Estate Agent porky pies!
Discussion
Globs said:
Yes, but you've lost weeks by then, I guess the odd victim waves it through.
You're probably right. I myself don't have experience in geographical areas where buyers wouldn't be very clear indeed about the difference between the two.The matter of tenure can often be tricky. I recently sold a flat where the vendor was convinced their flat was share of freehold (they had a letter from their solicitor stating this), I relied on this (as one would - lang reg. also stated that their was a ltd company owning the freehold of the type one would expect) and represented the flat as share of freehold, flat goes under offer, turns out it is in fact leasehold. Cue 3 months of back and forth before the matter is resolved and the sale proceeds successfully.
Huntsman said:
Yes it was, just looked back through my mail, I asked why it had come back on and was told it was due to the seller wanting to tidy up a bit of decor, the truth was that a sale had fallen through.
I'm not bent out of shape about it, we didn't like it, and even if we had, we'll do our own due diligence via the solicitor conveyancing, but I just fail to see why all the silly obfuscation.
Fair enough, I won't argue as I shall only further dim the view of PH when it comes to my 'profession'. I'm not bent out of shape about it, we didn't like it, and even if we had, we'll do our own due diligence via the solicitor conveyancing, but I just fail to see why all the silly obfuscation.
Good word, obfuscation. In my experience, people will tie themselves up in knots if they know something has gone wrong with a particular property before. It wouldn't affect someone like you, as you seem to look at things in a less emotional way (always preferable).
It's difficult. As this is PH, can we liken this to selling a car? If someone points out a scratch / blemish / issue on your car; are you more likely to tell them exactly how it got there (I was being dozy while parking / this car always attracts vandals / the paint is especially chocolatey) or are you just going to acknowledge it as a minor defect. For example, the lovely chap who bought my jag a few weeks ago was told that I had replaced one of the wings as it had a minor rust bubble (totally true), what I didn't mention is that I had carelessly almost torn the wing off whilst reversing out of a tight space in very heavy rain meaning I couldn't quite see properly. Was that wrong?
Edited by DeltaTango on Monday 4th September 15:35
DeltaTango said:
Globs said:
Yes, but you've lost weeks by then, I guess the odd victim waves it through.
You're probably right. I myself don't have experience in geographical areas where buyers wouldn't be very clear indeed about the difference between the two.The matter of tenure can often be tricky. I recently sold a flat where the vendor was convinced their flat was share of freehold (they had a letter from their solicitor stating this), I relied on this (as one would - lang reg. also stated that their was a ltd company owning the freehold of the type one would expect) and represented the flat as share of freehold, flat goes under offer, turns out it is in fact leasehold. Cue 3 months of back and forth before the matter is resolved and the sale proceeds successfully.
DeltaTango said:
Fair enough, I won't argue as I shall only further dim the view of PH when it comes to my 'profession'.
Good word, obfuscation. In my experience, people will tie themselves up in knots if they know something has gone wrong with a particular property before. It wouldn't affect someone like you, as you seem to look at things in a less emotional way (always preferable).
It's difficult. As this is PH, can we liken this to selling a car? If someone points out a scratch / blemish / issue on your car; are you more likely to tell them exactly how it got there (I was being dozy while parking / this car always attracts vandals / the paint is especially chocolatey) or are you just going to acknowledge it as a minor defect. For example, the lovely chap who bought my jag a few weeks ago was told that I had replaced one of the wings as it had a minor rust bubble (totally true), what I didn't mention is that I had carelessly almost torn the wing off whilst reversing out of a tight space in very heavy rain meaning I couldn't quite see properly. Was that wrong?
It was a bit dishonest!Good word, obfuscation. In my experience, people will tie themselves up in knots if they know something has gone wrong with a particular property before. It wouldn't affect someone like you, as you seem to look at things in a less emotional way (always preferable).
It's difficult. As this is PH, can we liken this to selling a car? If someone points out a scratch / blemish / issue on your car; are you more likely to tell them exactly how it got there (I was being dozy while parking / this car always attracts vandals / the paint is especially chocolatey) or are you just going to acknowledge it as a minor defect. For example, the lovely chap who bought my jag a few weeks ago was told that I had replaced one of the wings as it had a minor rust bubble (totally true), what I didn't mention is that I had carelessly almost torn the wing off whilst reversing out of a tight space in very heavy rain meaning I couldn't quite see properly. Was that wrong?
Edited by DeltaTango on Monday 4th September 15:35
Our mortgage fell through at the last minute. This was quite stressful and the EA didn't help by telling us that the seller would pull out if we couldn't complete within 2 weeks. Given the house had been on the market for 2 years, there had only been 2 offers (both me) and the owner was increasingly disabled and desperate to move, I sat back and waited for winter.
