Estate Agents are an unnecessary evil. I feel fairly confident that this is a sentiment everyone can understand, even if they don't agree with it.
When the concept of quitting the job, selling up and going off round the world appeared, I thought I'd try my hand at selling without the overhead of an estate agent. I posted an add on the Facebook group for the local estate to see if anyone knew of people interested in buying here.
4 people replied. 2 came round to see. One came back 2 days later and put in an offer!
I got on really well with Elvira - she's a tech person like me, very straight forward and to the point. She already lived on the estate, but was looking to downsize. Her house wasn't on the market yet, but we hoped it wouldn't take long to find a buyer. I went off to New Zealand for 2 weeks holiday with my fingers crossed, but it was not to be. 2 months later, she still hadn't managed to find a buyer, and I was getting frustrated waiting.
So, back to an Estate Agents :(
On with them for 2 weeks, dropped my asking price by £10k. Another 2 weeks, another £10k. Then...
An offer! Nice family came back for a second look on a Friday evening, and made an offer on the Saturday. There was already one more person booked in to look on Saturday evening, so I held off till they'd been, just in case!
Open the door on Saturday evening, and there is a face I know! Kitty from the Sandwich shop in Wokingham, where I would occasionally get my lunch. We were both a bit surprised to see a recognizable face, but we've always chatted and gotten on well. She was looking for her mum, who also worked in the shop. My place was nice and close to Kitty's, had a small but nice garden. Ideal! Kitty came back with her mum the next day, and that was that! I'd far rather sell to someone i know, and both of them seemed really taken with the place. Nice to know it'll be in good hands.
The estate Agents then messed things about buy giving a sellers form to fill in, rather than a buyers form, which delayed things another week, but then finally they got the memorandum of sale to my solicitors and the legal ball can start rolling.
That was a week ago. Going to poke my solicitors tomorrow to see if there's been any progress. It's a short chain with 2 cash buyers (no mortgage companies involved), so fingers crossed it will be swift!
Hi Martin we sold our house with a local independent one man band estate agent. We got a fixed cost agreed up front and it has really worked for us. A bachelor is moving into our old house just like I was when I moved here. Glad to here things are moving for you. I do know that solicitors know how to get in contact when they need something but can be very poor when you try and get in contact with them.
ReplyDeleteDr Stu
Fingers crossed! I shall chat with them this week to find out. Don't want to be pushy, but do want to stay informed!
DeleteSolicitors seem to be basically incompetent and disorganised unless they have a decent secretary. Without they are lost. The other people who mess things up even worse are online conveyancers, who seem to be even more inept that solicitors.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, hope it goes well and look forward to hearing about your travels.