Estate agencies

[sususanan]

Why is it that when someone gives a budget to an estate agent, they always seem to show properties above that price? Has it become the case that when asked for their budget, the buyers now give a lower number, anticipating the higher price response from the agent?

[Flo]

I reckon that the estate agents just show people the ones that have been on the books the longest that they want to sell.

[Weedo]

The estate agent works for, and is paid by, the seller- not the buyer. The higher the price the higher the fees and commission. The more sales and higher income the agent generates the greater their status.

We have moved several times and discovered that sticking to one Agency group and getting referrals from one agent to another works, each lets the other know just what we will or will not accept. We even had one new agent show us a house - she unlocked the front door, ushered into the open plan kitchen / living / dining area, stood still for a few seconds and then said "this is hideous, lets get out of here".

[happyhippy]

We recently experienced this.Gave the estate agent our budget,she took us to the first house which was within budget.Following house was double the price!Do they assume we have a money tree?We won't get everything we want in a house,so are willing to sacrifice,but double the price?I don't think so.

[Green Aura]

I've never been taken anywhere by an Estate Agent. I've perused their info and arranged to meet them at places of my choice. But then, other than size and price, I've never really had much of a checklist.

We bought our first house, a 2 up 2 down, when I was pregnant - it was the only one we looked at. Likewise, we moved to a 3 bed semi when the first house shrank as the gal grew. We were able to move up here because the house was big enough to accommodate the three of us plus my old mum.

All of them were comparatively cheap, none of them were to our taste or had the kitchens etc we wanted but we changed them into our homes over time. Maybe Estate Agents struggle to meet the growing list of demands people seem to have these days.

I suppose we'll be looking to downsize again soon but it's so hard to give up our view!

[happyhippy]

Sorry GA,she did'nt physically take us,I meant it as "She showed us"!Your house sounds very nice!We watch "A Place In The Sun".Its amusing at the start of the show,when presenters go through a verbal check list of what the buyers want/don't want.One couple made a strong point of not wanting to look/buy ANY apartments.The presenter acknowledged this,and off they went....to view an apartment!

[Thomzo]

When I was looking for my last house I specified that I wanted a 3 bed house with a garden. I got sent details of one bed flats with no outside space

[happyhippy]

Eh?How does that work?lol Shows they're not really listening to their clients does'nt it?