, so use it all. Also bids on property are not binding on vendor nor bidder, its just an introduction agency. There is no selling fee. So get contact details of anyone who expresses an interest.

 

The Ebay system means that you do not see how much anybody bids ..... unless somebody outbids them. I found that somebody had bid £20,000 for my little bit of land, but only £15000 was shown as the highest bid. This usually protects the bidder, so they bid with confidence ..... but not in this case.

 

£30? Cheap if you sell, expensive if you don't. But might be worth one punt. Find them under www.ebay.co.uk HOME & GARDEN PROPERTY.

 

There is also www.preloved.co.uk Lots of room for spiel, but only one photo. Adverts last for a month, can be renewed, and are FREE. If you then pass anybody interested onto your estate agent, you have lost nothing.

 

I bought my present caravan from Preloved.

 

602

[Mel B]

Hi 602

 

I've already got an advert on preloved as well on the local 'stuff for sale' free classifieds:

 

Mel's Bungalow

 

Not so sure about ebay, to be honest I have looked on there myself when we were looking to buy rental property but it's like wading through treacle most of the time as there is so much dross on it. I'll see what the agent says tomorrow afternoon before we decide what we're doing.

 

 

[Guest Tracker]

Good job you are not oversized Mel otherwise living in a home with 3/4 of a bedroom would be very cosy?

 

Much estate agency business comes via the internet these days with the second most business via the phone and local paper adverts and very little from people who just walk in the office.

 

As long as the agents offer you internet exposure - preferably on Right Move - and regular local paper exposure - I doubt reduced office hours will affect your chances of a sale that much - not that it makes their failure to tell you any more acceptable.

 

That said estate agents are by nature propagators of the misleading and untruths by dint of what they DON'T say - such as when there is an abattoir, pub car park, 24/7 filling station or electricity sub station next door!

 

Ample parking does not mean you can get your motorhome in the drive and just because it has a garage does not mean that you could actually turn a car - unless it's a Smart car - to get it in or out of the garage.

 

If they do not actually say that a room has a good view or outlook you can bet that it overlooks one or more of the above said eyesores and when they omit to mention room sizes it's because they are small rooms!

 

Cynical - you bet yer boots I am - lying twisting conniving bar stewards the lot of 'em!

[Guest peter]

Can't see your house on Rightmove Mel. maybe your agents are trying to save a few bob and not listed it. No wonder your'e not getting any viewings. If you go with another agent don't have any minimum period and don't pay them any more than 1%. That's what we did.

Here's our old house. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-13156488.html?maxPrice=250000&minBedrooms=3&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=1&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Ffind.html%3FsearchType%3DSALE%26locationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E20590%26radius%3D0.0%26displayPropertyType%3D%26minBedrooms%3D3%26maxBedrooms%3D%26minPrice%3D%26maxPrice%3D250000%26maxDaysSinceAdded%3D%26retirement%3D%26partBuyPartRent%3D%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26sortByPriceDescending%3D%26primaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26secondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26newHome%3D%26auction%3Dfalse%26x%3D49%26y%3D10

[colin]

Well just to add insult to injury, markets not flat around here, not so many houses on the market as couple of years ago,but those that are snapped up, whe're back to gazumping times. *-)

[Mel B]

Peter

 

Your old place looks lovely! What's your new one like in comparison. :-S

 

Here's a link to one of the websites, ours is the top property, the one below is our next door neighbour! :-D

 

Mel's bungalow

[Guest peter]

Nice house Mel. I wish I could have got that kind of money for mine. I know it would be worth it , but people don't have the cash, plus there's the stamp duty to consider.

[Mel B]

Thanks Peter, it is a very nice place to live, but it does take a fair bit of up-keep and doesn't benefit from being left 'shut-up' for any length of time, old properties rarely do, so that's the main reason why we want to move, the money will be nice if we get it, but it's not the most important thing (not that I'll object to it of course!).

 

I've just been concocting a nice long letter to the soon to be ex-estate agents, gonna see them tomorrow lunchtime and get my HIP reports etc off them then give the letter to them. Told them in no uncertain terms not to come looking for any 'withdrawal' fee ... if they want to try to say they've earned anything, I'm ready for a fight and will report them to their numerous 'professional' bodies if needs be.

 

Had another agents round today and he was flabbergasted at what they've done, "throat", "own", "their" and "cutting" comes to mind.

