Estate agent attitude

[Sadcafe]

To try to keep short, been trying to sell our extended 6 bed property for long time, had an offer that fell through late on and another where buyer had to sell first,then decided not to go ahead with moving, both offers at more than current price,dropped price significantly and certainly getting more viewings, we always ask agent if there is any feedback from same but they rarely provide anything that would help understand why people are not interested. Two viewings this week , both interested but first has property to sell, second actually made an offer but 15% below current asking price which we felt was just too low, agent was , to say the least , patronising re offer, basically stating we should be grateful someone wants to buy, that there offer reflected the work the buyer feels needs doing and questioning why we were looking to purchase a new build that was the same size as we are selling( it’s not it’s 4 bed and we actually want to buy a 3 bed buyer wanted to move quickly so only 4 beds ready)Asked about what buyer felt needed doing, agree with two points, new fence to one section of garden, new guttering, but rest was want not need, carpets, decor, internal doors, landscape garden,It was just the attitude of the agent that surprised us, saying they are giving feedback from this offer and we need to stop asking why others aren’t interested as it’s irrelevant , basically felt as if they were lecturing us and we expected too high a price( a price they initially set ). Should we accept what they say or effectively sack them and go with someone who will give better personal service, it feels like they are sick of us and have nothing to offer to help sell

If you've lost trust in the estate agent, maybe it's time to look elsewhere and start afresh.

They don't care at all about anything other than their fee and an offer gives them a chance to get their fee without doing any more work if they can persuade you to accept it. Tell them to get you a decent offer or you will sack them and go with other agents.

My first thought is that the offer where the buyer still had to sell was not a real offer as they were not proceedable. At that point, they don't know how much they will get for their property and therefore how much they can actually afford. We saw a property we loved quite early on when we were still trying to find a buyer for our place. We had an initial conversation about price, but then we had to reduce so could no longer afford it. I would say that offers and viewings from people who are not proceedable don't count toward the stats. People go window shopping just to see what's on the market - we had loads where they didn't even have their property listed yet.

You had an offer previously at more than the current price, but how long ago was that and why did it fall through? The market is pretty dead in a lot of places with not as many people looking to move. So you may well need to drop the price to get things moving. Also, if you insist on a higher offer, you may well find a buyer tries to renegotiate further down the line after mortgage valuation or survey. Sometimes, selling for below asking can help mitigate that as you can say you've already discounted.

As for the feedback that accompanied the recent offer, I do think decor can be relevant here. Maybe less so than the more functional improvements, but people will factor in the money they feel they need to spend to get it looking how they want it. You can argue that walls and carpets will likely be changed by most people, but landscaping is expensive and attractive gardens do help to sell houses. If a prospective buyer feels like they will have to decorate every room, the thought of starting all over again in a new house can be off putting. You shouldn't be insulted by the offer. It's just what the property is worth to that buyer and you are at liberty to reject the offer. If the property is worth asking price to another buyer, you will get an offer. If you don't, it's priced too high for the current market.

A new agent may help here too. Unless you have a great agent, I think these relationships have a lifespan. It can be tense for everyone and sometimes you just need a fresh start.

We’re going through a very complicated and drawn out house move and our EAs are the most patronising people I’ve ever met.

Will spend ages talking about stuff I’m not bothered about (our buyers lifestyle, our sellers health WTF) but doesn’t do too good at their actual job of chasing updates.

My advice, early in the game, is to change EA to people you like and get a good feel from. I’m stuck with our twatty EA now but would never use them again. They’ve caused the majority of the stress I’ve experienced due to their unprofessionalism - constantly changing stories and updates. Honestly, try someone new who will represent YOU.

EA's may start out in their careers being quite enthusiastic but many often tire and become disillusioned, then it's all about the fee. You see, homes are a hugely emotional purchase (cherished home, prospective home) that an awful lot of people on both sides of the transaction behave irrationally or with a one-sided perspective. Where large sums of money are involved, doubly so. EA's bear the brunt of this behaviour. In addition in England and Wales the purchase process of a chain is so fraught that many fall through, again EA's see the worst side of people. The customer EA's usually prefer are professional landlords because they are so matter of fact, it's just another transaction. There are good, enthusiastic EA's out there but they are thinly spread amongst the many who just go through the motions.