Can anyone *recommend* an estate agents in SE London?

[Harimad]

Or is it too big an ask?

Looking to put our house in Blackheath on the market. We're letting it at the moment, so aren't close enough to just pop in anymore, but we know the area well.

Haven't got so far as looking at their charges yet, but want to narrow it down before calling.

So...:
John Payne
Winkworths
F J Lord
Foxtons
Kinleigh Folkard Hayward
Humphrey Skitt
any others I've forgotten...

... good / bad experiences anyone?

Thanks!

KFH in Blackheath Village are lovely - we've bought, sold and let through them and they've never let us down.

We used F J Lord when we lived in SE London (Blackheath Standard branch), they were fine, seemed quite efficient - marketed our house well. I originally wanted KFH but they were just incredibly snooty and said that they wouldn't be able to conduct viewings themselves etc.

Let me be the first on this thread to say never use Foxtons.

Ha ha! I had heard bad things about Foxtons before, but someone recently told me they had opened up in B'heath so I wondered if anyone might recommend... I guess that's a no!

Thanks for the KFH reviews (both sides!). Red.. d'you mind me asking what type of property KFH marketed for you? We've got a Span house so it's cheaper end of Blackheath prices...

Any others?

NOPE!!!! NOT KFH!!!! We just sold through them and hate them with a passion. They have a reputation to over-value (that wasn't the reason we went with them, I thought the agent who came round was very motivated and they did give us a fairly good percentage for their commission).

I really recommend Winkworth. Wish we had gone with them. I've also seen them sell many houses that other agents couldn't sell. And I've talked to many vendors and they felt Winkworth sent through the right people for the house (which I agreed with as they got us to look only at suitable properties).

We also marketed through FJ Lord and not impressed with them - they got us 1 viewing after a whole load of bull about being able to sell our property no problem blah blah blah.

We viewed a property through Humphrey Skitt and found them very snooty.

John Payne was nice enough but felt they were a bit Blah.

Didn't like Kershaws - registered with them and got nothing from them EVER.

You could try Comber & Co, I think the owner (if that's the owner), seems very passionate about span houses. They tried to convince us they are good value as the 'arty' type always goes for them... But we weren't keen on them for other reasons. Whereabouts is your property?

Oooh lots of info there - thanks! My fave's are Winkies as they're so central. Will check out Comber too - I like the fact that they're an independent...

We're on the Cator Estate in one of the Span developments.

Brown & Brooke - Steve - he can sell houses!

If you're in the Span houses I think it is really important to hire someone who gets them and doesn't just think they are for those people who can't afford one of the Victorian houses off the heath.

Aren't Brown & Brooke up in Westcombe Park tho Slugontoast? Would be concerned that that's too far from the 'main game'?

I agree lalalonglegs - I remember the EA being quite shocked when we were looking specifically for one of the Span way back when we were buying!!

go with winkworh (if you are selling). We bought through them recently and they were relentless if "keeping on top of the sale"!!!!!!! Not so great for me, but i guess if it was my house they certainly take an interest!

Yes, I think Brown and Brooke is too 'Westcombe Hill'.

Have you seen the 'competition'?

Property 1

Property 2

Property 3

Property 4

Property 5

Interestingly, Comber & Co marketing 4 of them, Winkworth 1 and Kershaws 1.

I think ours is more on the cheaper end of those! Sadly tho', we don't really have the choice of keeping it as we're renting ourselves and currently making a loss each month. We'd rather get our equity out and buy where we are now...

Interesting so many are on with Comber tho'... although with Rightmove etc. it's less the enthusiasm of the EA for the property and more on the buyer's nowadays...

Go for an internet agency, pay a fixed fee of around £400 for a listing on rightmove and save yourself the cash. IMO houses sell themselves and most buyers trawl rightmove and are not very interested in the EA's

That's an idea nomad... If we were living there ourselves, I'd definitely consider it - I do most of my house 'window shopping' on rightmove now, so it wouldn't bother me to go more direct.
However, as it is we'd have to ask our tenants to show them round in that case, and I think I'd prefer an EA to do that!