Pressure to use same agent to buy and sell

[User4345452126]

Just after some advice. We live in a highly sought after village (village A) where very few houses come available. There are two agents who are ‘specialists’ for the village, most people who live there know them, and will probably go to them first when looking to buy or sell. 90% of properties will go through one agent or the other, so being on good terms with them is an advantage if you want to hear about new houses first.

We are considering buying a house in the next village over (village B) as there is just such little stock here, and what there is is now eye wateringly expensive. The house in village B is better value, but a rare opportunity to modernise a detached house, so will also be very sought after.

The agent for the village B house has been open about the fact they will be “much more motivated” to sell the house to us, if we give them the opportunity to sell ours. The thing is, we have a very good relationship with one of the agents in village A, who we have bought two houses through. They have already valued our house. There’s a good chance that even if we go for the house in village B we won’t get it, and if we snub them by using another agent we will reduce our chance of being first in on the next house in village A (where ultimately we’d like to stay if we can, if the village B property doesn’t happen).

Agent B rarely sell houses in village A and one they have now hasn’t sold, meaning it’s either very over priced or poorly marketed (anything decent usually goes in the first few days). I also feel that the agents in village A will have a database of people desperately looking for our kind of house and therefore we might sell it faster through them.

So my question is, should we give our house to agent B, meaning they might prioritise our offer? Or should we give it to agent A, who we know and who are specialists in selling houses in our village, but risk pissing off agent B?

We will be making an asking price offer in any scenario, but we will need to sell ours first. Even in our desirable location there are no guarantees in this climate, so we want to position ourselves...

Thanks if you got through that! Bit giddy with it all 😄

So, if I have read this right, Agent B is telling you that acting as your agents they will either

a) Encourage you to accept offers that may not maximise value for you as the seller if they like the person who offers for whatever reason

or

b) Lying to you to try and get your business.

I wouldn''t touch agent B with a barge pole. And when I offered on property in village B, I would drop a note through the door with the offer and details of your position to make sure they actually get it.

Is house b occupied? I would put a letter through the mailbox saying that they are essentially trying to blackmail you and suggest agreeing a private sale - that way the buyer won't be paying money to a very dodgy agent.

Thanks for the replies!

Yes, he was effectively saying they would be more motivated to accept an offer from us, if we use them to sell too. I have seen another local agent try to get all parties in the chain through them. It doesn’t seem to be in anyone’s interest but the agent getting the commission.

The vendor is a very elderly lady and a relative is handling the sale. I’m not sure if a private sale offer would go down well? We’ve done it before but only with properties not yet with an agent...

A private sale offer will be impossibl now that the house is on the market. While they sound like wankers there is often benefit to sell8ng your house with the same agent you are buying from. We have proactively done it before and saved a load of cash ny doing so. Don’t cut off you nose and all that.

Bohemond how did it save you money? Sorry to seem naive here.

Wanker agent seems to value low for the area, which works for our purchase, but wouldn’t for our sale. They also come across as real barrow-boys, in the worst tradition of EAs. I’m a bit uncomfortable about them representing our sale. I do really want a good crack at this house though!

I think they know they can expect a lot of asking price offers from people in similar positions (need to sell) hence the bullish attitude...

It shouldn’t save you cash, unless he drops his fee because he knows he can tie up a sale and it just means a bit less chasing in the chain. He just wants to win your business.
Use the agent you want to.
Make your offer through the agent who is selling the house you want but Drop a copy of your offer through the door as well.
Your offer isn’t likely to be accepted until you are under though.

Just go on with the agent you want & trust. You know in your heart that the house you want is going to be long gone before you get your details printed if its that sought after & well priced.

Some good advice above. Use your preferred EA to sell your house.

When you make an offer on the one you want to buy, I would draft a letter to the owner outlining your position and post it through their letterbox just after telling their EA what your offer is.

Good luck OP! Hope you get an offer on yours soon

@bohmond that is no longer true. Recent developments in the law rewire estate agents to do substantial work re the sale in order to claim a commission.