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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that if my salary depended on commission I would work a hell of a lot harder than these estate agents

19 replies

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:00

I'm thinking these estate agents are, quite frankly, shite.

Flat has been on the market for over 2 months with two estate agents. We have only had 1 viewing. I am starting to despair. I really don't think that it's over priced but if we had had more viewings and that's what people were saying then we'd review the price. Besides, in my experience people still look at over priced properties and, if they like them, they make low offers. Not happening here.

Just called both sets of estate agents and asked them what they're doing to get viewers in. I asked if they'd called round people on their mailing lists and one estate agent said, "Sorry, we've not done that because we've been so busy over the last few weeks". The other said they hadn't yet but would try to do it this week. Arrrgggggg!! They've had two months to do it ffs.

Yes, the flat is on various websites but surely they should be being a bit more proactive in this kind of market?

I don't get it. This is how they make their money so why the hell aren't they trying a bit harder? Am itching to get in there and just get on the phone myself.

AIBU or are they a bit useless and I should be pushing harder?

OP posts:

nijinsky · 10/05/2011 13:03

Slightly different because I'm using solicitors to sell it, but I've been trying to get my flat on the market since February! Have been chasing up structural surveyors, surveyors and solicitor to get the damned thing advertised and still no luck! Various problems with sick leave, people leaving jobs and not actually answering their telephones during working hours or having voicemail fgs!

Not doing anything and having the client chase you up is technically referred to as "sitting on it". How can they be too busy over a couse of several weeks!

Chil1234 · 10/05/2011 13:04

If it's not a very large property or if it's a little tough to sell then they'll focus their attention on bigger, more popular stuff because that will generate them more cash. You have to keep on their backs and make yourself unpopular if you want them to shift themselves. If you think you could do a better job yourself there's actually nothing stopping you. Save the commission, take out some big ads in local papers, register with internet sites, EBay.... :)

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:07

Chil1234, we're seriously considering trying to sell it privately. Yes, it's only a 3 bed flat and not one of the huge lovely houses down the road. But this is London so the agent will still be doing pretty well out of the sale.

OP posts:

EldonAve · 10/05/2011 13:09

any chance of a link?

Chil1234 · 10/05/2011 13:11

Not half as well as he'll do out of huge, lovely houses, I bet . But if your property is in a nice spot and it's reasonably priced, you can probably do as good a job as anyone else flogging it. When I finally sell up I'm planning to organise a viewing party, get all the potential buyers in the place at once, stuff them with vol-au-vents and cheap plonk, and make them feel a little nervous that someone else will get it before them!

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:12

Not sure if this will work:

www.winkworth.co.uk/sale/property/WNKDUL002280?choose_type_sales=1&locality=Peckham%20Rye&offset=47

OP posts:

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:17

Really good idea Chil

OP posts:

ILoveDrKarl · 10/05/2011 13:22

I feel your pain. Our house has been on the market since November. Unfortunately just a few days after it went on the snow hit and we were under 2ft of snow for the next 6 weeks. (we're NE Scotland) Then it was Christmas and NY - never a good time to get people in. Nevertheless we had a few folk through the door and even had a few "notes of interest". Since Feb there's been nothing at all, even though the market is now picking up again. I had to call them to ask them to chase up the notes of interest as they had done nothing about them. I'm now seriously cheesed off with them - they are not proactive AT ALL and just plain lazy IMO. (I haven't had any form of communication with them for nearly 3 months now!) I'm just off now to ring around a few other places and we're moving to another company because I can't take it anymore.

petitepeach · 10/05/2011 13:24

The flat looks great! I can sympathise; got the same problem my house has been on the market for a couple of weeks, the amount of chasing about crap photos, no floor plan etc, I feel like I have earned the commission myself!
Also the strain of keeping the bloody thing tidy when you have little kids is enough to give you a breakdown.... just waiting for a probably waste of time viewing now......also the rudeness of people and their kids has shocked me........they just let them run wild......
The novelty has definitely worn off......forgot what a pain in the bum moving house is.......

trixie123 · 10/05/2011 13:26

was about to start a "grrrr house selling/buying" type thread but will jump on this one for economy. Have been trying to sell ours since sept. Have reduced the price twice and we are now the cheapest of its type within a 3 m radius. Agents have not exactly had people flooding through, they didn't think it was overpriced but we found a house we liked so reduced to try and speed things up. (Owner wouldn't take it off the market until ours was under offer). Have now got a possible offer on the table but about 3 days too late for the one we wanted.. am v pg with DC2 and really not coping well with the ups and downs. Plus, the agent for the one we wanted didn't bother to ring and tell us there had been another offer on it which we could have perhaps countered. and and wanting lots of but can't. just not going to do it at this point.. In short, yes agents are rubbish and a waste of space. All they do is put it on Rightmove anyway.

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:26

peach, yes, keeping it in "viewable" condition is bloody hard. Especially when you're doing baby led weaning . I could spend all day everyday cleaning up.

OP posts:

ThePontypinesAreFriendsOfMine · 10/05/2011 13:29

Forget the estate agent, have an open house, and see where it goes from there.

Best of luck

musicmaiden · 10/05/2011 13:32

Another one here in North London with a flat on the market since September - estate agent initially overpriced but now I think we're at a more sensible price but absolutely no viewings for the past few weeks. The market is pretty dreadful but even so... totally demoralising.

Am desperate to move as we only have a small 2-bed flat and we have a 20mo - enough said. Yes, keeping it as a showhome with a child is hell.

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:33

Oh trixie sorry you're having a stressful time. It's shit to deal with that kind of thing at the best of times, let alone when you're pg. Are you going to take yours off the market for a while? We'll be doing the same in a few months . . .

I'm starting to think that open house/private sale is a great idea.

OP posts:

musicmaiden · 10/05/2011 13:34

Anyway OP, YANBU whatsoever. I hate dealing with estate agents and am too nice to shout at them to pull their finger out.

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:36

Yeah, I've been a bit too polite to date but that's all about to change.

OP posts:

trixie123 · 10/05/2011 13:41

really don't want to take it off the market as we NEED to move for more space. We can't even (assuming we find a buyer) sell and move into rented for a bit cos we are tied into a mortgage deal for another 2 years and would have to pay a huge penalty if we cash it in early so we have to sell and buy at the same time. Forgot about the whole keeping the house "viewing ready" but is a TOTAL PITA with a toddler around plus new baby stuff accumulating - have had more than one cancel at the last minute as well when we have spent all of sat morning cleaning and tidying.

Original poster

Honeybee79 · 10/05/2011 13:44

Yep, we had a cancellation on a Saturday after DH and I had spent all of Saturday morning cleaning up. It's a constant battle against mess round here.

Really hope you get a buyer soon Trixie.

OP posts:

TheFantasticFixit · 10/05/2011 13:48

As soon as I read your OP I KNEW that Winkworth would be involved. They are lazy, lying, manipulative EAs. - I would avoid like the plague. Definitely try the open house route and Good Luck.

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