Friday, August 25, 2006

Buying a house - not for the faint hearted

I hate them all

Estate agents of course - that goes almost without saying.

They are very happy to take their 1.5 or 2.0% of the selling price - that is at least £1900 approximately for a house worth say £125000

So you would think you would get a whole lot of customer service for your cash, right?

Wrong!

They dont record your calls or pass on your messages, they are rubbish!

Two months ago I was in the pub, early doors, watching the world cup on the big screen, when a young woman approached me and said hello. I didnt quite recognise her so I asked her if she worked in my dentists (my second home) or the library or the off-licence (my third and fourth homes).

She told me she was from the estate agents from whom I was trying to buy a house and went on to harangue me for daring to argue with her earlier over various purchasing related issues. It later all fell through, due in no part to her appalling customer service manners, the pub approach being only the last in a long line of crap service. Yes of course I complained to her bosses the next day.

I am fed up with surveys that cost a fortune £450 a time, which tell me nothing or are muddled up, talking about extensions that dont exist or gardens the property doesnt have.

How do these people stay in business?

When I give up public representation I am going to become an ethical estate agent - now that really WOULD be a refreshing change!

In my next life I am going to listen and act upon the interests of my buyers and my sellers and try to match them up, and you can be sure I wont be lying about known anti-social behaviour etc

6 comments:

fairdealphil said...

run that past me again Louise. in your next life you're going to be an ethical estate agent.

Ethical. Estate Agent....nah.

Sorry, am i missing something...

Let me try again...

Estate Agent. Ethical....nah.

Sorry Lou, you've lost me chuck.

Anonymous said...

Try having an estate agent that dodges your calls because she doesn't want to be the one who tells you that the vendors are pulling out, therein leaving it up to their poor office temp.

I am fully behind the march against Estate Agents. We'll pack out St George's Hall!

Anonymous said...

Your experience is so common - how do they get away with it?
When I bought my house it was the exception to use an estate agent and not the rule so let's go back to doing that.
Cath

Louise Baldock said...

You wont be surprised to learn that there is no movement on my house purchase. The latest holdup is the responsibility of my surveyor and of the mortgage company. We were aiming for a four week settlement, given that I am not selling a property and the vendor is not buying one but if it comes in in 8 weeks I will be amazed.

Huff! Puff!

Anonymous said...

Louise, get it sorted I want to come over and sleep in your spare room, drink lots of wine and probably smoke too many fags :0)
Sxxx

Louise Baldock said...

Should be moving in this weekend, fingers crossed