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Original poster

House on with two agents

16 replies

Housinghelp321 · 02/03/2022 11:08

I am viewing a house tomorrow but just realised it’s on with two local agents at the same price. It’s not a big expensive home or anything (where you might use a national agent plus a local one). No difference really between the agents - they cover the same area and have similar sorts of property on their books. Houses like that are selling like hot cakes in my area. Just curious why someone would market with two agents at the same time. Surely it would be a bigger faff than just going with one?

OP posts:
AchillesLastStand · 02/03/2022 11:11

It usually means they’re in a hurry to sell, and their house may be struggling to sell for whatever reason. It wouldn’t put me off viewing.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 02/03/2022 11:14

Ah, okay. I might try to push my chain free status then! 😂 It’s about the only thing I have going for myself.

OP posts:
Starseeking · 02/03/2022 14:00

One house is I've seen is on with 4 local agents, one of them for more than 4 months. I'd agree that they must be desperate to sell given that sole agent fees are usually lower than multiple agent fees.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 02/03/2022 14:14

@Starseeking

One house is I've seen is on with 4 local agents, one of them for more than 4 months. I'd agree that they must be desperate to sell given that sole agent fees are usually lower than multiple agent fees.
It's weird though because every single house of that type in that area (period property, terraced) has gone to sealed bids and sold for way over, even ones that have needed work doing. It's only just come on the market (with both agents) and all viewings are already booked up, so I really don't see them struggling to sell at all (the agent said a house on the same road had 60 expressions of interest!). Maybe they didn't appreciate what the market was going to be like though and thought they'd put it on with two for the sake of it. I'll see what it's like tomorrow...
OP posts:
CatherinedeBourgh · 02/03/2022 14:17

I sold in a hot market with two agents once because I had previously had a bad experience with an agent and didn't want to risk being tied up with a single agent.

If one of them turned out to be crap/annoying I could work with the other one.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 02/03/2022 14:19

@CatherinedeBourgh

I sold in a hot market with two agents once because I had previously had a bad experience with an agent and didn't want to risk being tied up with a single agent.

If one of them turned out to be crap/annoying I could work with the other one.

That’s a good point. Having had crap agents in the past, I wish I’d gone with someone else. Maybe they take the view that as they are likely to get more than asking price, they can splash out on two agents 😂
OP posts:
CatherinedeBourgh · 02/03/2022 14:22

I seem to recall the difference wasn't that big (I negotiated it a bit). Maybe 0.25% more?

Worth it to not be stuck with an arse.

TerriblyNaice · 02/03/2022 23:39

My sister's house appears to be on with two agents but they're actually now joined to make one company.

I agree that it does appear that any seller is desperate if they do this. However, she hasn't done this. The newly formed company list under both orginal names for one reason.

fingerscrossed4this · 02/03/2022 23:53

It's quite likely that the sellers are doing a part exchange on a new build. Builders often have properties that they've part exchanged on on sale with multiple agents.

sazza76 · 03/03/2022 00:05

We viewed 2 with 2 sellers recently and they were both doing a ‘supported move’. Moving into a new build and the builders were helping them sell their house, part of the deal was they had to have at least 2 local agents. Once the occupants had accepted an offer the building company took over to ensure everything went through quickly as possible.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 03/03/2022 07:36

Thanks for those thoughts. Yes, it could be that they are going for a new build actually. The sellers bought the house in 1995, so I’d imagine they could be coming up for retirement now and may be downsizing to a new build property. Ah well, will see how it goes. The market is so crazy where I live that I’ve totally stopped getting my hopes up in any way at all (have offered on 8 houses so far, all over asking price). Just hoping that eventually I will get something.

OP posts:
Bamaluz · 03/03/2022 16:38

Be aware that if the vendor is buying a new build it could go over a predicted completion date by months.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 03/03/2022 16:41

Thanks all. Those of you saying new build, you were right! It’s going to be a no from me which is a shame but expected completion is not til September but they want to exchange in 6 weeks. I’ve explained that this isn’t possible with me getting a mortgage as my offer will expire before completion and as you say, completion can be delayed significantly on new builds. Shame because I liked the house.

OP posts:
ExConstance · 04/03/2022 10:42

My old neighbours recently sold up and moved out. They are going to retire to a new build not far away. they had a lot of interest in their house and some good offers but nothing went ahead because they wanted to tie the sale in with completion on their new house, date not fixed.
Eventually they were running out of time and agreed a sale at a much lower price and then the new house build was delayed again due to lack of workers on the site. They ended up moving into rented and getting a low price. OP, my point is it might be worth keeping an eye on this house if you don't find anything else, it could turn into a bargain.

Original poster
Housinghelp321 · 05/03/2022 11:23

@ExConstance

My old neighbours recently sold up and moved out. They are going to retire to a new build not far away. they had a lot of interest in their house and some good offers but nothing went ahead because they wanted to tie the sale in with completion on their new house, date not fixed. Eventually they were running out of time and agreed a sale at a much lower price and then the new house build was delayed again due to lack of workers on the site. They ended up moving into rented and getting a low price. OP, my point is it might be worth keeping an eye on this house if you don't find anything else, it could turn into a bargain.
Thanks. I can't imagine that anyone (apart from possibly a BTL cash buyer) would want to exchange and then face an indefinite wait for the development to be ready. So I suspect they will struggle to sell. I said to the agent that if the sellers changed their mind and wanted to go into rented, I'd be interested but that I wasn't prepared to tie myself in when I wasn't sure when the new build would even be completed. Fingers crossed something like you described happens...
OP posts:
gogohm · 05/03/2022 11:27

Usually it means it's overpriced or some other factor. There was one here on with 4 agents - divorce sale forced by the courts, occupant didn't want to sell and it was filthy .

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