Made me feel like a bad person knowing that winter would likely finish the owner off, but saved £30k
Made me feel like a bad person knowing that winter would likely finish the owner off, but saved £30k
meehaja said:
Our mortgage fell through at the last minute. This was quite stressful and the EA didn't help by telling us that the seller would pull out if we couldn't complete within 2 weeks. Given the house had been on the market for 2 years, there had only been 2 offers (both me) and the owner was increasingly disabled and desperate to move, I sat back and waited for winter.
Made me feel like a bad person knowing that winter would likely finish the owner off, but saved £30k
Made me feel like a bad person knowing that winter would likely finish the owner off, but saved £30k
BlueHave said:
You will probably never find out the truth. Estate Agents spend a good percentage of their day coming up with excuses and covering each others arses.
You won't believe me but I can't recall the last time I wasn't completely truthful, other than instances where I have been given incorrect information (as above). As with all things, the lowest common denominator dictates what is 'true', and I am well aware from my dealings with competitors how bad it can be out there.Huntsman said:
Rude-boy said:
Because the first question you would be most likely to ask is "Why did the perspective buyer pull out?" This might be a simple "Oh, he had a job offer come up in Bolton" or it might be "Because her surveyor told her to run, not walk, away."
So its ok for the agent to conceal a known truth by saying something else?Bottom line though they are not obliged to tell you that the Property is falling down. If the last buyer pulled out because their survey told them it was about to fall down then the EA will represent accordingly - if an obvious renovation/refirb they would say that the first buyer was after making a bigger profit and that the amount of work required was more than they were willing to commit to. I have heard of agents telling buyers that certain surveyors are "Old women" and that they will always over egg any small issue so as to cover their own arse.
As ever it is not what you say but how you say it.
4159265 said:
Indeed.
Before we bought our current place we rented for a year or so, an unfurnished place.
We get the keys and surprise surprise it has loads of furniture in it!
Which is not the agent's fault, but rather the landlord's. Also, if a flat is unfurnished when you view it, it doesn't mean it will be that way when you move in. Unless you have stated to the agent at the time of offer than your offer is on the basis of the property being unfurnished then the landlord may have thought they were doing you a favour.Before we bought our current place we rented for a year or so, an unfurnished place.
We get the keys and surprise surprise it has loads of furniture in it!
Rude-boy said:
it is full of nuance and I can't give you a straight answer as every single situation will turn on the exact circumstances and wording used.
Bottom line though they are not obliged to tell you that the Property is falling down. If the last buyer pulled out because their survey told them it was about to fall down then the EA will represent accordingly - if an obvious renovation/refirb they would say that the first buyer was after making a bigger profit and that the amount of work required was more than they were willing to commit to. I have heard of agents telling buyers that certain surveyors are "Old women" and that they will always over egg any small issue so as to cover their own arse.
As ever it is not what you say but how you say it.
Bottom line though they are not obliged to tell you that the Property is falling down. If the last buyer pulled out because their survey told them it was about to fall down then the EA will represent accordingly - if an obvious renovation/refirb they would say that the first buyer was after making a bigger profit and that the amount of work required was more than they were willing to commit to. I have heard of agents telling buyers that certain surveyors are "Old women" and that they will always over egg any small issue so as to cover their own arse.
As ever it is not what you say but how you say it.
DeltaTango said:
You won't believe me but I can't recall the last time I wasn't completely truthful, other than instances where I have been given incorrect information (as above). As with all things, the lowest common denominator dictates what is 'true', and I am well aware from my dealings with competitors how bad it can be out there.
I believe you. Only the idiots lie about stuff, it takes a good memory and a lot of work to lie and they'll usually get bitten back by it, much easier to be honest, saving the time, effort and risk. At the end of the day it's a game of matching sellers and buyers and getting the sales to happen so you get paid, the games just get in the way of that process.
DeltaTango said:
4159265 said:
Indeed.
Before we bought our current place we rented for a year or so, an unfurnished place.
We get the keys and surprise surprise it has loads of furniture in it!
Which is not the agent's fault, but rather the landlord's. Also, if a flat is unfurnished when you view it, it doesn't mean it will be that way when you move in. Unless you have stated to the agent at the time of offer than your offer is on the basis of the property being unfurnished then the landlord may have thought they were doing you a favour.Before we bought our current place we rented for a year or so, an unfurnished place.
We get the keys and surprise surprise it has loads of furniture in it!
It isn't hard for agent and LL to have a conversation, well it shouldn't be anyway.
