Discussion
More importantly, setting up on your own.
I currently work in construction but don't have much experience on the retail side of the property industry. This isn't an issue as I have the resources available to me.
Without requesting a "Dummy's Guide to Estate Agency" , what would one need to set up other than a landline and a way to market yourself?
In my mind, as long as you can find customers willing to let you market their property, their isn't much else to it.
Any input is welcomed.
I currently work in construction but don't have much experience on the retail side of the property industry. This isn't an issue as I have the resources available to me.
Without requesting a "Dummy's Guide to Estate Agency" , what would one need to set up other than a landline and a way to market yourself?
In my mind, as long as you can find customers willing to let you market their property, their isn't much else to it.
Any input is welcomed.
I would have thought its the worst time to become an estate agent.
Who needs them? What value do they provide? Everyone just looks on Rightmove for a house now.
FYI - I just sold my house on HouseNetwork for £495. The estate agent wanted £11,500 commission.
I think estate agents days are (or should be) pretty much over.
Who needs them? What value do they provide? Everyone just looks on Rightmove for a house now.
FYI - I just sold my house on HouseNetwork for £495. The estate agent wanted £11,500 commission.
I think estate agents days are (or should be) pretty much over.
i have done what you propose. . .pm me if you want. But like any business start up it takes effort and commitment. I personally think there will always be a career in Estate agency, however there are more alternatives now with the internet then before, but as i say pm me if you want to.
Jesus, you guys don't like estate agents do you? Can I ask why? I started about 5 weeks ago, don't wear a shiny suit and have facial hair and don't use hair gel as I'm balding anyway!
Also, £11,500 selling fee? How much was your house valued at by the agent? That is an astronomical fee!
Also, £11,500 selling fee? How much was your house valued at by the agent? That is an astronomical fee!
From what i've experienced literally anybody can be an estate agent. Knowledge of the property isnt even needed IME either.
My brother works in surveying and their view of estate agents is very similar and its seem as a joke of a 'profession'.
Zero qualifications needed. I'm thinking of giving it a bash myself eventually should i begin to hate my job more!
My brother works in surveying and their view of estate agents is very similar and its seem as a joke of a 'profession'.
Zero qualifications needed. I'm thinking of giving it a bash myself eventually should i begin to hate my job more!
Bandit said:
I would have thought its the worst time to become an estate agent.
Who needs them? What value do they provide? Everyone just looks on Rightmove for a house now.
FYI - I just sold my house on HouseNetwork for £495. The estate agent wanted £11,500 commission.
I think estate agents days are (or should be) pretty much over.
You're wrong, there are more estate agents now than 5 years ago, it's one of the fastest growing professions (if you can call it that......) at the moment. Who needs them? What value do they provide? Everyone just looks on Rightmove for a house now.
FYI - I just sold my house on HouseNetwork for £495. The estate agent wanted £11,500 commission.
I think estate agents days are (or should be) pretty much over.
There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
bint said:
There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
But there is this - http://www.naea.co.uk/Donatello said:
Jesus, you guys don't like estate agents do you? Can I ask why? I started about 5 weeks ago, don't wear a shiny suit and have facial hair and don't use hair gel as I'm balding anyway!
Also, £11,500 selling fee? How much was your house valued at by the agent? That is an astronomical fee!
House was up for £765k. The agents take their fee and then you have to pay VAT on top.Also, £11,500 selling fee? How much was your house valued at by the agent? That is an astronomical fee!
It's laughable, I seriously can't see how agents can charge as a% of selling price.
Why is an one house harder to sell than another one? What additional work is done.?
bint said:
You're wrong, there are more estate agents now than 5 years ago, it's one of the fastest growing professions (if you can call it that......) at the moment.
There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
More estate agents doesn't mean its a good industry to get into. it's simply means there are more deluded charlatans trying to make a quick buck, not realising they are not necessary anymore. There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
Tonberry said:
More importantly, setting up on your own.
I currently work in construction but don't have much experience on the retail side of the property industry. This isn't an issue as I have the resources available to me.
Without requesting a "Dummy's Guide to Estate Agency" , what would one need to set up other than a landline and a way to market yourself?
In my mind, as long as you can find customers willing to let you market their property, their isn't much else to it.
Any input is welcomed.
Don't. Just don't. Estate agency at the moment is not a place for the inexperienced.I currently work in construction but don't have much experience on the retail side of the property industry. This isn't an issue as I have the resources available to me.
Without requesting a "Dummy's Guide to Estate Agency" , what would one need to set up other than a landline and a way to market yourself?
In my mind, as long as you can find customers willing to let you market their property, their isn't much else to it.
Any input is welcomed.
I was out to lunch with a surveyor last week who is a partner in a firm of surveyors that runs an estate agency. They are doing okay but his income is about 40% down on this time 5 years ago. Bear in mind that they have professional services to supplement business income, a pure estate agency doesn't.
It's easy to look at estate agents, think they are crap and assume that it's easy to do better. Estate agents are the way they are for good reasons, which are the job they have to do and dealing with the general public which is at its worst when buying or selling houses.
So in summary unless you have some experience of the business you will fail sooner or later, almost certainly.
But there is money to be made elsewhere in property, so stick to the knitting Tonberry, stick to the knitting.
Bandit said:
House was up for £765k. The agents take their fee and then you have to pay VAT on top.
It's laughable, I seriously can't see how agents can charge as a% of selling price.
Why is an one house harder to sell than another one? What additional work is done.?
I'm pretty sure the market for a house costing £750K plus is a lot smaller than for a house costing less than £200K, so although there is no additional "work" as such, it is going to be harder to sell purely in terms of time if nothing else.It's laughable, I seriously can't see how agents can charge as a% of selling price.
Why is an one house harder to sell than another one? What additional work is done.?
But +11K is taking the piss.
Centurion07 said:
I'm pretty sure the market for a house costing £750K plus is a lot smaller than for a house costing less than £200K, so although there is no additional "work" as such, it is going to be harder to sell purely in terms of time if nothing else.
But +11K is taking the piss.
There's huge demands for what is really a very modest house in the area I live.But +11K is taking the piss.
This was Bourne out by the fact that I sold the house myself in 5 weeks using an online agency for less than £500.
I would say it's more difficult to sell a s
t hole in a bad area myself.
Bandit said:
There's huge demands for what is really a very modest house in the area I live.
This was Bourne out by the fact that I sold the house myself in 5 weeks using an online agency for less than £500.
I would say it's more difficult to sell a st hole in a bad area myself.
Yup, average price of a house round here is £400k, average for the city is ~£120k. The expensive ones (>£400k) sell without trying.This was Bourne out by the fact that I sold the house myself in 5 weeks using an online agency for less than £500.
I would say it's more difficult to sell a s
t hole in a bad area myself.Who wants to buy a small house in a s
t area? no-one, they buy like that because they have little choice.However... if you have >£400k to spend you do have choice. Our last house sold before the board went up (had 2 offers)
bint said:
You're wrong, there are more estate agents now than 5 years ago, it's one of the fastest growing professions (if you can call it that......) at the moment.
There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
Sorry to be ignorant but what are resales in the Estate Agent world?There are no formal qualifications/recognised authorities or regulatory body for estate agents. It's part of a bugbear for my colleagues in the relocation industry that work on resales.
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