Estate Agents - am I expecting too much (long and a bit ranty)

[Pennies]

Our house is for sale and has been on the market for 8 weeks now and we had no offers at all - not even bonkers ones that are taking the piss. It's been completely done up in the last 2 years and has new carpets, new kitchen and new bathroom. All decorating done "tastefully" (all neutral colours as per house doctor et al) and to a high spec. I've also dropped the price because we were over a natural bracket and I wanted to catch those people who might be just under it IYSWIM.

Agent thought it would be a doddle to sell but it's just not happening. When I've been here when they are showing people round I can't hear any active selling at all. They also keep trying to get me to show people round despite the fact i've got two kids under 2 and I can baely make myelf a cup of tea when they're around let alone make it immaculate and then show people round. Today they said they were showing some-one round at noon so I got it all ready. At 12.20 I noticed a woman sitting in her car ourside looking p'd off. After 5 mins I asked if she was from the agents and she said she was the viewer, so as the agent hadn't showed I took her round. I spoke to the agent about this and he said he'd waited for her outside until 12.20 but she hadn't showed nor had she called to say she was late. Now I don't think she was late and either way, I know he had her mobile number so why didn't he call her?

Should I ditch the agent and try someone else or is this just par for the course?

BTW have enlisted someone to 'mystery shop them'!

Change agents straight away, they obviously can't be bothered.

You can also advertised yourself.

Carolina - 1.25% is a bargain ! The standard for around here (outside of London) is 1.75% - 2%. I managed to negotiate our fees down to 1.6% on our last sale (completed end of last April).

lol!

there is a lot of competition in our nearest town - lots of agents, not that many properties, sellers change agents at the drop of a hat - so it's hard for them to charge more. That is the sole agency fee for bog standard agents.

Thats expensive most agents in Brighton offer 1%

In answer to your OP Pennies, I'd ditch them as soon as your contractual tie-in is over. It may be that the local market for your size of house has cooled in your area (regardless of how beautifully your house is presented), Estate Agents can't magic buyers out of thin air, BUT it does sound like the agent you have chosen is very lax in his/her attitude and v unprofessional.

Personally, I always prefer to show people around my house myself, and I prefer to be shown around by vendors not EA's. Just because I feel that no-one knows a house like its owner. They will be abloe to answer the sort of questions that I always ask on viewings, like Council Tax costs, what the neighbours are like etc, ime estate agents use their stock answer 'I'll have to check that for you when I get back to the office'. Also generally it is easier to tell whether a vendor is fibbing or not. Estate Agents are professional liars .

really? I prefer being shown round by agents - you're not distracted by having to make polite chat the whole time and you can ask about negative stuff more easily.

Lol, Carolina - I'm clearly not as reserved as you . I ask the awkward questions regardless.