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Original poster

Amusing unsolicited letter from estate agent

38 replies

Fightyouforthatpie · 18/10/2023 14:33

House is on market, not selling, zero interest. I asked the EA to reduce the price.

I had a letter today (just the address as they obvs don't know my name) from a different agent -

Dear Homeowner,

We have noticed that you have recently dropped the price of your property. Have you considered that it might not be the price that needs to change but maybe your agent? We are here to help.

With Summer upon us we are looking towards the prime selling time of the year and we have a strong number of buyers waiting for properties like yours.

Hilarious

OP posts:
VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 19/10/2023 07:41

I can understand some agents are better at getting a deal across the line than others. However, the initial marketing? Surely everyone just looks on rightmove?? As long as the price, pictures and plan are decent, the agent for that bit is irrelevant?

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 19/10/2023 08:08

That’s what I thought. We actually did have lists of people looking for certain types of property when I worked for an estate agent in the 80s.
At that time they were an utter waste of time - of all the people I contacted because we had a property that matched their stated requirements not one resulted in a sale.
Do agents even still do this? Apart from a few tech luddites surely everyone just uses Rightmove?

XVGN · 19/10/2023 08:34

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 19/10/2023 08:08

That’s what I thought. We actually did have lists of people looking for certain types of property when I worked for an estate agent in the 80s.
At that time they were an utter waste of time - of all the people I contacted because we had a property that matched their stated requirements not one resulted in a sale.
Do agents even still do this? Apart from a few tech luddites surely everyone just uses Rightmove?

They probably do. I can imagine people being asked to contacted if a property on a particular road (lovely road, close to family, etc) comes on the market, or a particularly unusual property type, e.g. house split into two flats, comes on.

You still frequently see adverts on RM saying sold prior to marketing. They would be these.

Original poster
Fightyouforthatpie · 19/10/2023 09:34

This is fascinating - I have never seen an advert on RM saying sold prior to marketing. Perhaps this is area specific.

OP posts:
XVGN · 19/10/2023 10:28

Fightyouforthatpie · 19/10/2023 09:34

This is fascinating - I have never seen an advert on RM saying sold prior to marketing. Perhaps this is area specific.

Doesn't appear to be so many right now. I wonder why. But enter "sold prior to marketing' in the RM keyword search. You'll find one in Sussex and one in "Suffolk". There'll be others in other counties.

LeefsPrings · 19/10/2023 15:29

ScottBakula · 18/10/2023 20:34

@LeefsPrings please do this and video their reactions, I could do with a good laugh😀

Well I would, but we left there many years ago - I was definitely tempted though!

LeefsPrings · 19/10/2023 15:32

m00rfarm · 18/10/2023 21:20

But if the OWNER of the property instructed them to take it off the market, as part of the negotiation agreement, then why would the agent be at fault for not letting you see it. It was rubbish they they did not let you know the appointment was cancelled, but these things happen. The fact they followed up shows they are a decent agent. It could have fallen through for a number of reasons - maybe it had a rubbish survey result, maybe someone died, could be anything But to blame the agent then criticise when they did their job and followed up with you? No - that is not really acceptable.

Edited
Show quote history
Confused

It was a probate sale - someone had already died.

Anyway, I used to be married to an estate agent, I know how these things work thanks very much.

m00rfarm · 19/10/2023 15:35

So no one was instructing the agent? How strange.

RoseBucket · 19/10/2023 15:36

LeefsPrings · 18/10/2023 17:16

Earlier this year, due to an unexpectedly large windfall, we were in a position to fund a home for adult dc. As in cash buyers. I contacted a local agency because I'd just seen an empty property in our town come on the market that very day, and arranged to view it the day after. Told them we were cash buyers and could proceed immediately. Next day I got to the house to meet the agent and nobody was there. I rang them and they said 'oh dear, we are cancelling the appointment as it has sold already'. What, in less than 24 hours? Apparently so.

Anyway, a few weeks go by, we find another property with another agent and our offer is accepted, solicitors engaged, survey booked, etc.

A month later, cue phone call from the original agent to ask whether we were still interested in the original property as the sale has fallen through. Hahaha. No. Whoopsy. That'll teach them to whip houses off the market as 'sold' without doing their homework first, won't it?!

? That is pretty normal process!

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 19/10/2023 15:50

Sounds like they're just trying to earn a living to me.
Yes it's cheeky but they're estate agents, what do you expect

mumda · 19/10/2023 16:17

When I'm looking for a house I look at all the estate agents in the area, usually via Rightmove.
Why would someone restrict themselves to one EA only for finding their dream house?

XVGN · 19/10/2023 18:52

mumda · 19/10/2023 16:17

When I'm looking for a house I look at all the estate agents in the area, usually via Rightmove.
Why would someone restrict themselves to one EA only for finding their dream house?

I wouldn't restrict when viewing. I would restrict if choosing an agent to sell my property. I don't want use an EA that can't be arsed to check their ads for errors.

LeefsPrings · 20/10/2023 13:52

RoseBucket · 19/10/2023 15:36

? That is pretty normal process!

Show quote history

From an estate agent well known in the area for selling renovation properties at knock-down prices at high speed to their property-developer and buy-to-let landlord friends?

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