Selling house privately after being on agent

[djsingh3011]

We have just been trying to sell our property through an agent who has been useless. However they have introduced us some buyers who say they want to buy our property in 6 months to a years time. Thus we have removed our property from the agent but are we allowed to sell to this party privately seeing as the agent introduced us to these buyers? Is there a certain time period before we can sell privately?

[starlitegaize]

I'd be really careful - some agents even after a year will try and claw their commission from you if they discover the purchaser they introduced initially, actually purchased the property.

[djsingh3011]

hmm, thanks. This buying and selling is such stress and hard work. I suppose if we had to then we might have to go back to the agent if the buyers ever decided to come back to finalise things. But it seems so unfair that we have to give the agents commission that they don't even deserve.

[drhouse]

Your agents were 'useless' but they introduced a buyer. Have you taken the property off the market so that this buyer can maybe purchase this property in the future ? Your agents are indeed useless if they advised this was a good idea. These people may never come back or keep procrastinating, do they buy it for the value now or in the future ( strong possibility this could be lower). If they want it and you want to sell it to them get a firm contract in place and take a deposit. Alternatively get another agent - you can try to get them to agree that if this particular buyer comes through then they will only take a marketing fee, they may feel confident enough that it would sell quicker and agree to this.

[brian]

Why on earth would a property be taken off the market with the vague promise of selling in perhaps a year's time? It's the EA's job to do this now, or as soon as possible!

Suspicions abound! Check your contract, make sure you've terminated with the current EA, and go elsewhere IMO.