Professional Property Sales Managers

Lulubeyond, I certainly didn't mean to upset anyone. I've only sold twice but both times it's been a bit of a nightmare. Probably just been unlucky. So glad to have you here to share you experience. Looks like PPSMs might be real after all. Bit unfair (but not surprising) only big business get to use them .

Foggy, having been an estate agent for many years and having found helping home movers achieve their goals immensely satisfying, I’m saddened to hear your thoughts on your local agents.

Granted the industry’s reputation is far from spotless but I agree with FlicketyB, it’s no worse than any other profession and there are many super estate agents out there I assure you.

I’ve always been of the opinion it's more the system, rather than the protagonists, that are to blame for most dissatisfaction levelled at estate agents.

I’m intrigued to see professional property sales managers mentioned here because in estate agency circles, that's a term normally associated with corporate instructions.

From time to time we were instructed on behalf of Banks and Probate Providers. Banks in particular have a duty to show they achieved best possible price for the property but don’t have the expertise in-house needed to choose the right estate agents, validate valuations and keep the agents on track. They would use residential asset management companies to take care of things who in turn would instruct us.

These corporate instructions would come from the likes of:

www.countrywide.co.uk/property-services/asset-management
www.mwultd.co.uk/services/fully-managed-property-sale-service
www.connellsgroup.co.uk/our-services/connells-asset-management
corpsales.spicerhaart.co.uk

They all had slightly different ways of working, for instance, Connells used to only give corporate sales to their own estate agency branches. Others were independent and able to choose which agents to use based on who had the best KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators).

If Emelle has been talking to someone who claims to be from one of these companies then she should ask to see proof of employment and their track record.

As far as I’m aware, these companies only service the corporate market so it seems strange that Emelle would be in direct contact with a genuine property sales manager of the type I’m familiar with.

I have had one appalling transaction - or rather aborted transaction with an estate agent but having bought and sold houses 5 times, plus helping children with house purchases and several houses sales as an executor my experience has been that estate agents are no better and no worse than any other professional one employs whether builder, solicitor, hairdresser or gardener. I always proof read and rewrite any house details they prepare but apart from that I find most efficient and honest.

Round my way you could get 10 quotes and it wouldn't make any difference... They're all fairly lacklustre.

As DS would say 'always get 3 quotes'

We had one of those leaflets offering to buy our house through the door yesterday, and DH said 'It's just like We buy any car - yes, for peanuts'.

rely on your estate agent - now that's not something you hear everyday!

I think the Gransnet consensus would be - give the PPSM a miss and rely on your estate agent.

A genuine post believe me! I really was wary of the offer we had been given and could think of no other way of questioning it's validity.

Weird

I wonder whether Emelle will post again?

It did seem like a set-up to me from the very beginning.

I have just googled the phrase "Professional Property Sales Manager" and got zilch exact results for that phrase or anything discussing this profession. This makes me very suspicious.

I went on to google all kinds of alternatives based on 'selling your home' and 'professional property sales manager'. Estate Agents, building companies looking for property sales executives all came up. No mention at all of this new profession.

If anybody does decide to use one of these people I would enquire about their professional indemnity insurance, ask to see the original certificate and policy, read all the small print in great detail and check with the insurance company that they offer that type of insurance.

I did see JenSpen's first post but not the others. The fact that they have all been deleted makes me more suspicious. I think using someone purporting to be a PPSM to sell your house would be very, very risky and more likely to lead to you being cheated out of money than getting a good sale.

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Just wondering JenSpen, if you came across this way of marketing a property from a property website?

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But how lucky that you were on hand to give Emelle the thumbs-up!

I'm confused. If the two estate agents were working against each other wouldn't they have had to have been instructed, and at least one of them be entitled to a fee if and when the property was sold (i.e. the 3%)?

Plus the Professional Property Sales manager's charges - you don't mention how much those were, JenSpen...

Thank you JenSpen! This is exactly the service we have been offered and it is good to hear about a success story. I think the most attractive aspect is the speed of a sale. Now just have to persuade my conventional DH
and find a house to move to.

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I don't see what this firm can do that any decent estate agent won't do.

I remember another thread not very long ago, where someone was asking whether it was worth getting in someone who specialised in preparing a house for sale, or getting a new kitchen put in. The short answer then was "No" The house needs to be clean and uncluttered and have all the maintenance done. If anywhere could do with a coat of paint, get that seen to. Then clean and clean again, and make sure it smells good.

Whoever buys it will have own ideas and will probably change everything anyway.

Unless your house is very big and valuable (multi million pounds), but even then, I cannot see what a Professional Property Sales Manager can do that a good estate agent wouldn't. I mean an estate agent is a 'Professional Property Sales Agent'. He is constantly in touch with potential property purchasers and has long lists of buyers and their needs who can be told about your property. Your house will be on Rightmove and other property sales sites and anyone interested can contact the agent for details.

Where is this Professional Property Sales Agent going to find potential buyers who are not already registered with all the local estate agents? Estate Agents are not going to give him access to their lists of house hunters and if your house is already on Rightmove through your agent, where is he going to advertise that your estate agent hasn't already tried. Ordinary buyers aren't found by networking. They register with estate agents and look at Rightmove

I wouldn't touch a service like this and would be very suspicious that it was a way of getting you, after a few months, to sell your house cheaply to someone he knows so that the new owner can make a killing out of reselling it at a profit after you move and cutting the 'Professional Property Sales Agent' in on the profit.

Have a look at the terms and conditions with your present estate agent becausde if you "jump ship" ie move to someone else, they may charge.

I am lead to believe it is no sale no fee so with your thoughts in mind I think I will speak to this Professional Property Sales Manager and ask the questions but leave this option as a stand by as we are happy with the Estate Agent we have chosen to use. Thank you for your comments as they echo our concerns.

My thoughts were the same as whitewave's, i.e. what are their terms? Would they guarantee achieving a minimum price for a given fee or would the fee be considerably decreased if you received a lower offer? I'd also do some research to see if there are any articles about the subject or users' reviews.

I've never heard of anyone using them - I expect those that have very expensive properties, a good income and little time to "dress" their homes to make them more attractive are the most likely to use such a service.

Also, presumably you would need to get several valuations from other estate agents to get some idea of what is a "good" price, a "realistic" price, a "quick sale" price, etc. etc.

How much are they charging?

Is it no sale no fee?

Do they insist that they get sole sale?