Someone posted a while back that for the potential to cause f
k-ups, being an estate agent has a worryingly low barrier to entry in terms of cost, ability and qualification.To add fuel to fire.. the agent for our purchase was an online one. Went smoothly, mainly for their minimal meddling. Not a Burton suit or white leased BMW 116 in sight
4159265 said:
Someone posted a while back that for the potential to cause fk-ups, being an estate agent has a worryingly low barrier to entry in terms of cost, ability and qualification.
You need to think bigger, the politicians wrecking our world have only to cosy up to the right interests to gain entry.k-ups, being an estate agent has a worryingly low barrier to entry in terms of cost, ability and qualification.E.g. We had Blair in charge of illegal foreign wars for years, his qualifications were merely to find the right holes and to be a criminal psychopath.
Against that Estate Agents look pretty good to me.
On my last sale the estate agent I dealt with told me he had an offer on my house and to except it and the other party had sold there house, something seemed odd did a bit of digging and the person offering had not sold and it only went on market after they offered on mine, it was another client of the agent and turns out he told them if they sell through him he would make sure they got mine, so bull sh*t all round. I called him out on it and go my house back on market, which was a good job as the people who had offered on mine didn't sell until 2 years after I had completed.
Anyway regardless of what estate agents say they are in my experience all liars and wide boys, credit to them for making £ for doing pretty much f*ck all, but I wouldn't p*ss on one if they were on fire.
Other comments on here say they 'work for the seller' rubbish they work for themselves they don't care about the seller its all about the agent and what they can make out of it.
Anyway regardless of what estate agents say they are in my experience all liars and wide boys, credit to them for making £ for doing pretty much f*ck all, but I wouldn't p*ss on one if they were on fire.
Other comments on here say they 'work for the seller' rubbish they work for themselves they don't care about the seller its all about the agent and what they can make out of it.
Edited by PostHeads123 on Wednesday 6th September 12:37
Was told my house would be displayed in the window of their shop- few days after I call them to say I thought you were going to display it in the window "oh yes its in the window" , so why am I outside your shop and cant see it "oh we'll get it sorted".
This was before the internet, so being in the window made a big difference back then.
My friend's dad has about 30 rentals and the agent he uses calls him up for a viewing before it goes in the papers/internet, If he wants the house at the viewing he leaves £500 in an envelope for the agent when he leaves. Its a sort of unspoken understanding that he will get the house.
This was before the internet, so being in the window made a big difference back then.
My friend's dad has about 30 rentals and the agent he uses calls him up for a viewing before it goes in the papers/internet, If he wants the house at the viewing he leaves £500 in an envelope for the agent when he leaves. Its a sort of unspoken understanding that he will get the house.
Our last house sale turned into a total nightmare. On reflection and information that came out of the wash after the dust had settled it was clear the agents were not in control or on the ball at all - i was very pissed to say the least, tired of fighting and took the place off the market and got out of contract ASAP.
We decided to stay and got some quotes for a new kitchen. One of the Kitchen fitters fell in love with the place and ended up coming to me direct to see if we would consider selling again. He made me an offer 10k over what we had originally sold for. The original sale fell through mainly because of our buyers inability to get finance in place but worse still was a complete of a Surveyor who down valued us.
Kitchen fitted made his offer, i accepted, he raised a mortgage, went through survey without any issues, no estate agents, it was the easiest house sale ever and done in 6 weeks. (After 6 months fighting with the previous sale and loosing our purchase!)
We decided to stay and got some quotes for a new kitchen. One of the Kitchen fitters fell in love with the place and ended up coming to me direct to see if we would consider selling again. He made me an offer 10k over what we had originally sold for. The original sale fell through mainly because of our buyers inability to get finance in place but worse still was a complete
of a Surveyor who down valued us.Kitchen fitted made his offer, i accepted, he raised a mortgage, went through survey without any issues, no estate agents, it was the easiest house sale ever and done in 6 weeks. (After 6 months fighting with the previous sale and loosing our purchase!)
My EA tells me my buyer is waiting for his buyer to obtain a specialist roof report on the property my buyer owns.
A week or so passes, so I contact my buyer direct who tells me he'd taken his house off the market 3 weeks prior and had told my agent.
Agent was trying to back fill by finding me another buyer without losing my business.
Omudsman involved and EA told to pay me £500 compensation.
I kept my property and turned it into a rental - still got it today, 10 years later.
Happy days.
A week or so passes, so I contact my buyer direct who tells me he'd taken his house off the market 3 weeks prior and had told my agent.
Agent was trying to back fill by finding me another buyer without losing my business.
Omudsman involved and EA told to pay me £500 compensation.
I kept my property and turned it into a rental - still got it today, 10 years later.
Happy days.
Edited by developer on Wednesday 6th September 21:13
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