Estate Agents

The answer is not a lot other than post haste to collect their commission

Our last estate agent was too polite to us as vendors. After complaining we got a few brutal truths.

We staged our home by removing all personal items and all ornaments less than 8in tall. We also ground and stained our lovely pink oak floor.

A week later our house was sold to an eager, well-qualified buyer.

In seeking our feedback our estate agent said ours was the only house he personally had sold in 2006. We said that we could've done with his brutal truths a few months earlier.

We posted a property in late October and it only sold in the following February - November, December and January is known in the EA world as "the graveyard months". 2.5 months is nothing. If you haven't sold by March, then I would definitely look at which estate agents are moving houses faster (keep an eye on Rightmove for your area) and maybe look for an agent who has sold a house quickly? (Of course, this may just be because they persuaded the owners to reduce the price?) Basically, in the run up to Christmas, it's very difficult to sell a house. Sorry.

A few ideas for you -
Check all the photos on Rightmove. Do they show the best aspects of your property? If not, get the agent to re-take them. Even photos taken on a sunny day sell a property better than dull ones. Check that the best features of the property are described well. Check 'streetview' on Rightmove. A relative had a property listed recently and was amazed when I pointed out that streetview was showing a much less desirable road a block away.
Who is doing the viewings? You or the agent? I always do my own viewings as, having lived in the property, I feel I am in a much better position to draw attention to the good points. Many times when I have been shown a property by an agent they have just let me in and waited in the kitchen while I looked round on my own!
Is the property prominently featured in the estate agency? If not, get it moved into the window.
If your agent isn't being helpful, move to a new one.
Remember the squeaky wheel gets the oil, so as Izabella says, ring for frequent updates.
Good Luck!

Thanks everyone, my property has a new kitchen and bathroom plus extensions and a garden room. The other properties did not. It is very neutral. Although, of course anyone new will want to change to their own taste.

I knew the person who sold hers quickly very well and she got her asking price. Although they chased me saying they had Clients waiting.

Shared ownership is fine for me, I have no close family, so do not care what happens after I am gone. The sale goes through Estate Agents and they price the property. The present owner's daughter is selling because her Mum has gone into a care home. Everything is done I would only have to redecorate.

I have two Agents one has done nothing and the other sent 3 viewers. The one who hasn't sent anybody has not even replied to my e mails. So I think I will be dropping them.

Agree its only been on for a short while. You need to ring daily for an update. Ask them if your asking price is realistic as people often ask more than people are willing to pay.

All the best for a quick sale though. I wholeheartedly agree it is extremely stressful.

I hate to say this but your property has only been on the market 2 1/2 months this is a very short time running up to Christmas. Prices are very up and down at present, I do realise how frustrating it is for you as I have a close relation in a similar situation and even when somebody has shown interest they then want a huge discount. Fingers crossed for you. Do check what you agreed to with the Agent, you could change probably but you will be starting all over again.

I would go back to the contract you have with current agent and check the small print. Make sure they are doing what they are contracted to do. If they are not doing everything you could be able to withdraw from their services & engage another agent. If they are doing what they said they would do then maybe the market is just very slow at the moment. The Brexit situation is causing a lot of uncertainty in the financial markets which will impact on property sales. I hope things get moving soon. It is a frustrating process.

What houses have sold for, even months ago, is no guide to the current market which is currently low and falling. How do you know for sure what they sold for, as distinct to the asking price, when you say that the Land Registry has not yet released prices for recent sales.

You may have back access and a garage, when others do not, but how does the interior of your property compare with those that have sold. It may be well decorated and clean, but is the design and even furnishing as up to date and modern as people are looking for. When were your bathroom and kitchen last refitted?

The range of factors going into pricing a house are myriad.

At the end of the day a house is worth what someone will pay for it. If no one wants to look at it or buy it, that suggests that it is overpriced in the current market.

Personally we have always chosen to sell cheaper and sell quickly, which means that we can move quickly as well and grab anything we fancy.

We had a poor estate agent for a house we were selling, they overpriced it, so that it didn't sell in brief up turnin what was generally a down market.

We took the house away from them and placed it with another agent, who we told our story to, complete with the agents's name. This put them on their metal. They suggested one or two minor changes in presentation and sold the house within a month.

nonnie I never thought of that thanks for pointing it out to me,it has been years since we have bought a house,things have changed so much.

glam not sure a second agent is a good idea these days. Firstly they usually charge more if it is not a sole agency and secondly it looks desperate on Rightmove so people will think there is something wrong or that you will accept a very low offer.

Sack the agent! Ours was only on an 8 week contract so it would have been easy. When they came to quote I made it quite clear that I wanted control over the advertising, I even wrote the top bit of the blurb for them. When they produced the details I made amendments, some factual, some spelling and some grammar. It is a competitive market so they should do what you want. Unless you are in an area where prices are going down stick to your guns about the price, the Land Registry figures are easy to obtain and your agent is being very, very lazy.

When buying shared ownership be very careful about what you are getting. In the one case I know of it didn't matter what improvements you made, the housing association were entitled to their proportion of it so if you bought 50%, spent £5000 on it, they would profit by £2500. They also charged a lot more than normal estate agents to sell it and extra for doing the viewings! In Northern Ireland the system is completely different, if you improve the property you keep the value.

From listening to my son and dil recently I can understand your frustration,in the road they bought in they viewed 4 properties with a price difference of between £15/18k,they bought at the lower price because it had a newish kitchen/smart bathroom/up to date heating system/good parking facilities.
The two that where at the top of the price list both needed to be refurbished and I understand why they decided on it as they could move in straight away,they had a lower offer accepted and where told by their Agent not all houses sell for the asking price and that Agents value up to allow for offers being placed.
Can you not have a second Agent acting for you and insist that when you have viewing the Agent reports back to you with either positive or negative feedback.Good luck with your sale