How important is it to use the same estate agency to sell & buy?

[Cinnamon2013]

Hi

Just that, really. We are looking to move and sell our property. It's small but in a sought-after area in London and the agents I've spoken to seem to stress how much easier our buying process will be if we use them to sell our property too, more straightforward and they'd make our interest and offers a priority etc. Should I take that seriously? I'd be interested to hear any stories really - of buying with the same agency or buying with two different ones. Thank you!

[wowfudge]

Pick the one you feel will do the best job of selling your house or flat. They just want two commissions.

[Believeitornot]

We used two because we were moving areas. It was fine!

[insancerre]

It never occoured to me that I had to use the same agent
I've bought and sold twice and used different agents to buy and sell
Ime it isn't the agents that slow things down it's the solicitors

[123rd]

We have used the same one that was selling the house we wanted. And we have used two different agents. Both worked out fine. As pp said they just want more commission. I would say it's less common to use the same for purchase and sale.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

It's absolutely fine to sell through one agent and buy through another. Estate agents only act on behalf of the vendor so sell through the agent you think offers the best service. The agent for the house you buy isn't acting for you in any way so it's completely irrelevant and any agent who is unscrupulous enough to suggest it makes a difference is one to avoid imo.

[PurpleDaisies]

We're moving halfway across the country. Using two different estate agents is not optional. If you saw a house you love on with a different estate agent would you really not buy it?

[didireallysaythat]

We used the same (but we liked them). It was really helpful having the selling agent and the buying agent coordinating things. And the double commission I'm just focused them.

[magimedi]

I have bought & sold some 10+ properties over the years. I am old & have had to move a lot due to work.

All estate agents will say anything to get you on their books & sell your property.

Go with the ones you like best/are the least weaselly.

[Diamogs]

Go with the ones you like the best, who advertise on all the internet sites. The ones who are locked into On The Market can only advertise on RightMove or Zoopla not both so you are missing out on half the market.

[Cinnamon2013]

Thanks all for the helpful replies. We are moving within the same small area, so the agents would be the same. They suggested they'd feel very incentivised, and I can see the logic (I'm aware it's the two commissions they'd be after). Good to hear some have had positive experiences with different agents. We aren't on the market yet, but want to offer on a place this week, they've suggested if they market ours they could make us sound good to the vendor, but as Pps have said, ultimately it's the vendor's decision anyway.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

Bear in mind that making you sound good to the vendors if there are other better buyers interested would be very wrong as they are meant to be acting solely in the interest of the seller. Also bear in mind that if they do that how will you then be able to trust that they have got the best buyer for your property and not just the quickest easiest sale for them to earn their commission.

[Cinnamon2013]

Good point, hadn't thought of it that way.

[icklekid]

We found a house we loved and thought their estate agents were good when they showed us round properties so we put our house on with same agency. Our house didn't sell in time to get that house so we ended up buying with a different agency. To be honest the agency who we bought from were far more on it than the agency we sold with and if we were ever to sell again we would use them! I'm glad we had 2 as although it was an extra person to call regularly (as well as solicitor) it increased the chance of having someone good moving things along!

[Thecatisatwat]

I don't think it matters in the slightest whether you have the same EA. In fact I'd bet that in most cases the EAs are different. Personally I'd rather have two separate ones - at least if you then have problems (for e.g.) with the one who is handling the house you are buying it will have no effect on your house sale. I'd be especially wary of the one you describe who is pushing to handle both houses, why on earth would it make life easier, they're two different transactions and will probably still involve two lots of solicitors (unless of course they also suggest using their solicitor which would really make me walk away sharpish...) ?

[MrsSparkles]

Our sellers used the same EA for selling and buying. It helped in that when their purchase fell through they were very focused on finding them another property so as to limit the danger of our little chain collapsing!

[Brugmansia]

I don't really get how you can choose to use the same agent for both transactions. The vendor appoints an agent to sell. When buying surely you choose based on the actual property and have no control over which agent is involved, unless you only look at properties marketed by one agent so reduce your choice.

[Cinnamon2013]

Ok, I instructed agent A to sell our place yesterday m, then offered on a house yesterday with agent B. Agent B (a well known agency) said that as ours isn't under offer and the vendor is keen to move that the vendor was v unlikely to accept our offer unless we dropped agent A and sold with them, so they oversee the whole process. I can sort of see that the vendor might find it reassuring to get regular updates from agent B/see things moving along... But this is crazy, and unreasonable right? I'm staying put with our chosen agent but feel like our purchase has been blocked.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

those are bully boy tactics Cinnamon and though unfortunately common wouldn't be tolerated by any estate agent who actually does their job.
I have a good friend who is an agent, a really good one, and she is always horrified at the unprofessionalism of some of her peers. Estate agents will never be valued as a profession until they stamp this sort of thing out.
They act only in behalf of the seller never the buyer and that's the contract. A good agent will work their socks off regardless of who's in the chain. A bad or lazy one will always take the easy option, things don't move any faster legally under one agent and their advice if there were issues would have to be carefully considered.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

The agent legally has to pass your offer on so it's up to the seller. Personally I wouldn't rush to accept an offer on our house if the purchasers didn't even have their house on the market yet. Who knows how long theirs would take to sell.

I'd get yours on ASAP for a realistic price with excellent photos etc (note down all the great adverts you've seen and use them as a starting point. Don't be afraid to get you EA to redo text/photos). Get viewings going and keep negotiations open with the new house owners.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Oh and use the EA you choose, as above, they work for the seller but always have an eye on the commission!

[Bazza2]

Does agent B begin with an F and drive a little green car?

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

I wouldn't expect my offer to be accepted if I wasn't under offer yet myself. Stick with your preferred estate agent though.

[LucyLocketLostHerPocket]

The agent shouldn't advise the seller to take the house off the market until you have an offer in place as a buyer who is in a position to move more quickly may appear. But, since the agents you have instructed will only make a penny if you actually sell your house they shouldn't hang about getting the best offer for it either so that shouldn't make a difference.

[Cinnamon2013]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, aware that we're not in a strong position so we're getting things moving v quickly, open day in a week etc, we have reason to think/hope it'll get an offer quickly. I should have said - agent B (not the little green car dudes - an agency I thought would be better!) said they would only take it off the market if we sold through them. The approach/pressure has put me right off the whole thing. Good to know that legally they have to pass on our offer.

[Brugmansia]

If you've already instructed agent A you can't easily change to agent B, particularly if you have a sole agent agreement. If you changed agent and sold within a set time with a different agent you'd potentially be liable for 2 sets of agent fees. Agent B would know this. The alternative is to list with several agents but the commission rate will be higher.