South Manchester - Any estate agent recommendations?

[LayItOnFactor50]

Found out yesterday that the sale on my flat has fallen through as the buyer has spent some of her gifted deposit between providing proof of funds and exchange so now can’t afford it and has pulled out after stringing us along for five months

This is the second sale to fall through since it was first listed last October - I’m looking to change estate agents as the current set have been useless and was hoping someone might be able to give me a recommendation. The flat’s in Didsbury but I’m looking to buy a house in Old Trafford/ Whalley Range so wondered if it might be worth going with one of the Chorlton agencies as they’d have the motivation that if they sell it I might buy through them too...

What has your experience been of any of the local EAs whilst you've been looking?

I’ve not looked at any houses yet (other than on RightMove!). My plan was to wait until my flat sold and then live with my boyfriend while I looked for a house, I’d hoped that would be easier and less stressful than trying to tie in the sale and purchase to the same date!

The estate agent who I went with had agreed the sale of another flat in my block the week before I put mine up and seemed the best of the ones I had round to value it.

Okay - that wasn't clear from your OP. I would always get a minimum of three EAs round when looking to sell. Doesn't sound as though it's the EA's fault that you haven't sold. I fail to see what incentive there is for an EA if you've made yourself chain free unless you are saying that now you will look to buy at the same time as selling?

I had three agents round to value it before I put it up for sale and chose the one that I felt was best informed and had recently sold another in the same block. I would hope the potential commission would provide sufficient incentive for the estate agent to actively market the flat to a variety of buyers rather than seemingly only being interested in sales where they can make a chain of several properties all marketed by them or buyers who are struggling for finances but are taking the estate agent’s mortgage and conveyancing services. I didn’t want to buy and sell at the same time but am now considering it along with changing agents in the hope that it will help achieve a sale. I didn’t include the above in the OP to avoid making it too long and I would still be grateful if anyone has any positive experience of South Manchester estate agents

I sold a Manchester City centre flat in about 6 weeks last year. Through C&R Properties. Don’t know if they have offices in Didsbury though. Thought they were very good. I don’t want to worry you but I think a fair bit has changed since last year - buy to let buyers (target market for a flat) are holding off buying due to the recent tax changes for them.

Our forward purchase fell through and we are now renting but still glad we sold up.

I meant to add that Didsbury is a different market from the CC. More residential and attractive to young families. The CC has no schools, limited childcare and GPS, also quite polluted.

I think you possibly need a chain - an EA that has links both in Didsbury and the city centre (and other student areas around the city) and can funnel potential buyers your way. Historically Didsbury has been popular for young professionals /young families looking to move out of the city centre / ex students wanting to stay in Manchester after uni but wanting to move out of student-y areas.

Thank you all for the advice! I’m going to look at C&R Properties (sure I’ve seen their boards around) and one of my colleagues has recommended JP Brimelow too so I have something to go on

Nicholas Humphrey’s were good for a friend of mine selling an HMO

I used Jordan Fishwick (Didsbury) 5 years ago and could highly recommend. I'll have no problem using them again when we list our house next summer. Good luck!

Selling and buying in didsbury currently - impressed with gascoigne halman but Julian warden very poor

Amazing, thank you! I had Jordan Fishwick out to value the flat but didn’t go with them which I obviously regret now and I’ve never had any dealings with Gascoigne Halman but they seemed to have lots of awards in the window whenever I’ve walked past so will get in touch with them too. Thank you so much for all the suggestions

And I’d never heard of Nicholas Humphreys (surprisingly given how much time I spend on RightMove!) but will also give them a ring, thank you

Don't go with Philip James Kennedy (at least not the Didsbury branch), I had the worst experience when I used them to sell my flat last year. The sales guy came out to value and sold me a fantastic sounding service, after I agreed the office staff were rubbish. I chased everything up myself, suggested my own pricing changes, rewrote the listing myself, re-took my own photos etc. I begrudged them getting any commission but once you're in a contract you're in a contract.

• after I agreed to it... it turned out the office staff were rubbish.

Sadly that’s who I was with @shazchip sorry to hear you had issues with them too.

Philip James aren’t much better from a buyers perspective either. I’ve attempted to book a couple of viewings through them and they are so inflexible with times. If I see a property for sale with them now, I don’t even bother expressing an interest.

Interesting to hear that about PJK. I stupidly took their advice about lawyers (assume they got a rake off) and used SAS Daniels in Stockport. Bit off the beaten track for Didsbury but I believed the recommendation. Utter nightmare. Very little contact. Three month delay before they responded to the seller. Wrong purchase amount on contract (no, seriously), misinformed me about several things and never got my name right! Awful, awful, awful. I was effectively my own lawyer but with added stress. I'd used Salehs in Didsbury before who were very nice and competent!

Good luck selling OP!

@Mackerz @Igmum
The online reviews reflect your experiences of PJK - I don't know how they manage to get so much business. Every house I have been interested in so far has been on with them too - really don't want to use them, especially now reading this thread.

@LayItOnFactor50

Maybe Phillip James being difficult to arrange viewings through is part of the problem. I’ve offered to do lunch time viewings during the week, along with late afternoons (about 4:30/5) as well as weekends. Don’t think I should have to take half a day off work to view at their only available time of 3pm on a Wednesday, given that an initial house viewing only takes 20 minutes.

Totally agree re avoid Philip James.. had terrible service buying and selling flat .. blatant liars