House on market and I'm a bit lost

I spoke to an old friend late last night, she has worked for the same EA for 20 years. She also said I hadn't lost the buyer for the £5K, there must be another reason. She said I must go to an agent who offers marketing on Rightmove.

So this morning I wrote to my EA and said I would like to engage an additional agent .... she wrote back to say she is too small, and it is against her policy. At the end of the email she said she thought I was looking to change agent, so she has opened the conversation.

I am going to give her notice. I was humiliated she conveyed my private thoughts to the buyer, what else has she told him?

Lor Mosaic you do need to be on Rightmove....for better or worse its the first thing most people do go to. We used a local branch of a quite 'posh' EA with the initial S&P. Yes their charges are not the lowest but they do seem to attract good staff. We could not fault the service they gave us in the Herefordshire area.
If you do leave your EA do make sure you have it all done officially there have been a few nightmare scenarios in press where people have thought they have ended the contract but found out later that their previous EA had a legal right to a cut of the commission when they eventually sold through another EA.

Just emailed and have given fourteen days notice of termination. I said I had taken her comments about the house continuing to deteriorate with the passing of time and losing value, and felt I should be on Rightmove. As she didn't offer advertising on there, plus didn't want to do joint agency, I reluctantly offered notice.

Several people had said I need to be on Rightmove, but I thought I should give this EA a chance as she only takes 20 houses at a time and advertises on On The Market and Zoopla. I can't believe I'm back at the beginning again

Looking at what I've written, she wouldn't want me to go to an agent as joint that does advertise on Rightmove, as they would stand a better chance of selling.

What a mess. I'll be a lot more stoic when I engage the new EA, try and take everything in my stride, try to be stonger.

You could do with involving the new EA now mosaicwarts, they can get the photos and description done and write the contracts. It takes about 2 weeks to be up and running anyway and tbh you don`t want to waste that 14 days. Just be sure that they don`t bring viewers to the house in that time. It will give the new EA a nice chunk of time to be contacting people already on their books, all unofficially of course

I'm feeling very low, thanks for writing craftyone. Steve always did this horrible stuff and I'm not up to it really. Monday's viewing is obviously 'off' as she said good bye and good luck to me in the email. I have made a list of the viewer's names and am about to send it to her, she did say if the buyer who offered views again through the new agent the commission is hers.

And the new agents too. You could end up paying double. Be careful!

Don't feel to bad mosaicwarts, you have got people to talk to now. I have been watching your thread since the beginning and you are working through things as best you can - that's all any of us can do?

I do agree with getting the new agent in asap. You can explain the situation - they will have come across it before. Good luck with the new start.

They've released me from the two week's notice, which is nice of them.

I've just realised I'll have to see them again to get the keys back.

The professionals are used to clients. They won't be losing any sleep over you moving on. They haven't managed to sell your house which is what they're supposed to do.
Right Move is the go to site. Starting again will be okay. Stay strong!
My DiL's widowed DM (are you keeping up at the back) changed agents as her huge house had languished for 6months unsold. With fresh photos and renewed energy she sold quickly and found another house which she loves.
I hope you are as lucky. You deserve to be.

You have done the right thing. There is still a good window of time this year to get your house sold. As others have said, with good photographs, a realistic price and being on Rightmove you will expose your house to the maximum audience. Be wary about what commission you accept - our agents charged 1% and were so worth it. Being professional they kept up the momentum and established a great relationship with our buyer - we sold our very non-standard period house with a large garden in three months. Our price was realistic and compared well with other stuff on the market in our area. While it may seem daunting to start again, you can do it and with the right professionals for support, it should make it easier and less stressful next time. Good luck Mosaic, house buying and selling is a nightmare - but you will get there in the end, I'm sure.

I have got the valuer coming from a large and well established agent on Tuesday. I printed out the email saying I was released, just in case.

Thank you for all your good wishes, it's been a horrid experience, I've learnt a lot from it.

Off to Aldi now - because of my cold hadn't noticed the milk was sour!

Take care, Mosaic, get yourself some nice goodies from Aldi. A nice hot chocolate or cocoa later, and then hopefully you will get a good night's sleep. You have certainly done all you can for today. Great that you've got the ball rolling with a visit from a reputable agent on Tuesday.

