Foxtons - Got to admire their "optimism"
Discussion
I just had the most GENIUS conversation with Foxtons.
Fembot at the end of the phone called me from Hamstead Office, (you could actually hear the honey in her voice). She called to ask whether I still had a property and what I was doing with it. I said I was renting it out and wasn't really looking to sell but thanks.
She put on her very best 'suprised' voice and said "surely don't you think this is an ideal time to sell?". She seemed stunned at how naive I was (sorry, clearly am). I replied very humbly that I am a very simple man and I only know a little bit about the economy but I guessed there wasn't much point considering what the papers and media are reporting (and that whole mythical recession thing).
She said that the papers have got it all wrong. It's a very strong market. She said (this is the genius bit), "it's not a buyer's market, but it's a seller's market. Properties are easily achieving their asking prices and above because there isn't enough property on the market." I said: "Wow, that's amazing". So she senses blood and goes in for the kill: "So, shall we value your property for you? It's never been a better time to sell and we just can't shift properties quickly enough..."
and so on and so forth. I played along till I got bored and then got rid of.
Now, I've had this property on the market for over a year and it has steadily been reduced in price (not in a hurry to sell because a long term tenant is in there, but happy to get rid off at reasonable price). There have been very few bites that have exceeded anything that the usual investor with cash looking an easy kill. It's a one bed which is a typical non-mover in this kind of market. I've had it on with other agents who have agreed FAR less than Foxtons fantastic 2.5 agency fee.
Got to admire their ability to talk total rubbish. If I'd said I was a buyer, I would have been told the exact opposite!!
Got to love them. Then again, it is worry that the nations assets are traded through a bunch who have no governing body worth salt and seem to actively mislead...
Fembot at the end of the phone called me from Hamstead Office, (you could actually hear the honey in her voice). She called to ask whether I still had a property and what I was doing with it. I said I was renting it out and wasn't really looking to sell but thanks.
She put on her very best 'suprised' voice and said "surely don't you think this is an ideal time to sell?". She seemed stunned at how naive I was (sorry, clearly am). I replied very humbly that I am a very simple man and I only know a little bit about the economy but I guessed there wasn't much point considering what the papers and media are reporting (and that whole mythical recession thing).
She said that the papers have got it all wrong. It's a very strong market. She said (this is the genius bit), "it's not a buyer's market, but it's a seller's market. Properties are easily achieving their asking prices and above because there isn't enough property on the market." I said: "Wow, that's amazing". So she senses blood and goes in for the kill: "So, shall we value your property for you? It's never been a better time to sell and we just can't shift properties quickly enough..."
and so on and so forth. I played along till I got bored and then got rid of.
Now, I've had this property on the market for over a year and it has steadily been reduced in price (not in a hurry to sell because a long term tenant is in there, but happy to get rid off at reasonable price). There have been very few bites that have exceeded anything that the usual investor with cash looking an easy kill. It's a one bed which is a typical non-mover in this kind of market. I've had it on with other agents who have agreed FAR less than Foxtons fantastic 2.5 agency fee.
Got to admire their ability to talk total rubbish. If I'd said I was a buyer, I would have been told the exact opposite!!
Got to love them. Then again, it is worry that the nations assets are traded through a bunch who have no governing body worth salt and seem to actively mislead...
Stevenj214 said:
Did you get her name? Call her back tomorrow and ask for her. Say she was recommended by a friend. You're thinking about buying but you're not sure if the time is right and you'd like a "professional" opinion...
I implore you - do this and post up the result...! T'will be hilarious.My folks are selling a property at the moment and were told the exact same. "Good time to sell, market has picked up, will sell within 6 week at that price". They knew it was a load of old rubbish, but agreed to give the agent a chance on the basis that they're not too fussed if this one sells or not.
Put it on at what the agent suggested and, predictably, three months later, not so much as a derisory offer. Just counting down the days until we get the inevitable "it's priced too highly, we recommend you drop the price to £x" phone call. Despite the fact the agent chose the initial price, knew we didn't need to sell and they knew they weren't going to get a sale unless the offer was pretty close to the price they assured us they could get. They just waste their own time.
Every agent is the same and they will all say anything to get you to sign up. I don't think they realise the majority of sellers know perfectly well they're talking bull.
Put it on at what the agent suggested and, predictably, three months later, not so much as a derisory offer. Just counting down the days until we get the inevitable "it's priced too highly, we recommend you drop the price to £x" phone call. Despite the fact the agent chose the initial price, knew we didn't need to sell and they knew they weren't going to get a sale unless the offer was pretty close to the price they assured us they could get. They just waste their own time.
Every agent is the same and they will all say anything to get you to sign up. I don't think they realise the majority of sellers know perfectly well they're talking bull.
