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Original poster

[RANT] Sorry, that property is now sold stc

23 replies

drummergirl34 · 26/06/2017 20:45

So I see a nice property I like on RM or Z, I spend some hours to research it, I look around on Streetview for little kids sticking 2 fingers up to the camera, I look on the map for nearby ammenities, I look on police.uk, I read reviews about the location and nearby. I finally contact the agent and get the response "Sorry, that property is now sold subject to contract and we're not doing any more viewings. However, give me your budget and I'll keep in touch". EVERY SINGLE TIME.

In the retail world, listing something that you don't have is misleading and you're going to quickly get a lot of angry customers. it doesn't take much to click a few buttons to remove a property. Selling on ebay stock you don't have is going to get you slapped with lots of expensive charges that quickly add up.

I want my research time back. I want EA's to remove or update non-existing properties. Is this just too much to ask? GRRR!

OP posts:

lanbro · 26/06/2017 20:48

Ring first if it keeps happening!

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 26/06/2017 20:50

Do they not say STC on the listings on RM and Z? As someone who has recently finally brought I did find this annoying but to be honest they often did state STC on the ads if they were under offer, I would recommend contacting before all the research to be honest. Even if you research lots there's no telling if you like the house before viewing so that should be your first job and then do more research if you still like the property once you have viewed.

Original poster

drummergirl34 · 26/06/2017 20:58

HeadsDown - nope - none of them state Sold STC not even the next day or next week. That's what irks me so much.

OP posts:

LagoDiComo · 26/06/2017 21:16

Reputable agents should put STC, or even take the property down, as soon as an offer is accepted, otherwise it seems like they are still encouraging interest, which indeed they are

wowfudge · 26/06/2017 21:38

Book the viewing then do the research. See if it makes any difference. If it doesn't, ask the agents how you can get to hear about these properties before they go on RM, etc.

PettsWoodParadise · 26/06/2017 22:15

We get some emails direct from EAs and the properties then take anything between a half day and three days to appear on RM. maybe it is worth registering direct with an EA or two?

UniversityGraduation · 26/06/2017 22:25

It's not research though is it OP? It's idle googling. If you were a serious buyer the estate agents would already have your details and would be alerting you to properties as they come on to the market.

Original poster

drummergirl34 · 26/06/2017 22:32

UniversityGraduation - I don't get your point? Even if the EA's were to "already have your details and be alerting you to properties" I would still have to perform "idle googling" to find out about the location.

OP posts:

woodpecker2 · 26/06/2017 22:46

I feel your pain, happened to us a lot. One repossession was left on RM until the sale had completed under the banks terms.

UniversityGraduation · 26/06/2017 23:15

My point is simply that if you were a serious buyer you wouldn't waste time browsing RM but you'd get yourself down to local EAs.

Redyoyo · 26/06/2017 23:31

This keeps happening to us, 4 times we've made appointments for viewings and every single one has sold before we've had a chance to even see it! We have another viewing this week I'm waiting on the call.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 26/06/2017 23:36

We had a buyer pull out of the house we were selling... a few people had phoned and found out it was sold previously but one had left their details and continued to call. They got it that day and no one else ever viewed. (And they live there now!)

Might be worth leaving details and persisting if you really like something?

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 26/06/2017 23:38

Also, we moved within the same area, and always asked to view straight away, like, that day, in five minutes, even if DH was at work. And I put in an offer outside the front door on the condition no one ejsexwouod be allowed to view. I don't know what area you're in but that seems to be the norm here?

FrownsAndDimples · 27/06/2017 00:56

I feel your pain. This was us. So bloody annoying.

viques · 27/06/2017 01:01

If you know the area you want to move to you need to woo the local ea a bit. Go in, tell them what you want, tell them what you are selling , let them know you are serious buyers and not just Saturday afternoon nosers.

cordeliavorkosigan · 27/06/2017 01:02

But if op is looking at more than one area she shouldn't have to phone to pre register with agents in each one. That is the whole point of rightmove. It should say when properties are not available.

Yorkshirebornandbred · 27/06/2017 01:13

Not sure if it's still the case but when I worked for an estate agent RM used to update overnight, so any changes we made didn't appear until the following day.

Original poster

drummergirl34 · 27/06/2017 01:28

Even on their own website, it says nothing about an offer being put in!

OP posts:

EasterRobin · 27/06/2017 01:56

A couple of the estate agents near me do that. They seem to use unavailable but tempting properties to get lots of people's details. Pisses me off no end. I've ended up avoiding those estate agents entirely.

Gunpowder · 27/06/2017 07:00

It's not idle googling if she wants to go and look at the properties though, is it?

YANBU OP. This is is irritating and I agree with a PP, it's when EA have little stock and want to hook you in so they can show you really rubbish overpriced properties to boost viewing numbers and thus justify the high prices they used to get the vendors as clients.

When I'm looking for a house I don't want to sign up with scores of estate agents, most of whom will show me wildly unsuitable properties and send marketing emails by the minutes for the next 5 years. Like OP I research and only go and view a property that matches up on paper, street view, schools etc. OR one which an agent who I trust has told me is really worth viewing.

Gunpowder · 27/06/2017 07:02

Sorry, that sounded a bit angry, (some) estate agents wind me up!

ShortLass · 27/06/2017 15:26

I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and register with estate agents. The best properties often sell before reaching RM. The EAs know they have people willing to buy on their books and send out details before uploading to RM. You need to be on that list.

If you don't want your inbox flooded, set up an email address especially for this purpose and check it once a day. Hotmail and Google do free email addresses, among others (always check your promotions file in Google because it annoyingly treats a lot of emails you want as spam and hides them in there without telling you.

willymcwill · 27/06/2017 16:53

Do you know which areas you prefer? We bought our current house after posting notes through doors in our preferred four streets. Got about a 10% response rate, went to see three, one was asking for a ridiculous amount (they didn't want to move (divorce) so had worked out price based on what they'd need to buy exactly what they wanted after buying their exh out), another weren't totally sure about whether to sell or extend, and the final one we bought!

I would also say that booking the appointments first then researching is the way to go if things are moving quickly. We resorted to posting letters as the market was moving quickly and there were a lot of bidding wars going on. Plus not many suitable properties coming up in the four streets we'd consider

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