Best time to buy - worst time to sell!

Generally on Agents.

Some years ago, when we were also in a crisis, I had my house for sale with several agents, but had had little response.-  I decided to call each of the agents, using a fake name,  and asked they had a property for sale, describing my house and location. One recognised my voice, all the other said they did have what I was looking for.  

When I told them who I was, they agreed that they did have my house for sale, but they could not explain why they had not known that when I enquired.

 I am not branding all agents with the same brush, but certainly the ones I had instructed were useless.   I eventually sold from my own ‘For Sale’  board on the front of the house.

John,

To be fair - there are some straight forward agents. Graeme13 has provided me with highly objective/balanced data via PM. Some others I would not touch with a forty foot barge pole !!

Eve,

Bear in mind the price you end up getting may well be somewhat less than the "worst case scenario" - at least you know what to expect at outset.

Cheers,

Harry

Harry the problem is how can you check that any info supplied is truthful?

As Johnzx says, if they lie you probably have little chance of finding out, except maybe in the long term when they cannot get you the prices they said and that's too late..

 Evelina,

The best thing to do is find 1 or 2 agents in the area where you have the property.

Email them regarding putting your property on the market and see how long it takes to come back to you,this will give you a good idea of their customer service response.

Ask them if they think they could sell it and at what price,see if they sound confident or not.

Instruct 2 agents and tell them you want it marketed at the same price.

Email them once a week for some feedback.

make it perfectly clear that you have a timescale to adhere to,want it sold quickly but you are not desperate!

Use agents that use Kyero,Rightmove,Think Spain etc etc ..to advertise properties.

To summarise not all agents lie,cheat,and use smarmy sales aptter to get people to buy houses and lie to their vendors,it is an old stereotype that is bred form jealousy simply because we offer a servicethey cannot provide.

I could never evr imagine an agent being rude to a vendor as Harry explains unless under severe provocation,in over 25 years of face to face business i have never been rude to a client/vendor, even under the most severe abuse....

On the matter of why to use an agent and not sell privately......i have sold 8 houses over the years,i have always used an agent....and i know what i am doing!!!!!!!!

You put a se vende sign on your door and you may sell privately.....you may also get every tom,dick and Harriet casing your place for  robbery, "can we have a quick look", "are you out much?", "planning any holidays?"......

The second point is a good percentage of people dont want to haggle face to face they would rather have an intimediary,i have clients that wont go in the property if the owner is there...strange i know.

I think harry mentioned no hopers and rednecks?? not sure what that means but in my experience...if you can survive the biggest worldwide recession ever experienced and still sell houses and run a business then i would suggest that the guys who survived tend to have a bit more about them.

Johnzx,

You are using urban myths and innuendos that are outdated,you shouldnt presume that although any proffesion doesnt have its dark sheep  as a whole most are good guys,i am sure you appreciate this fact yourself as a former police officer reflecting on the current 300 officers involved in Hillsborough?!!!!

Now there is someone to get upset at!!

Georgia,

............................   I am sure you appreciate this fact yourself as a former police officer reflecting on the current 300 officers involved in Hillsborough?!!!!

Now there is someone to get upset at!!

That was a very feable attempt to escape the truth by hiding behind a stupid, and even maybe libellous, comment which has nothing to do with this post,  with Spain and which will not help Evelina in the slightest. 

If you want to prove how honest, decent and upstanding estate agents are, and you in particular, you might start by making sensible points about estate agents,  not stupid, irrelevant personal comments about other posters, and in particular, about people who risk their lives in the service of the public, in Spain, UK and elsewhere.

"Harry the problem is how can you check that any info supplied is truthful?"

Eve,

As mentioned, I am currently selling some property & I put the onus on competing agents to prove the data they were providing was correct - which most did after a little prompting. Otherwise it was disgarded. Again, I am not qualified to comment how things work in Spain. On a broader note, its good discipline to remember that all you are to most agents is a "walking $$ sign" . Ergo, its important to take control & set the terms !

Harry

PS: might suggest some caution re some of the empty words below - agents just love that sort of easy generalised approach !!!!!

 Hi Harry,

 I can see this is a subject that you have knowledge about it and I thank you very much for suggesting me these tips. I will probably have to go with an agent if I want the house sold. I was right, there are still decent people out there and I consider my self lucky to receive this kind of advice.

Have a good weekend!   

I would never tell an agent what my absolutely lowest price is, as I suspect that information would then go directly to the buyer in order to secure the sale.  For example, if I wanted 100.000 euros I would tell them my absolutely lowest price was 110,000.  Despite the fact that most people have lowered their prices drastically, buyers still want to think that they've been clever enough to knock you down even further.

 Hi 

I'm overwhelmed with everybody's coments and I cant thak everybody enough; Yes I know I will not received what the house valued 5 years ago o probably 10 when we purchase - but, I'm willing to take my loses and have the security of tomorrow 

Concur Elaine - although I find it best to ignore such inappropriate stuff !!!

Cheers,

Harry

"Georgia,

That was a very feable attempt to escape the truth by hiding behind a stupid, and even maybe libellous, comment which has nothing to do with this post,  with Spain and which will not help Evelina in the slightest. 

If you want to prove how honest, decent and upstanding estate agents are, and you in particular, you might start by making sensible points about estate agents,  not stupid, irrelevant personal comments about other posters, and in particular, about people who risk their lives in the service of the public, in Spain, UK and elsewhere."