To tell the estate agents I'm not happy with them and will go elsewhere if need be?

[PonfusedCarent]

I'm selling a property after the death of a parent (their actual home) and was advised the property should be added for 260k, the other estate agent said 250k and lowest said 220k. The estate agents I went with, with the highest but with the most helpful, pragmatic approach to the sale were wonderful in the beginning, a large nationwide chain. They have now added the listing, missing photos, no floor plan and when I got an offer in the very beginning almost 30k less, they put a lot of pressure on to sell it. There's work to be done but other than the usual places that need a complete refurbishment (kitchen and bathroom), it's mainly decoration and flooring.

I've highlighted the fact that if buyers can't see the floorplan, all of the photos, etc. it won't help. They then had the talk to suggest that the offer that was significantly under was more reasonable. I've looked at local prices and comparatively, it was very unreasonable and I'd expect to see perhaps no more than 15/20k less than asking since a reasonably well maintained equivalent sold for 270k recently.

The signage for the sale was taken and they weren't bothered saying it's done it's job in 2 weeks, I can only go by what they are saying but didn't think this was correct, I could drive by on the off chance and be really interested. Their attitude is now effectively the whole sucking sound you get from a mechanic when something is too much work/it'll cost you and it's as if they think IABU.

AIBU to expect they just put in the effort to sell it? Is this a tactic they use to now get a quick sale and I've been stitched up like a kipper?

If you're out of exclusivity with that agent re-list with another one, make sure they use a different first photo and include the relevant information and floorplan. You have to list at the first price you agreed with the previous agent obviously but you shouldn't have to accept a 30k drop in the initial 2 weeks. Lots of houses are online with 2 agents but if the cover photo is different it would potentially only be interested parties realising it was listed twice.
You've done your research and sound like you're being pragmatic with what the house is worth so don't get beaten down by EAs, we let ours undervalue our house and lost out on 10% of the value (potentially of course).
There's also potential for the low ball offer to be linked to the agent ie someone who works there looking to get a good deal. Estate agents in the UK are generally just teenagers in cheap suits with very little interest in what there work means to a lot of people.

Thank you so much for the advice, I need to remember this when feeling beaten down by it.

When I was looking at houses the floor plan was the very first thing I clicked on.

I have suspicions that Estate Agents have their eyes on properties which they (or friends or family) could buy cheaply and do up to sell for much more. I also have reasons to think that they have developers on their books who perhaps pay the Estate Agents to find them "doer uppers".
I was selling a property and it was all gushing praise for the house at first then the only offer was two thirds of the asking price. No one else offered. I dumped those agents went with another agent and after the first viewing got an offer 10 per cent more than the asking price.
There are some right slippery agents out there

Is there branding red and yellow?

Our neighbour died in March, with covid the family could not do anything for months, finally got an EA we were shocked at the low price within days it had a SSTC on rightmove. Turns out it was sold to a developer. The son said he thought he had got a good price, we told him he had been rooked. He was upset about it but should have got more quotes from different agents with no local axe to grind.

It is bizarre yours will not do a site plan.

My son saw a house a real doer upper the price was high, he offered almost full price, they would not sell it to him for 8 months because it was an estate matter. A horde of developers went in for a look but would not match the price because of loss of profit.

Many years ago I had to sell my late mother's house. The estate agent 'recommended' by the solicitor (joint executor) valued it at 25% less than the amount it sold for. I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Why don't you just go with an online listing site instead? Such as purple bricks. From what I've heard from friends, you have better ownership over the process and lower fees?

Can I clarify what you’ve put it on for, it’s not 100% clear from the OP - is it the £260k or £250k? So the offer is in the region of £220-£230k with a reasonably maintained property in the area going for £270k? It doesn’t seem that cheeky an offer to me tbh - kitchen and bathroom combined can cost £20-30k for something half decent and flooring can be astronomical too so it may be a considered offer from someone who has costed up what needs doing.

You’re right about the floor plan and missing photos though, that’s very poor. You need to check your contract to see if you can just walk away, there may be a minimum exclusivity period. Ultimately though if you feel it’s worth more, stick to your guns. Don’t forget the stamp duty holiday ends March 2021 so if you’ve not sold by then a £250k+ selling price will attract a higher rate and buyers will offer below to avoid paying additional duty

I think you are right about personal connections and underhand practices, I'm seething.

I've now received an email asking me to reconsider the low offer. I'd been considering lowering the listing price by 10k anyway but they haven't done the stuff they said they would which would actually help get further interest. I kept wondering why they don't actually want to put any effort into doing much towards selling the property.

I agree with @PervyMuskrat, if those are the figures then the offer doesn't seem that unreasonable - that kind of work is easily 20-30k, and also obviously involves the hassle of having it done. The lack of floor plan etc is a different issue. But if the offer is close to what one estate agent valued it at in the first place, then it doesn't seem that unreasonable

Read your contract carefully OP as usually they say you have to pay them if you sell it to anyone at all within a certain number of months after signing even if they don’t introduce the buyer.

If you have that clause you need to sack them and get them to agree they will walk away because it’s due to their failings first, before you sell to anyone else.

also they might try to encourage you to take a lower offer because the difference for them in commission on a £10 difference in sale price is pretty minor so they just want to get paid. But for you it’s a lot!