 

I might, also, let some of the other clients know what they've been up to as I suspect they don't know either, I'll see how it goes first though.

[josie gibblebucket]

It's no wonder people rarely have a nice word to say about estate agents. Hopefully you will be able to find a better one to deal with. I don't know how any of them justify their charges though. :-|

[Mel B]

Went to see the agents today, met Lisa, the pleasant assistant and before anything else got her to send a copy of the HIP to my email so I've got it! >:-) Apparently they will email the report to a genuine interested buyer but if that buyer wants a printed copy they charge ... wait for it .... £50 .... yes you've read right, £50 for 35 sheets of paper!!!!! 8-) What a ruddy rip off!!!!!

 

I then proceeded to tell her that we would be withdrawing from the agency, she enquired as to why, so I told her, very politely (it's not her fault after all but the owners), and said I would put it in writing. Once they get that after 14 days they'll remove it form the market (ie office and website), collect their board and sort out the final account ... it will be interesting to see if they actually have the cheek to send me a bill at all seeing as their own blub says if they are in 'breach of their obligations' to us, we don't own them anything. Bearing in mind their negating to tell us a faily vital piece of information, I would say they certainly are in breach. The amount isn't massive, £125 + VAT, but that's not the point.

 

Back to the HIP - what a total and utter waste of money! It says very, very little, is to some extent inaccurate - the twit who did the EPC didn't include the fact that we have free standing lights with low energy bulbs in them and we use them rather than the main lights, we did tell him but obviously he's forgotten, and also missed other bits. A piece of very expensive and useless rubbish not woth the paper it's not printed on! According to the other estate agents I've had round, no one reads the ruddy things anyway! >:-(

 

Cursing of Cottingham.

[Guest Tracker]

We got our HIP done by Hips Vault on line.

 

It took 3 days from my first email for them to visit, inspect, compile and email me the result and cost £180.

 

I am well impressed and although my agent does not charge clients for a copy if he did I would print them out myself or do what I do now and offer to email the potential buyer a copy so that they have it instantly and can do their own printing if they feel the need!

[Bazza454]

Agree entirely with Mel about the HIP.

My daughter recently had the HIP on her house and the very polite lady who said before she did the survey "don't worry, it will be a "D" but nobody bothers to read them anyway."  

[W3526602]

Hi,

 

I could feel a limp coming on in the property market the day HIPs were introduced.

 

602

[BGD]

Hi Mel -

 

I'll probably get shot by some for "being picky", but I'm commenting to try to help you with your sale........

 

Have you noticed all the many spelling and grammar errors in that Estate Agents public advertisement for your property?

 

It surely isn't going to help your sale to see such a slap-dash attempt at an advertisement from them.

 

 

If they allow such poorly constructed adverts to be written and then published, I wonder how "professional" any other part of their operation is likely to really be at all.

 

 

 

Maybe you might want to tell them to get their act together; do it again for you, and this time actually manage to get their advert right by using someone other than their office chimp?

For the money they're no doubt charging, I'd expect them to actually employ some people who can read and write.

 

 

 

 

(You may deduce that I am NOT a fan of Estate Agents.)

[Guest Tracker]

How right you are Bruce - but then unlike me you must have paid attention in school - unless the younger you are the worse the standard of basic education has become?

 

I had to spelling and grammatical errors - including new ones caused by their inability to copy clearly written corrections!

 

When I read property details these days many of them make me cringe with their display of ineptitude and apathy.

[Mel B]

Bruce ... too late, I've kicked them into touch, delivered the termination letter on Friday and told them not to come looking for a fee as they are in "breach of their obligation to us", wording from their own contract - and I would say that not telling us that they are closed the 50% of the day is pretty much covered by that, we'll see what happens.

 

Unfortunately a lot of estate agents 'text' is abysmal, no matter which one you use, I think the 'not so well trained' chimps are well employed around these parts. :-D

 

Anyway, I've spent a bit of time doing my own web advert so that there can't be any question of our not advertising the bungalow and thereby protecting the HIP, not splashing out on that again! Odd tweaks to do, but I'd appreciate you telling me what you think ... go on ... you just know you want to!!! :D

 

http://mynewhome.yolasite.com

 

 

[W3526602]

Hi,

 

When HIPs started, you did not need a report for a private deal. I assume that included private advertising? Or was it just word of mouth? It would be strange if "consenting adults could only sell their houses in private".

