Thinking of selling your house? Please read this! Post Reply

[Medway]

Completely concur re Douglas and Gordon - they are really snooty! They look down their noses at buyers and renters, I think because they feel they are in a position of 'power'...not enough stock, many interested buyers....Heaver in Tooting Bec are as bad...I will not 'name and shame' because if I do I risk being sued for defamation - but again, buyers are treated like chewing gum on the bottom of one's comfortable, court-heeled shoe... (if you have sold through Heaver you will have been treated with perfect charm) It distresses me INTENSELY...I just hope sites like Sarah Beeny's helping people cut out agents start to take off. Interstingly I know of 2 houses in our road recently sold privately (buyers knew they wanted the road and leafleted all houses in the street). Agents were bought into value and then the parties agreed price etc between them, using solicitors and email. Bye bye 10% fees for doing ABSOLUTELY NADA.

I'd be interested in any other advice on agents to avoid in the area.. We had a positive experience of Jacksons Balham btw

[Jen66]

I have used Jacksons in Balham twice and both times thought they were pretty good.

Foxtons on the other hand....

[tillywith2boys]

I sold through Rymer Irens. Can't recommend Ben there highly enough.

[townieatheart]

I also had a really poor experience with Featherstone Leigh, but the lettings dept rather than sales.
I was marketing my flat with another agent but having had FL round to value they kept calling. I didn't mind this at all, seemed very proactive to me, so I instructed them too. They collected the keys, took photos and then never called me again! After a few days I rang them as my flat still wasn't on their website, they told me this must be an error with my search engine. After a week I rang to see if they'd had viewings, they said they had but had no feedback. Meanwhile the other agent was keeping me informed before and after every viewing with both positive and negative feedback - which I could act upon. The difference between the good agents approach and FL was huge. After 2 weeks with FL I still couldn't find my flat on their website and they had still never called me - so I went to their offices, collected my keys and disinstructed them!
The flat was let a week later by the other agent, and at a lower commission.

[NicNacs]

I would definitely recommend the team at Rymer Irens- really know their stuff and the area. Plus you get a Chez Bruce voucher!

[jafina]

Townieatheart - would you mind telling me the name of the letting agent you had that were good? We might be needing one soon....

It seems that buyers and renters in particular have a pretty poor experience. I really hope that any alternative service really takes off. I have seen that some landlords have stopped using traditional estate agents to manage Lettings and get a better (and cheaper!) service through other companies.

These badly run agencies have been getting money for nothing for TOO long!!

[papinian]

Heaver in Tooting Bec are as bad...I will not 'name and shame' because if I do I risk being sued for defamation - but again, buyers are treated like chewing gum on the bottom of one's comfortable, court-heeled shoe... (if you have sold through Heaver you will have been treated with perfect charm)

The vendors of our house sold through Heaver and I have to say as buyers the agent from Heaver couldn't have been more helpful. I think he did a good job for the vendors in terms of getting the best price, which is what he is paid for, but to us as buyers he was very polite, not at all pushy, when we were looking sent us details of properties that met our stated criteria (not like some agents who would send us anything). I appreciate that firms have more than one person and that there are differences between different people within firms.