I used to work in an EA (I wasn't an EA, though) and this is pretty standard. They won't have it earmarked for a developer - the profit margin is far too low. From what you've said, I'm presuming your offer is around £232,000: considering it needs a new kitchen, bathroom, flooring and decorating (throughout?), then this isn't an unreasonable offer. Some prospective buyers will chance a low offer when a house is new to the market, as the vendor may be happy to accept it in order to have the sale done quickly. Also, even though you may feel the house is ok as it is, there may be things that a buyer wants to do that will add to their costs. This offer you've received is significantly above the valuation one of the other EAs gave you, and I think the EA that valued it at £250,000 would be pressuring you to accept this offer if they got it for you. It's possible they over-valued the property in order to get the listing - I saw this happen A LOT. The agent valuing the property would go in much higher than expected, then the EAs would struggle to get an offer close to it. The vendor would reject the lower offers: after all, they'd been given a valuation far higher and wanted that price … the EAs would lose interest as they couldn't get anyone interested at the high price. Vendor would eventually move agents, and usually list it at a more reasonable price. They should definitely have put a floor plan on, though. They won't do any more work on your listing whilst they're trying to persuade you to accept the offer. I think you need to either tell them straight that you're not accepting it - tell them what you are willing to accept - and get them to put on the floor plan and the other things you expected. If you are not in an exclusive deal with them, maybe go somewhere else, as their behaviour will leave a bad taste. They are supposed to be working for you - you're the one paying them for the sale - so decide what YOU want.

The difference in price between the similar one (just flipped, in better condition and sold to a HA, I might add) and what they want it to go for is 40k.

There isn't 40k of work. Unless I'm missing something about the process? Which may be so, I'm happy for it to be pointed out.

I keep being told they'd do the things they haven't and had zero follow up, considering they need access to do so. They also haven't done the EPC they agreed to do!

I will lower the asking price (not as low as they'd probably like) which I'd intended to do but I'll be telling them I hope their service improves as I'm hugely disappointed at how much they've overlooked this stuff. I've got a few more weeks left with them and then I'll consider trying to sell it elsewhere if need be.

I wouldn’t even view a house with no floor plan on the listing. They are not earning their commission and I would go with a different agent.

Oh crap! I've just seen I'd signed a 20 week sole agency fee. Approx. 16 more to go

Can I clarify what you’ve put it on for, it’s not 100% clear from the OP - is it the £260k or £250k? So the offer is in the region of £220-£230k with a reasonably maintained property in the area going for £270k? It doesn’t seem that cheeky an offer to me tbh - kitchen and bathroom combined can cost £20-30k for something half decent and flooring can be astronomical too so it may be a considered offer from someone who has costed up what needs doing

This absolutely on the nail. My parents’ house in a similar condition was valued at £200k. It cost me £30k to completely refurbish it and it sold for £255k which was in line with properties in excellent condition. A doer upper is always going to attract developers.

Btw, the estate agent isn’t doing well!

Look at other properties they are selling - do they have loads of pics and a floor plan? If yes then you want the same service.
Tell them to buck their ideas up as you won't budge on price between now and relisting at the end of their exclusivity period with a different agent.
Either way they won't get a penny unless they actively market the property properly.
Good luck - been there myself. Stick to your guns.

Part of the problem, I think, is that it’s a large chain EA. They don’t have the personal service that smaller ones with local knowledge do.

Before we knew this, we listed a house with a national EA and they were useless. No feedback on viewings, average photos, failing to turn up to viewings. We were in a contract, but I sent them a very long email, detailing all thr things they’d failed at and asking to end the contract because they hadn’t fulfilled their part. The manager of the branch released us from the contract, saying that they ‘hadn’t lived up to their usual high standard.’

Maybe you could list all of the issues you have with them and asked to be released from the contract. If they refuse, tell them that the contract will be terminated at the end of the twenty weeks. Often they expect you to give notice on top of the contract terms.

Unfortunately it’s not just the cost of the replacement bathroom & kitchen that people will put a £ value on, it’s the hassle factor and waiting times. It’s so difficult to get wood etc just now that any building work is taking a lot longer than normal so some people just won’t entertain a house with work to do

If you want full price could you do it up yourself?

Also before reducing the price make sure that the floor plan and pictures are all perfect so it’s almost like a relaunch.

Also - don’t go with Purple Bricks. They are AWFUL. So many houses sit for sale for months because they are so difficult to deal with as a buyer. Have a look on Money Saving Expert house forum for the stories

I've just had some money come through and I'd been torn between using the money I have to do it up, use the money combined with selling mine to move or just selling it as is because of the hassle. The bulk of money that it makes will go towards paying off debts for the estate so I'm unlikely to see much of the benefit of piling a lot of money in, it'd be a risk as to whether I'd see any of that money myself if it doesn't sell at a reasonable price.

Thorough clean, new external paintwork. New agents.

I have so many horror stories re EAs. The worst was my mother trying to sell a naice flat in a naice area of London with an apparently naice estate agent. She wondered why she had no enquiries after 3 months in a rising market.

After solicitors intervened it turned out the naice agent was hoping to buy it himself for his family.

If they keep failing to do what they have said they will, point out that they are breaching their own contract and you will require them to release you from it,