 

Has that changed? Ie - CAN you advertise you house privately before getting a HIP? And is the fine less than the cost of the HIP? Has anybody been fined yet? Who enforces the law, and how do they know? Is there a data base of HIPs that Jobsworth can refer to?

 

602

[josie gibblebucket]

Your bungalow looks really lovely, the photos are good - I almost feel as though I'd just walked around the garden! If only I had that kind of dosh, I'd make you an offer ;-)

[Mel B]

W3526602 - 2009-10-26 7:08 AM

 

Hi,

 

When HIPs started, you did not need a report for a private deal. I assume that included private advertising? Or was it just word of mouth? It would be strange if "consenting adults could only sell their houses in private".

 

Has that changed? Ie - CAN you advertise you house privately before getting a HIP? And is the fine less than the cost of the HIP? Has anybody been fined yet? Who enforces the law, and how do they know? Is there a data base of HIPs that Jobsworth can refer to?

 

602

 

According to the business link website (and others) a HIP is not required for:

 

* sales where no marketing has taken place, for example to a family member, neighbour or friend

* non-residential properties

* properties limited by law for use as holiday accommodation or occupation for less than 11 months per year

* mixed sales, eg a shop with a flat

* right to buy and similar sales

* sales of property portfolios

* properties not being sold with complete vacant possession

* unsafe properties and properties for demolition

 

 

 

 

[howie]

For goodness sake Melanie, either drop the asking price or accept any reasonable offer that comes your way. All very well moaning about hips, estate agents and such, but its the potential buyer,s valuation that counts, not your's, or your agents, and after all this time its obvious that they are not prepared to pay the current asking price.

i know you want the best possible deal chick, but having this drag on for so long stops you making that clean break and will always be a worry until that sale is completed.

[Guest peter]

I must agre with Howie,Mel it does look like a very high price for a 3 bed bungalow. The area I live is quite high pricewise, but my house went in 2 weeks as the price was realistic. Plus the agent had a buyer that was looking for my type and location of property.

Try advertising it at a lower price and see how many hits you get. You don't have to sell it at that price, but it will give you an indicator of it's value.

Not being critical as I've not seen your house, but it might be an idea.

[W3526602]

Hi,

 

An auction has advantages. It gives you the true value on the day of sale, even if it doesn't reach reserve, you get a valuation. Details are circulated to a very wide audience, most of whom are interested in buying something.

Contracts are exchanged on the fall of the hammer, complete 4 weeks later. You keep the 10% deposit if they fail to complete.

 

Disadvantage? It costs you a few hundered pounds up front, as estate agent has a lot of preparatory work to do (there's a surprise). And you still have to pay their normal commission if it sells. My plot of land got one bid of £25,000, (my reserve was £30,000). The EA chased the bidder after the auction, got them to pay £33,000. As I had only paid £10,000 for the plot..........

 

Facts of life ...... A good deal is where both parties think they got the best of it. Any property will sell if the price is right. It is not a good idea to chase a falling market downhill ..... you need to get ahead of it - OK, you sell for less than it is worth today, but tomorrow you will be glad you did.

 

Whatever, good luck.

 

602

[PJay]

Why are you selling Mel? if wishing to buy elswhere, then surely the price of the one you want to buy , will have reduced as well?

PJay

[BGD]

Hi Mel -

 

The website looks very good indeed; far more information, well presented, and plenty of photos (which i think is the best way to generate some interest).

 

Publicise it's web address all over the place now!

 

 

 

It seems to me that the one big stumbling block is your asking price.

 

That seems a massive amount of money to be asking for a bungalow, even a lovely one, in even a bouyant market.

Current market is utterly at the other end of the cycle.

 

In the end, a house will only sell for what a buyer is prepared to pay for it, relative to all other houses he could get for the same money, at that time.

 

It absolutely isn't worth what the seller thinks it might be worth, it's actaully worth what a buyer will actually pay.

 

 

 

One thought that might help: rather than looking in Estate Agents for what other prosective sellers are asking for properties similar to yours (and of course, like ours, which HAVE NOT sold!), a good trick to find out the ACTUAL selling price of any similar properties which have sold in the recent past.

You can do this by going to the Land Registry website and just typing in the address, or postcode, or road of any such properties......it gives you date of sale and actual selling price paid.

 

Dunno if it'll help, but it might give you a better feel for whether your asking price is simply way too high in the current real world market, and that's why those few people who are actually looking to buy are buying other houses roundabouts rather than yours............