...to expect better from my estate agent?

[WineGoggles]

On July 20th I had 3 carefully chosen estate agents (who sell my sort of property) visit to look round my cottage. It's been on the market for a long time and I really want to sell it so was looking for a new agent; they all knew this and knew that I want someone who is professional and proactive. On the 23rd I made my choice and called EA to ask him to market my property. He said he was fully booked that week so unable to revisit to take the particulars, then he was on holiday the following week. OK I thought, I'll wait as from my research they were the company I wanted to use. He came to view it on Monday 6th, and with his assistant, the new young lady in the office, they took photos and details. He said it would take up to a week to get the draft to me. I heard nothing until there was a knock at my door (unusual as I live rurally, and not what I like really as I live alone) from an unknown man who asked if I was selling my cottage with [insert name of EA]. I wondered who the hell he was TBH! It turns out he was there to put the sign up, but the EA hadn't even had the courtesy to inform me he'd be visiting even though I stressed how I wanted to be kept informed.

The draft brochure finally arrived via snail mail on the 17th, with gloomy photos and so many mistakes on it it was a piss take. The only good thing is that I did enjoy scralling red pen over the lot, which really highlighted how many mistakes he made. I sent it back the same day so they should've received it on the 18th. It's now the 23rd and I have just had to chase up the agent as I've not heard anything. He said sorry for the delay, he emailed it yesterday, that they're having email problems blah blah and he'd resend it. Well, although he brightened the pics (why didn't he do that originally!?) he didn't amend all the mistakes so it's gone back again! It turns out he's the branch manager which makes it even worse IMO. When I was a project manager I would've received a bollocking if I'd churned out such shoddy work and I don't think I'm BU to expect better attention to detail surely. AIBU to be rather peed off?

Think you need to explore other options and give your second choice EA a chance to do better!

Not surprising at all. IMO estate agents are all on a pisstake and expect you do do all the work. When you finally sell the place (with or without their help) they will do the one thing that they are really efficient at - sending you the bill.

Express you disgust with your feet. Tell them you no longer require their services as the quality of work you have already seen does not inspire confidence - give them a list of mistakes so they're under no illusions as to why you're sacking them. Refuse to pay for anything that has already been done. Get someone else who gives a shit about doing a good job.

Pisses me off when companies like these are happy to take a cut of your sale, for doing as little as possible. I've never yet met an EA that is proactive in selling a house, instead of knocking out a brochure and sitting back while prospective buyers do all the leg work.

You might want to make sure they are actually booking viewings as well if they are that bad.

Earlier this week, I rang up 2 estate agents book viewings on two different houses.

The first agent didnt ring back and when I rang them 48 hours later it was clear they had just forgotten to contact the owner.

The second agent did make the booking but rang me this morning to check when the viewing was. He had forgotten when it was.

In this slow housing market you would think agents would actually get the basics right but it just shows how little they did for their commission during the boom.

If he is this rubbish while he is still winning your business, he will never sell your house. You might, but then you'll be giving him thousands for nothing.

Have you already signed a contract with him? Hope not. Sounds like he doesn't need your business. What attracted you to that company?

YANBU...about the delays, the pics and the mistakes.

Did you say you wanted a board?

EA's employ a "board man", who will, on instruction put up a board, but it is very unlikely he will communicate to the EA exactly when he will do so. So, to a certain extent, frustratingly for everyone that is out of the EA's hands. Usually a board will just magically appear outside your house one day, without a knock on the door.

I can understand at this time of year people being short staffed, if staff are on holiday/ill , but it shouldn't take long to get a draft to you once he'd been out. He should have been able to email it within 24 hours. Are you sure you want to use this company?

IMO estate agents are all on a pisstake and expect you do do all the work
And this is the problem. These are the third I've tried and all my friends who have sold houses have the same gripes, so even if I changed agent I reckpon it would be out of the frying pan into the fire.

