Is my estate agent doing their job properly?

[Lea8198]

I was wondering if if someone could tell me if I am being stupidly impatient and hard work or if my EA is being completely useless.

We have been on the market for over 3 weeks. We went with the price that 4 agents suggested and everyone was sure it would be an appealing house (garden and parking is not common in my area for our price). We have what I think is a nice house (pics look great) so when after the first week we had no interest and no contact from our agent I was shocked. 2 weeks in I got impatients but now over 3 weeks in I am annoyed. We have had zero interest but our EA is not giving us ANY feedback at all and the only contact we have had with him was me chasing for info. He keeps saying we have had good interest but none of the interst is turning into viewings.

Add this to the fact I have asked to see 2 of their properties and as yet nothing has come of it. The first property I wanted to see he basically told me the house was located near a main road and noisy (so put me off it before I saw it) and the second property I verbally asked him to arrange aviewing and as yet nothing has come from that (5 days ago).

I am starting to feel like they are useless and if they are not chasing me to see properties I have ASKED to see then they would not be chasing people showing an interest in ours. I am getting more and more angry about it.

I guess the question is am I being harsh? Maybe 3 weeks with no viewings is normal? It's just not what I expected at all

Any thoughts appreciated.

[drhouse]

This all depends where you are loacted and what the market is like in your area. Are properties moving quickly or are you seeing ones on the market that have been there some time? In my area a viewings have picked up this week but really May & June were dire and properties were lucky if they got 1 viewing in the first month. When your agent says there is interest then it probably means it has been getting hits on the web. You can ask what these stats are and how it compares to their other properties.
As to you viewing other properties, the fact is you haven't sold. You are not in a position to offer on anything (unless you are funding it some other way) so the agent is seeing it as a waste of their time and yours. Personally I would take you to view but point out we wouldn't accept an offer from you at this stage. I would also point out that what happens if you love what you see and then don't get it - you will be disappointed - alternatively you might reduce your own price for the chance of a quick sale so it can work both ways.
Speak to your agent and tell them you want weekly contact, explain to them they are not giving a good impression by holding back on you viewing and leads you to distrust their marketing on your house.
You are right to be concerned but if you don't explain why then it can't be resolved.

[Trades MASTER]

I aggree with the above, Howerver the longer its on the market the wosre your offers will be as the property watchers out there will see that it has not moved and put in below market offers, Also estate agents have had it far far to easy over the last 10 years they take a few photos stick them on sites like rightmove and thats about it, commission's came to easy for them in the property boom and it is about time they actualy did some pro active work for a change, i used a particular agent a few years ago and man was it bad they never did any viewings they kept phoning me to say they were to busy ( doing nothing) to come, can you deal with it, and on the very rare occasion that they said they will show some one around they never even turned up just left my potential buyers standing there, luckily i was just leaving for work and saw them but they were there for 30 min waiting for the agent, now thats great service for a £4000 commission,

if you feel unsure about your agent then dont waste any time, move on.

[New Homes Expert]

Give agents a time limit. If viewings or offers do not happen chnage agents.
For more advice on appointing an Estate Agent.

[Kevin]

What are people's views on accompanied viewings?

Do people think the EA should accompany each and every potential buyer on the viewings? I have had one 2 viewings over the last 3 weeks, and both times I could tell that the EA was more than happy to just send the buyer to my address and let me do the viewing. I had to prompt and push for it to be an accompanied viewing.

Is it down to personal preferrence? My view is you are paying them to sell your house, so they should get from behind their desks and actualy flex their sales muscles. Afterall, what are they getting paid for?

Rant over

Kevin

[drhouse]

Originally Posted by Kevin

What are people's views on accompanied viewings?

Do people think the EA should accompany each and every potential buyer on the viewings? I have had one 2 viewings over the last 3 weeks, and both times I could tell that the EA was more than happy to just send the buyer to my address and let me do the viewing. I had to prompt and push for it to be an accompanied viewing.

Is it down to personal preferrence? My view is you are paying them to sell your house, so they should get from behind their desks and actualy flex their sales muscles. Afterall, what are they getting paid for?

Rant over

Kevin

As an agent I think EAs should do all viewings. The only times I haven't is when a property is too far away to do so - I have one property over a 100 miles away. In that case I made sure the client was aware, I gave him a reduced fee and he was more than happy to do it anyway.
The worst for me is when the client is in and trails round after you, butting in with 'information' and then basically takes over.

[Kevin]

Even evening, weekend and out of business hours viewings too?

[New Homes Expert]

Estate Agents should ALWAYS accompany prospective buyers on viewings.

After all you are paying them ££££'s to SELL your home you dont expect to do it yourself do you?

Mind you at out last house the EA asked if the house had central heating was whilst looking straight at the GAS BOILER. She didnt know anything about our house!

[Trades MASTER]

put it this was im a brain surgeon, (not) so i say to my patent who is on the operating table, oh can you do you operation today im busy, or i cant be here sir

is this accepable NO
so why can an estate agent get of there backsides and do some real work for a change they must have the most boring job in the world
if you are selling then your estate agent should and must work FOR you you should never have to do anything as you are employing them and lets face it they get a good commision out of it, Now i dont want you all to think that i have got it in for estate agents because i dont i personally know people who work in this area and have very reputable businsses, but there are far far to many ones who just dont cut it .

[Kevin]

Thanks for the replies/views. Sorry if I hijacked your thread Lea8198.

I am glad I am not the only one who thinks this way.

I am not a sales person, I never have been and never want to be. So I will insist the the EA be there at every viewing, regardless of the day or time.