ProperCharlie

My wife just contacted an estate agent to try to arrange a vewing of a property. Our plan was to look at a few places, and if we thought that it would be worth "downsizing" to that kind of place, then put ours on the market and see what happened.

However, once this bloke heard that our property wasn't currently on the market, he said that there was no point in us looking at any of his properties and refused to take the conversation further. Is this sort of attitude typical?

Whilst I can understand that estate agents don't want to waste time with "hobbyist" property viewers, I can't see how we are going to be able to decide whether or not to sell our current house, if they won't let us look at anywhere else?

King Eric

Its simple

View telling them your an investment buyer. Dont mention figures or the like or who your mortgage will be with....

That way they will take you seriously regardless of your selling position....

It is not un-common to be given short sharp shrift from agents if your not currently selling or even under-offer or sold subject to contract

Tell them very little, thats the key. That way they wont judge you...

Oh and when you do go to a viewing simply walk around, let them talk and dont say "I like the place or I dont like the place" Smile, be polite and dont comment on anything (even if there is dog s**t on the lounge floor)

When the agent rings and asks what you think simply say "I will get back to you"....or they will hound the **** off you all day long

ProperCharlie

An investment buyer? In this market?

Jeez - estate agents must be dumber than I thought!

Seriously though, thanks for the advice, Eric. That sounds like a good strategy.

Chip

PC,
Estate agents must get really fed up with viewers with no intention of buying just going around nosing at other peoples hopuses for the sake of it. A friend of my wifes does it all the time as shes got bugger all else better to do.

Maybe asking them to value yours at the same time may let them realise your serious about moving.

chip

Vipa

No it's not typical and it is very short sighted... apart from ancilliary items like lettings and financial services an estate agent's bread and butter is getting new houses on the market to sell. i.e. yours... buy not wanting to talk to you at this stage he hs quite probably lost any chance of getting you on the market with him...

Don't worry... with an attitude like that chances are he won't be in business long and if he works for one of the big corporates then again.... he won't for long!

Paul

ProperCharlie

That was exactly what I thought. It's hardly as if estate agents are in short supply around here, and in fact some of the properties we are interested in seeing are listed with several different agents. Never mind, this company's loss will be another's gain.

blueone

Why do Estate agents not look out of the window in the morning?
























It's because they need something to do in the afternoon! LOL

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

You looking round our way? Could have told you that!!

thundertiger

Charlie, go on mate, waste loads of their time.....
they might think about a career change then, thus eventually rendering estate agents as a thing of the past.

cheeky bastewards.

i might have a nosey round at some houses myself. (need some decorating ideas!!)

BB

Tiggs

although not dumb enough to show your wife houses when its a waste of their time!

ProperCharlie

So do they only entertain clients who have several hundred thousand pounds in their back pockets?

We aren't looking at houses as a way of passing slow weekends.

Tiggs

its tricky...i work in sales and if i bothered with the "potential time wasters" i wouldnt get anywhere......maybe the guy in questions has plenty of sales on the go and no sign of it slowing.....he doesnt want your "non business" now and if he looses in the long run so be it.

ProperCharlie

Fair enough I guess, Tiggs.

Puff - we have gone back to looking for somewhere else around here (sunny E17). Basically, to get somewhere reasonable around your way would not end up reducing our mortgage significantly, which is the point of the exersize. Maybe if "things work out" we might re-consider in a few years.

ThunderT - I've decided to ring all my local estate agents and ask them if they can deliver me a chicken madras, saag aloo and a naan. If they could pick up a couple of stellas for me as well, so much the better.

David Lock

I remember when I was selling a place and had got to stage of "I'm sick and tired of all this, tidying up, having a *** outside, putting the dogs outside and trying to stop them barking 'cos they wanted to come in, moving the car so there was room to park, etc etc (even without breadmaking and fresh coffee brewing)" when Martin & Brenda with snivelling little kids would come round to look at house blocking our driveway with some bloody 4 x 4.
Having shown them around (Agent tied up elsewhere -"would you mind just this time, David?") I would ask what their situation was.
"Oh we are just looking. Ours isn't on the market just yet" And they would INVARIABLY say "but we know it will sell quickly".
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh

Tiggs

1. ALWAYS best to show round yourself anyway...you know the selling points better than anyone.

2. ALWAYS tell your agent to send round people ready to rock.....unless you are desperate.

RussP

I own an estate agency so i guess i'll stick my head above the parapet...!

From our point of view we treat folks who aren't on the market as Royalty. The reasons simple, the business is all about getting the instrcution, that is the top priority - if you haven't got it, you can't sell it can you?

So if you come into my agency already on the market with another agent, signed on sole agency for 4 months or so, i have no chance of getting your house to sell. you may still buy thru me, but i'd rather sell yours and sell you your next home.

You're doing it exactly the right way round - if you come in and view, fall in love with something and quickly need to sell, then i instantly have a motivated, serious buyer, a competitely priced instruction and probably a decent fee rate for selling your own house. i can maje sure your own house is being pushed hard and then control both sale and purchase which increases the chance of your sale going thru okay.

Better business for me.

Thew agent you spoke to was obviously an idiot who doesn't understand the business at all. In all honesty the sooner they regulate my industry the better!

Harry_Boy

Got to agree there mate.... At least the FS side is now regulated.