I sacked the first agent after a year because when I phoned them to ask why I wasn't getting the interest they suggested reducing the price. OK, fair enough except they valued it in the first place and I expected them to keep an eye on such things; they should've been calling me to discuss how to make the property more desirable not me chasing them up. Then I went with an online agent who did a better job but after a year it still hadn't sold and it was a case of readvertise with them or try something else. I chose this one because their website and adverts were the best of the 3 I had round. Of the other 2, one of them arrived in very high heels and didn't even look around outside (not good considering one of the selling points of my place is the paddocks and large garden!) and the other was charging .25% more than the rest for nothing better. I'd try selling it myself but then I couldn't advertise on RightMove or Prime Location and that IMO is a big negative.

Lynette, yes I wanted a board so at least that part was OK. I just expected the agent to be able to let me know when he would turn up, but clearly they don't think they need to.

If your property has been on the market for a year, there may be a problem with the price as well as the marketing.
I do hope that you have been careful with the mistakes you have corrected, your post has a considerable number.

We are surrounded by estate agents with several national chains and local independents and despite the fact that our property (2 bed flat) is one of literally hundreds in the area on the market our EA was proactive from day one. In constant touch with us, giving us feedback from viewings and willing to listen to our ideas. I know its partly luck as someone has to fall in love with your property but we felt that he was really fighting our corner and at just 1% too! He really was what I'd call an old school EA knew the market inside out and more interested in doing business than how flash his car looked! Rule of thumb....the more flash the car and the nicer the suit, tan etc the bigger the waste of space when it comes to EA's.

He's clearly not hungry enough for the money. That means he won't do a good job.

Ditch him now.

But as I said, the agent doesn't put up the board, they employ a company to do it, so it isn't always possible for the EA to let you know exactly when the board is going up. And if you asked for a board, then what's the problem? Someone knocking on your door? You are sounding a bit precious there.

The agent is aiming to sell your property at the highest price possible for you. They would rather not drop the price, but if all avenues have been explored, then this maybe the only option.

EA tend to value the house slightly higher than it's worth if they know you are having 3 agents out. People tend to go with the agent who values the house at the highest price, or have the lowest fees, rather than the agent who will best market the property. Weird but true.

Savvy vendors will listen to what the EA's value the house at, have a look at how the house will be marketed, factor in the the fees. Having decided which EA offers best value for money they will then agree on a price for the house to be initially marketed, baring in mind the price may need to be dropped after a certain amount of time - depending on how desperate the vendor is to sell.

"Rule of thumb....the more flash the car and the nicer the suit, tan etc the bigger the waste of space when it comes to EA's." -

Would you post a link to your house?

I have never dealt with a good EA. Ever.

I do hope that you have been careful with the mistakes you have corrected, your post has a considerable number.
The only things I altered where mistakes such as the EA saying it had mains drainage (it has a septic tank so it's private drainage), wrong dimensions, doors opening the wrong way on the floor plan, saying "view to the back" when it's a view to the front, saying I have 1 paddock when I actually have 2, saying LPG when I have mains gas, that sort of thing. I was careful only to alter actual mistakes.

I was mindful of not chosing the agent who valued the property the highest as I realise this is just to draw sellers in, but thankfully all 3 valued it the same. None were flashy either (a flashy one would really grate on me!)

Part of the problem with my place I think is that it's a bit specialised; it's a small cottage with some land, out in the sticks a bit rather than in commuter belt, and location is an issue, so not suitable for most people unfortunately.

I think just about everyone looks on right move for a house. Your paying to get on there. Most estate agents then expect you to do all the leg work. Our board went up while I was in bed one morning. It gave me a shock to look out the window and see a stranger on my front.

I'm sure there is a specialist agency for small holding type places, would that be suitable?

www.uklandandfarms.co.uk/

www.smithsgore.co.uk/property-for-sale

www.ruralscene.co.uk/look/frame.asp

Are any of these a better option?

Thanks for those links, Dawndonna, I'll have a good look at them later. I have a listing on a smallholder's website already which has been useful and the more the merrier AFAIK.

Anyway, I went into town today and had a chat to the EA and told him what I expect from him and how, so far, I'm not impressed. I just have to see what he does in the near future to find out if he's taken my gripes seriously, and if he hasn't I will go with another agent.