Has anybody changed estate agents and sold quickly?

[Pushka2]

The title says it all really. Am feeling incredibly frustrated with our estate agents and have given notice on our contract with them.
We have had our house on the market for 6 weeks now and had loads of viewings but very few offers and these were stupid (20% below asking on first go, just to get under the stamp duty threshold). We are in SW London where everything (until recently it seems) has been flying off the shelf. Estate agents are a nice bunch but terrible at giving feedback ie none and only when we have given notice have they now given us some. For example, no fitted wardrobes and when challenged as to what they said to the person viewing, they said "well that's just the way some people are" whereas I would have expected the estate agent to say "well work out what you think it will cost you to build these in and then offer on that basis". They haven't.

We are incredible flexible on price and the estate agents know that but they don't seem to communicate that to the people viewing. They also know we have had an offer accepted on another house so we are very eager to move. Plus I think they are conflicted in that they have 3 houses on the same street for sale now when 4 weeks ago there was only ours so there is no incentive for them to push ours over the others. Any sale out of the 3 would be enough for them. The other annoying thing is that we're moving to be nearer the DC's schools whereas I know from the agent that both of the other sellers on the street are only testing the market and if they don't get the price they want they won't move. Quite within their rights but annoying for us all the same.

So, we've decided that we are going to switch agents and reduce the price as I think the original asking price was a bit punchy anyway but we went on the advice of the estate agents when they valued it (3 valued the same).

My question is, has anybody found that switching agents worked and they sold fairly quickly? if so, what did they find worked for them?

Any comments/advice/viewpoints gratefully received.

I am also struggling to sell a house. 6 months though and we have reduced the price! I think we need to change agent but they all seem much of a muchness and very little seems to be selling. I will be interested to see if anyone comes up with good news or views!

In your shoes I would reduce the price to under the stamp duty limit. Pricing just above really puts people off. Is there any feedback regarding what you could do, easily,to get the sale? Our feedback is that our house is lovely, but there is so much choice, we keep coming second. How does your house compare with the others? Is it immaculate and presented perfectly? I would feel a bit fed up with the others coming onto the market but the agent should know you really want to sell and push yours. You have to make it the most attractive proposition though.

Yes.

On the market July to Nov with agent one. Nada.

Changed to agent 2 and sold within a couple of weeks. Only when we changed did we realise how crap agent 1 actually was.

Thanks MillyMollyMama for your comments. Our house is in pretty good nick but not perfect (see comment about non-fitted wardrobes!!!). All brand new hotel style bathrooms, loft conversion, kitchen extension, oak wood floors, newly painted in neutral outside and in, plantation shutters, black granite worktops. It's pretty standard SW London stylie to be honest. I think the problem may be that since we put in on the market, more have come on which are very similar but all different in one way or another. The only properties at the moment that we are coming 2nd to it seems are the unfinished ones ie no loft conversion, no kitchen extension and I get that, people want to do the work themselves and put their mark on the property. According to the agent we are the most attractive proposition in terms of price flexibility and moving as well as the house that gets the best feedback so I don't understand why they are not capitalising on that. Hence the change of agent. Maybe a change of agent for you would be good too - what have you got to lose!

Thanks MrsJohnDeer. Good to know there is at least 1 positive outcome of changing agents.

We were trying to sell with a national company for 6 months, then changed to a local one and sold subject to contract within 2 weeks.

Pushka2, your house sounds LOVELY. Can you pm me a link? Thanks!

I am in the same boat and have also reduced the price. However, a couple of weeks ago I had three rooms totally redecorated, the hall and stairs re-carpeted, new front door and major gardening undertaken and the agent can't be arsed to come round and take a couple of new pics which show the improvements - agent is 1/2 mile away! My contract with them ends in about 4 weeks but I am giving notice this weekend because of their apathy over this matter.

Regarding feedback - I am not keen on getting it to be honest. To hear that buyers think my third bedroom is too small when it says measurements on the floorplan just shows them up to be daft. If I want three double bedrooms why would I view a property where the third room is single size? Your lack of fitted wardrobes is neither here nor there really and only ends up making you feel your house is 'lacking' somehow which I am sure it isn't. I actually think that some of these agents enjoy telling you your house shortcomings as it makes them feel superior!

I will sign up with an independent agent next.

Thanks NovemberRainbow for the positive story.

WhatsGoingOnEh it's nice but not wow as I see every imperfection.

mrscynical can't you ask to get out quicker if they're not doing anything with it? It doesn't sound like they are actively marketing it if they come round and take pictures. I agree that viewers are pretty stupid when it comes to viewing and their feedback is often ridiculous. As you say, they know what the room dimensions are when they get the floorplan. Last time we prospectively put the house on the market about 4 years ago as I'd fallen in love with a house round the corner, we had all sorts of stupid comments. The loft bathroom has a sloping ceiling on 1 side - errrr it's clearly marked on the floorplan as having a sloping ceiling. It's a bit far from the station - 10 minutes walk and it's clearly marked on the website with the distance. So I feel your pain but I want feedback as if any of it is constructive then I can look to do something to fix the issue (I'm not having fitted wardrobes put in however!!!).

I wonder whether some viewers just like looking at houses they have no intention of buying. I can honestly say that I have never viewed a house I didn't like from the description, details and floorplan. I have forced DH to look at a house that he didn't like on paper because he has more fixed views than me and I was hoping he would come round to liking the house.

I'll let you know if I get a positive outcome by switching.

Thanks everyone.

Yes. Had the house on the market for several months with an agent. They didn't advertise it, didn't mention it when we asked a friend to ring up and ask for something similar, and we're late/had no particulars with them/made no effort when we sent my sister on a viewing.

We have notice, and two weeks later they rang us to say they had a perfect buyer could they show him round. He offered the next day and it was sold. I am convinced they wouldn't have found a buyer if they hadn't been in the notice period.

Our agents are pretty shit too. Ours has been on the market for 5 weeks, again we have to chase feedback. We had a viewing on Saturday and we still haven't heard anything. I decided I'm not chasing it up this time until Monday and I'm going to get DH to have a serious word.

We went with them, despite them being much more expensive than another agent, as they said they would be able to. sell quickly. We've only had 5 viewers. It's soooooo frustrating.