You have done really good today mosaics, you picked yourself up by the bootstraps when you could have gone into a decline. Very well done, factor in the treats and leave it to the new EA to do all the viewings and donkeywork

Onwards and upwards Mosaic - The Aldi Chocolate is one of my favs and hopefully your taste buds will return soon. I find Olbas oil good and shifting the goo! All the best!

craftyone
Your post @9.09.
Re EA grinding you down.
This last move was the worst on the stress level ( and I've had a few)
In one of those 3o/clock in the morning moments I was having really evil thoughts about the solicitor and EA.
That same day I was talking about all the problems we were having with them and my friend said do you want them seen too A bit extreme, I know, but that's what these people push you too

Looking back - what a roller coaster selling, buying and moving is. We have had both terrible and infuriating, expensive, bad experiences- which were all finally resolved by amazing ones ... Bonne chance, or 'merde' as we say here for good luck.

Cheers everyone, just back from Aldi with my favourite Titan bars!

Will come back Tuesday and let you know the REAL marketable value of my house! xx

I spoke to my life time friend, who sold her house within two weeks last night. She'd offered on a bungalow last Wednesday, on her second viewing - and withdrew her offer yesterday as she felt she wouldn't fit into the community there. I feel so for the poor seller!

everyone is nervous right now, uk future, old age, crime. Our safe bubbles have well and truly been burst and only the mentally strong carry on out of their safe zones. Safe zones can become ruts that are unclimbable if we cling to them long enough and the longer we cling, the harder it is to leave what we know. Hence the invaluable support from so many in a similar position

A very insightful and wise post, craftyone. I love Gransnet and all the support from so many lovely people - you are never alone. We decided to move in our 60's and it is proving stressful and hard. I admire your fortitude mosaic, no mean feat to be doing this on your own. I hope you're having a better day today. Roll on Tuesday for you, when you will begin to get some action from your new estate agents.

Hey thanks Greta8. My daughter is back from three months travel on Monday and somehow I just can't get ready for her 'welcome home'.

I've done her bed, made sure all her post is on her dressing table - just got to put her Easter Eggs out! Not doing flowers in her room, she left them to rot last time as young people do! I haven't planned a big lunch, she's coming into Newcastle from NZ at 12 noon, normally she crashes into bed after long haul. The nice thing is that her brother is collecting her as he is now working as a taxi driver - I was going to have to get her a taxi anyway as I can't drive on the motorway now, so he'll get the fare

I'm really suffering with breathlessness with this cold, I've just come in from weeding the drive - well, trying to weed it. The weedkiller killed most of the weeds, but I have clumps of grass and I wasn't strong enough to dig them out. I threw out the lawnmower as it had rusted and pay someone to do the lawn, he's coming on Monday, and said he will also help me with the weeding. Do feel for my friend who's always puffed because of her asthma.

Now I'm changing agent, I'm going to try to be a lot less anxious. I was thinking about it today and it was appalling that she shared my private thoughts with the prospective buyer. She was horrified I asked for a reduction in her commission, I asked if she would as his offer was so low. I suppose it is good it happened, something worse could have occurred later down the line.

Off to feed puss cat, have a nice evening!

Oh Mosaicwarts....your DD should be looking after you! I think sometime we put too brave a face on things. I have no idea how old she is but methinks she needs to realise you might be her Mum but you need a little cosseting as well. Hope you have a lovely time with her!

Thanks HildaW, she's 23. She's just put a photo of her sitting on a NZ mountain after five hours of slipping as the guide said crampons weren't necessary! And she heard mini avalanches!

My daughter is really academic, and not very practical - she still lives with me until she finds her first job, which will be in Manchester as she wants to be in TV. Her boyfriend will be coming over from Canada to live with her, wherever she is. I've just been looking and it's five hours from Manchester to Bournemouth. I've got absolutely no idea where to and have just decided Bournemouth will have to do

Aha....must admit 23 nowadays is still pretty young....I was married at 13 although that was a bit of a disaster but I did feel 'all grown up' then and was certainly not listening to any advice.
Do check out the area you want to move to, its so important.
Everywhere can seem idyllic on a sunny day! Mind you good transport links can make a huge difference. A distance on a map can be quite deceptive....its all about the routes.