AIBU or are Estate Agents barefaced liars?

[DizzyHelp]

Anyone else or do I have really bad experience with them?

We've been house hunting for a while now too so the shine is certainly wearing off.

But.

With various agents now we've had:

How many other viewings they have on a property that day. But yet also later as we're leaving the viewing mention they'll be in the office all afternoon so give them a call.

"You'd need to make an offer today as it's the only way we'll cancel the viewings next week and there are lots booked" (when I know the place hadn't had any much and been on for months. What a coincidence that the day we view it is the day there's been a huge surge in viewing requests?)

We've also had "someone else has made a very good offer but seller wanted to give you a chance before accepting" (why?)

Years ago when looking around rentals and we showed some interest in one we got "you'll need to decide today as another family have said they want it but just need to find out if they can rehome their dogs first"?!

I understand scarcity value but just makes them seem so sleazy.

Yes sadly that is my experience too, utter liars, ignore everything they say and do your own research.

YANBU

And I’m the seller who foots the bill. I shudder to think what’s it’s been like for my buyer.

Never trust a word they say, they are in the same category as car dealers. 🤔

I put an offer in for 5k under a £150k flat as its all i could afford. estate agent said oh someone else has put the same in so if you go 2.5k under you will get it..
I stuck to my guns, and low and behold they accepted the 5k under, probably was no other offer at all..

It really depends on timing and demand- we played that game on a lovely family house rental in Teddington- offered a couple of hundred below on a pretty substantial rent - agent said you will have to go to full price as I've got a full price offer but would prefer you (no kids at home, older couple) we held out for the price we wanted and lo and behold next morning they accepted the other offer.

Only the usual kind of thing, with agents trying to get the house for a mate/business associate - and of course denying it when caught out

People like this don't get the kind of reputation they do for no reason, and one of them's that there's no proper regulation. Understandable that they resist it of course, but with the level of investment they're dealing with it might be handy for everyone else

[b]We've also had "someone else has made a very good offer but seller wanted to give you a chance before accepting" (why?)[/b] This one might actually be true, if the seller gets an offer on Monday and you're due to view Wednesday and really like it, they might end up with two competing buyers and get more money in the end. If you were selling wouldn't you try and get the best price? They might be exaggerating how good the offer is.

However I agree on your other points they are definitely good at stretching the truth/twisting things (and probably outright lying in some cases).

I work part time as an estate agent and I'm nothing like this!

When asked 'has there been much interest?' I tell the truth! I also ask if they have any other viewings lined up and wish them luck with their house search

And my favourite line is 'this house is going to be right for someone and if that's you, then great. If not, you'll find your right house'

I do work for an independent though and we really and genuinely don't make stuff up or try and 'force' sales. I actually don't know how you do that

I thought you were going to say they had done something shady but these are just normal sales tactics. They work fit the seller, not you, and want to make a sale fir the most they can get. I always take what they say with scepticism - and most know you are aware of the game. Just like the 'let me speak to my manager' spiel when you are negotiating to buy a car..

When we were house hunting we viewed a house that appeared to have it's own driveway, got there and found out it was shared

Saw another house and on the photos they've actually included a section of the neighbors house to make it look like it would be your's

Whilst looking on the floor plan we realised so didn't view

Bunch of idiots.

Just to be clear; estate agents are a bunch of idiots!

we viewed a house that appeared to have it's own driveway, got there and found out it was shared
Saw another house and on the photos they've actually included a section of the neighbors house to make it look like it would be yours

I had both of those rolled into one with my late, exMIL's place ... next door didn't have a drive at all, so they included MIL's in the pics (semi rural arrangement and not as obvious as it might have been)

They weren't at all pleased when they arrived to show the place and my ex nipped over to tell the potential buyers the real situation, nor would they agree to change the images willingly

Lying on the listing is next level!!! That's shocking.

How do they think they'd get away with it?

How do they think they'd get away with it?

Quite simple really: there's a little clause in the small print (or at least there used to be) which points out that EA details don't form part of the legal contract when buying property

That, and the point that they're so widely known to be liars that I doubt anyone's surprised any more ...

They're no better in a hot market. I am trying to buy in a popular and they are screening before you get a viewing, ignoring emails and calls etc