I’ve been looking for a property for a year. But I’m endlessly frustrated at how little effort many agents make to promote and sell their properties outside of London – even when they know I’m a cash buyer with nothing to sell.
So many instances I’ve left a message for info via Rightmove and not heard anything back. The main thing I’m looking for is a large garden but outside of London agents never include the garden on the site plan (which London agents generally do) and when I call up to ask how big a garden is (having had my request via Rightmove ignored) they practically always say they don’t know. The particulars will say something like large garden’ or larger than average garden’ but `large garden’ could mean anything. Recently an agent said he didn’t know but would find out and call me back but he never did. Most seem to think it a strange request and fob me off with a vague guess.
Despite being registered with agents in the area I’m looking, they often forget to let me know about suitable properties coming on, so thank goodness for Rightmove. And despite charging vendors up to 2k to print brochures (yes, this was my experience when I didn't know any better!) they never bother to send them out in the post to interested parties, at a push they can just about email details (but these are the same details available online so what is the point really).
I’ve currently put an offer in on a small dated bungalow in a good plot – after an internal redec it would be perfect for me. However the agent is generating interest by telling applicants that the property is a great development opportunity’ and that there is permitted development’ to extend it by 1000 feet (which would nearly double it). The owner has submitted various planning proposals over the years (all this available online) and they’ve all been turned down flat as the property is on Metropolitan Open Land and development is even more restricted than for Green Belt. `Permitted Development’ is an official term that means development that can be done without needing any planning permission and that is certainly not the case here. Because of the hope value, the owner has put it on for a price that reflects the opportunity to develop which is a third more than its value as it stands. The agent told me it’s wildly overpriced and they are expecting it to go for far less but surely it’s their job to knock sense into vendors – and by putting it on for such a large sum (when the agent tells me they would actually accept far less) is a hopeless sales technique as it will put off applicants even coming to view, thinking it is out of their financial league (not me, as I am a cynical old biddy and know how these things work).
Because of the hope value this disingenuous agency is peddling, there is a lot of interest but no doubt once a prospective buyer does their research they will realise that this putative planning opportunity is pie in the sky.
As a caveat, I have had experience with a good agent who sold my property in London last year. He wasn’t bright but he was hungry like the wolf for his commission; followed up all leads extensively and secured a sale in about 3 months, which given the state of the market last year was pretty good. But left to his own devices, he would show the flat without turning on lights or the fire so I always turned up before to do all this prior to him turning up.
I do think, given how much money they charge they really could use a bit more initiative, be more businesslike and show more energy and preferably not tell enormous porkies. The internet has made their life so much easier – customers now come to them, so they have become almost entirely reactive instead of proactive. Given how competitive the industry is, I don't understand the general level of ineptitude.
I’ve bought and sold 12 properties over the last 25 years so maybe I’m just suffering from estate agent fatigue and taking things too personally. And don’t get me started on online agents. Nurse!