Want to move estate agents

[Movingstresss]

My estates are utterly useless house has been up for 2 weeks not one viewing . It's not the price , the same house went for 5k more last month and we have more space outside and an extra reception room. I appreciate its slower at the moment , I have called and been fobbed off or someone who spent 10 mins talking about the wrong house told me to lower it be 8% as that's what it needs to be to get into a new price bracket.
I signed the contract without reading it I'm so annoyed at myself. This is the first time I've ever sold, and he said we just need you to sign here for permission to market your house . So I stupidly did 😭. Anyway we are locked in for 20 weeks! Yesterday was day 15 , I emailed him and said as we are on day 14 can we please cancel our contract and can you remove the house - which he did and called to confirm . If I can get this in writing today will it stand ?
He didn't leave me with a copy of the contract or I would have cancelled sooner , I had to chase the office for is so annoyed as I'm desperate to move as my DS starts school in September and I have him a place in a school where we are relocating to. Im worried I won't sell by September and then I'm stuck.

Two weeks without a viewing is perfectly normal in the current market. I put mine on in October last year and it was two months before I got a viewing. I moved a year later.

It's price, it always is and you can't compare with neighbouring houses. My house was immaculate and had been a show house. My next door neighbour had a smaller house which was cheaper than mine when new. He sold for £65,000 more than I did. A friend with the identical house to mine put his on sale, for the price we accepted, once we had a buyer. He went eight weeks without any interest but sold to the first person to look at it.

With houses for sale on well known websites, the agent doesn't matter very much. I had four quotes and went for the lowest. I had to rewrite their blurb and get them to do better photos, but paying more to another agent wouldn't have changed the outcome as there's only a certain pool of people who would be interested in your price range and house style.

I'm not sure if they are being rubbish to be honest the market is dead. You must have selected them for a reason?

I'd make sure the photos and descriptions are spot on, agents aren't photographers and take all pics at their own height (I.e 6ft)

Maybe ask for some feedback from friends things you can do to make the house better and standout.

Even in a busy market from September onwards people are focused on Christmas, new year etc and don't start looking to move until March onwards.

My thoughts are that you have an email on day 14 stating that you would like to cancel, that you covered. Reply to your email thanking them for their services and following their telephone confirmation (e.g. at 5pm on Monday) you have now moved to a different estate agent.
But firstly I would contact the new estate agent you have in mind and tell them the situation. Estate agents know each others tricks and will be able to advise you on what to do.

Seems like he has accepted your right to cancel so no problem.

Although I do agree with PP that the likely problem was the price not the agent as long as they advertised it on Rightmove. I would take their advice re lowering the price to get into the lower price bracket.

I know it's normally and often the price , however I really don't think it is. Happy to lower slightly but all the other agents have valued the same . My friend who lives in the same road a few down her house has sold this week hers is a semi , our detached , hers 3 beds ours 4. Plus we have a bigger hall and utility room. Hers is 1 reception room ours 2. We have a much bigger garden ,.drive way , more space. And hers has sold for 40k less than ours which is essentially what they are telling us to lower ours too.

Thanks re the pictures I might do that , and ask for some feedback. I know no it's a bad market, it's just the don't seem to want to do anything other than list it.

I went with the as I stupidly seen lots of their board . Lesson learnt 🤦🏼‍♀️.

Thank you all for the feedback. I might post a link here if we can't move to ask advice on the listing when it goes back up.

You can break a contract early - just tell them to stop marketing your property completely and they'll more than likely let you out of the contract.
But before that you should speak to the manager and let them know your expectations haven't been met and ask what they're going to do. Two weeks really isn't that long.

I appreciate its not long , I will ask to speak to the owner today . I think I'm annoyed at myself more for just going with them , I didn't realise they signed you in.
They only started in lockdown (when houses were flying ) and the owner has no previously estate agent experience, nor do the others that work there when I have looked. The guy I'm dealing with is a nice guy , I just think they have no idea.
I'm having an operation in a few weeks, so maybe waiting a while would be best. Just conscious I need an offer by August.

To be honest I've done my whole house hunt on RightMove, as I think many people do now. If you're listed on Rightmove, I can't see that the estate agent adds that much to the marketing experience.
I went with an estate agent who had just started on his own, I liked him and trusted his opinion, he had only sold 1 house, but he listed us on Rightmove and we sold in 1 week.
Good luck with everything! It's a rollercoaster x

Send them an email saying something like “as discussed today with your representative [name], the contract between ourselves and [estate agency] has been terminated early by mutual agreement as a result of our dissatisfaction with the [estate agency] service. [estate agency] have now ceased marketing our property and have acknowledged that no monies will be due from ourselves to [estate agency] at anytime in the future. Please acknowledge receipt of this email, many thanks.”

Most agencies will let you walk away like this but a few dodgy agencies may try to get commission out of you later so do try hard to get an acknowledgment in writing if you can.

I see people are already telling you the problem is the price etc. That might be true. However it’s also possible the problem is entirely your agent. I wouldn’t throw thousands of pounds away without at least trying a different agent at the current price.

I had a bad estate agent. They couldn’t sell my house in 3 months in the easiest time of year. I fired them and hired a pushy eager agent wt the same house price. The pushy agent rang everyone she’d ever met, whipped up interest, and got me three offers in the first week it was on. I moved within 6 weeks. Having the right agent makes a huge difference.