Mumsnet Talk

We are trying to get our house on the market. We don't live in it and in fact live a few hours away so am doing things remotely.

I am finding it almost impossible to get started and can't even seem to manage to get valuations done! I know the market is slow and maybe if things aren't really moving the agents aren't very motivated but I find it unbelievable that I'm having to chase and chase just to get them to go round! They do have to pick up keys from the letting agent but that shouldn't be too bloody difficult.

Its a really nice house and its in an area where a couple have actually sold in the last 2 weeks so I don't get it. Out of 3 only 1 has been round and called me straight back. The second went after 3 phone calls (!) and the 3rd I think has been but has not called me to discuss and is was not in the office yesterday and might be back later today or might not apparently.

Have told them all we are really keen to get going immediately. Am inclined to go with the only keen one but they don't do floorplans and I know that's something that puts me off so surely puts others off too?

I can't see that being useless and slow at this stage is a good sign so is having no floorplans on rightmove etc a real no no?

Not the most exciting issue but I would love opinions.

Really puts me off - why on earth dont they do them?

We were looknig for a house for 18m and there were a couple without floorplans that we didnt bother going to see in the end when got too busy - always putthem to bottom of pile.

Make me think they are trying to hide poky room sizes of odd layouts.

I read that as £18 million, Befuzzled. I thought blimey, you'd think they'd do a floorplan for that sort of commission!

Op, I would say keep looking for an agent that is both enthusiastic and does floorplans. Both are essential.

Never heard of an estate agent that doesn't do floorplans, surely it's a way of selling properties? Very odd that nobody seems to want to do anything to get their commission. What about putting it on with two agents so they can compete with other and maybe get more motivated as a result? I know you have to pay higher commission but sometimes it's worth it if you have two buyers from different agents who both want the property.

yeah it puts me off if there isn't a floor plan too....

Floor plan is essential for me!

Very!

We've been looking at houses recently and having a floor plan makes it much easier to visualise before going to see the house.

I found floorplans really useful when looking, often more so than photos.

I did use an agent that doesn't use them, for a while, they were very keen at first but didn't sell the house. (Haart, wouldn't recommend them for all sorts of other reasons anyway - may be just here but same juvenile, sloppy approach in two offices under different managers here, so I suspect it may be the company culture).

You do have to think about how the agent is going to respond when a potential buyer calls. Will they have difficulty getting through, not have their calls returned etc?

Hmmmm thanks all. I think we need to start again with someone else. Its so bloody frustrating as we've wasted 3 weeks already just trying to get it valued.

Last time we sold we had to sack the first agent for basically doing nothing and that was in the old days of property market craziness. Being slow and useless in this market seems very odd indeed.

This agent was actually arguing with me that internet marketing (and floorplans) are not very important .

Oh I love a floorplan, and I like one with the room measurements on too. I prefer them to photos and gimmicky virtual tours etc.

I wouldn't view a house that didn't have a floorplan unless it ticked absolutely all the boxes re price, location etc etc. I find it really hard to visualise layout etc from the agent's blurb and it's always the first thing I look at.

I was going to ask if it was just this week and problems with the snow with them not being available, but if it has been 3 weeks then it isn't that.

A floor plan definitely is a plus point for me, but the lack of one wouldn't put me off.
Won't the agent you like do one if the alternative is not getting the business?

A floorplan is a must. When you contact agents tell them that they've got x amount of time to get back to you or they lose your business.

oh just read the last line of your post. I would have thought that internet marketing was VERY important these days.

Internet marketing is just about the only thing that is important!

There is now some company that will advertise for you on Rightmove for a few £hundred, if you could be bothered to do the viewings and negotiation yourself.

I'd ask agents whether they think there's anything you could do to improve the house for sale - decorating etc. If it's saleable they should be keen.

I agree Muffin (nice name) room sizes at the very least are a must.

He was rabbiting on about their groundbreaking "audiotours" being much better than a floorplan.

Had forgotten how tedious and stressful the whole house-selling business is.

I'd say having the house on Rightmove etc is very very important. I have a look on there most days. I will look in the window of estate agents when I'm doing school runs but 99% of looking I do online.

Essential to me!

I am always amazed by the difference in agents, we had a great one who actually waived his fee- we put it up with them as they were selling the one we wanted which was worth much more to them! My bro on the other hand had to pay his agent if he wanted escorted viewings.

Audiotours? There's nothing on earth that would persuade me that listening to some EA droning on is better than a floorplan. He sounds like an utter pillock

We're doing the house buying thing at the moment and floor plans are vital! That said, I have been to view properties without them but I really dislike it esp afterwards when I like to sit and mull over the floorplan and visualise it all.

18 million I would expect floorplans etched in Gold!

Going against the flow here, floor plans do nothing for me, I want to see good photos, accurate measurements and a decent description. If I have the slightest inclination a house might be in the running I go and look, I think you need to be in a house to see how the space works.

I don't think they are all that useful unless the house has a highly unusual internal layout.

They have only been around on standard house particulars for less than 10 years - so they are obviously not essential, but seem to be part of the package these days.