Edited by wiffmaster on Friday 27th November 18:04
Oh yes they do! And I even told them this (the last time one of their talents called me) that I see no point in paying more for a service that is exactly the same as everyone else's. It's 3% multi agency...
I just find them all so damned deceitful. The lies, the obvious modus operandi...
Still, I've heard that they are some honest agents out in the country-side, maybe I'll move out one day!
My plan is to call back and say I have a £1.5m property to sell but I hear it's not a good time to be selling. The robot on the phone should then proceed to tell me how it definitely a "seller's market". I'll probe further getting them to basically say it's not a good time to by buying at all because seller's can ask what they want and acheive it easily and that Foxtons will of course do their best to get sir the highest price.
Once that is done, I'll say that whether I sell the £1.5m property or not I need to move now and can spend upto £2m on buying a property, but based what she's just told me that would clearly be a bad idea. What is her advice on buying through Foxtons now?
That should make a Foxtonbot's head explode somewhere. The reply would make very intersting reading.
I just find them all so damned deceitful. The lies, the obvious modus operandi...
Still, I've heard that they are some honest agents out in the country-side, maybe I'll move out one day!
My plan is to call back and say I have a £1.5m property to sell but I hear it's not a good time to be selling. The robot on the phone should then proceed to tell me how it definitely a "seller's market". I'll probe further getting them to basically say it's not a good time to by buying at all because seller's can ask what they want and acheive it easily and that Foxtons will of course do their best to get sir the highest price.
Once that is done, I'll say that whether I sell the £1.5m property or not I need to move now and can spend upto £2m on buying a property, but based what she's just told me that would clearly be a bad idea. What is her advice on buying through Foxtons now?
That should make a Foxtonbot's head explode somewhere. The reply would make very intersting reading.
AdvocatusD said:
I'll probe further getting them to basically say it's not a good time to by buying at all because seller's can ask what they want and acheive it easily and that Foxtons will of course do their best to get sir the highest price.
Once that is done, I'll say that whether I sell the £1.5m property or not I need to move now and can spend upto £2m on buying a property, but based what she's just told me that would clearly be a bad idea. What is her advice on buying through Foxtons now?
That should make a Foxtonbot's head explode somewhere. The reply would make very intersting reading.
Do this, fantastic ideaOnce that is done, I'll say that whether I sell the £1.5m property or not I need to move now and can spend upto £2m on buying a property, but based what she's just told me that would clearly be a bad idea. What is her advice on buying through Foxtons now?
That should make a Foxtonbot's head explode somewhere. The reply would make very intersting reading.
_Dan_ said:
Foxtons main office occupy the two floors below us in one of the buildings I work in, in Chiswick. Pricks, the lot of them!
They downsized? Used to have the whole lot.The people in charge know full well what people think of the spiel, but the robots are brainwashd, but 12 hour days hearing the same s
t 6 days a week will do that to you.okgo said:
pogster41 said:
_Dan_ said:
Foxtons main office occupy the two floors below us in one of the buildings I work in, in Chiswick. Pricks, the lot of them!
What do you expect?They're Real Estate agents.
A couple of years back, everyone on the 1st floor were made to wear a bright orange cap, as the week went on less and less people wore them, I asked one of them about it and he said that when they got a sale they could take it off, leaving a few humiliated losers at the end of the week. Also plenty of punchbags hanging from the ceilings of the office for them to vent their anger. Quite funny.
I do believe though that the best salesman/woman of the week or month get to use the company F430 though!
_Dan_ said:
okgo said:
pogster41 said:
_Dan_ said:
Foxtons main office occupy the two floors below us in one of the buildings I work in, in Chiswick. Pricks, the lot of them!
What do you expect?They're Real Estate agents.
A couple of years back, everyone on the 1st floor were made to wear a bright orange cap, as the week went on less and less people wore them, I asked one of them about it and he said that when they got a sale they could take it off, leaving a few humiliated losers at the end of the week. Also plenty of punchbags hanging from the ceilings of the office for them to vent their anger. Quite funny.
I do believe though that the best salesman/woman of the week or month get to use the company F430 though!
t that was manager of the lettings bit in Wimbledon getting it one time, and givng it the big one about going to some Ramsey restraunt in it or something. Yes its quite cliche in there, there is a buzzer, there are punch bags, there are huge projectors displaying company figures.
Hilarious. Foxtons' Heath Street office is notable for one thing at the moment: the lakc of high value properties. People have grown wise to their bait and switch tactic. Look at TK or Goldschmidt or even B&H and they have good properties (not many, but they have some, unlike fkstons).
kstons).eccles said:
I live in a small market town in Suffolk, the last few months has a lot of 'sold' boards going up.
I have seen a few here as well but equally I have seen people reducing and reducing and still not selling. God knows what price the ones that did sell went for.Estate agents are, in the main and IMHO/experience, self centred liars.
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