Hi Joseph! It sounds as though you may have come across an agent who did a good job. However, may I ask how much they took from the sale?? I am guessing it was in exess of €10000. Would you agree that the service you received I would suggest would be an absolute minimum for such a fee??? Look forward to hearing from you Joseph and thank you for taking part in the debate.
Well Mark,as I said in an earlier post. I can't see why an agency can't charge a flat rate for the job, irrespective of how much the selling price happens to be ! The same amount of work (give or take a few minutes) is involved in whatever property is being sold so why the difference in agency fees ? Ok, sometimes dossiers can become complicated involving a bit more leg-work but it evens itself out in the end . I think it's one big rip-off. When I as in the trade many years ago my fee was 20000FF irrespective of the selling price. So, a 'des res' or a tumbledown barn would cost the client the same rate. I used to end up with about 5000FF when all the deductions were taken into account which I felt was a fair commission for a fair job.
Thanks for bringing this to the discussion. I have to say, it doesn't surprise me in the least. I am sure it is illegal but they will no doubt get away with it! I would love someone to tell me why French Estate Agents think they are so special??? I wish I had the time and energy to really hit the industry from the top. It's a national scandal and the vast majority of accept it as the norm!!
I don't think you are the slightest but "Picky" Peter! Quite the opposite ! For upwards to €10000 you would expect a first rate service in any walk of life. What makes French Estate Agents think that they are special enough to expect more????
No Steve! No agents for me at the moment. I did have a spell where one or two agents (the best of the bunch, all coming recommended) had been challenged to sell for me but their one viewing during two months to 10 of my own, I felt it just wasn't worth continuing. If they can get away with that sort of service then good luck for them but I will not be giving them 7% of my hard earned cash !!
All sounds good Rachael! On the downside though, even the rare professional agents take upwards of 5% of the price from the sellers and buyers. You wouldn't mind one or two percent but over 5% could only be achieved when something has gone drastically wrong somewhere in the buying and selling property system in a country. I'd love to know if this is a European thing or is it just here in France??? Thanks for taking part in the discussion Rachael :-)
Thanks for the thought Roger. I'm assuming though they charge the usual 5% upwards?? If only I could find a good agent that did a professional job for one or two percent ....... I'd be amazed!!!! Personally I'd rather let the buyer keep this huge fee in their own pocket and good luck to them I say !! I have an open challenge to any agent in our area to match my efforts for the same price ...... but no takers as yet!! Hope your still keeping warm in the Hymer Roger !
As a comparison with other estate agents you may find these people of interest. My son-in-law went to university with one of their staff. The quality of the presentation & the photography is professional & a different class, in my opinion.
http://www.elephantlovesbristol.co.uk
Roger
Quite agree Dave, it's amazing just how unbusinesslike many french artisans and companies actually are !
It seems to be a 'don't care' attitude, sod the 'client est roi' approach !
Exactly, it is not only estate agents who are inept regarding any business sense. At times I do despair!
Possibly so...I have written numerous e-mails, with no reply, or only two replies, then nothing. Even when I state I have ready cash money to put down, and that I need more information to make a decision, and am willing to fly there to make a final decision. Nothing.......have money to just give you, even the total price......nothing........unbelievable.....
Well, I have property in France, and many French friends. What I have noticed, in relation to work, is that they know what they want and need to live the quality of life they like. If they are offered more work, and they do not need it, even if it were easy, they decline, as they are content with what they have. So you need to search for someone who needs the work......
Peter Bird, this has been my experience as well. In my experience not only artisans but also shops and companies as well. They just simply don't care. I can only think that the artisans in particular must be getting benefits of some kind otherwise how do they survive with so little work. :/
Emails and the like are a relatively recent innovation, my comments apply to telephone & snail mail contacts too. Point about LeBonCoin taken Steve but I don't really agree with you about the non-french email addresses.
Just a couple of things to add - firstly bon coin does not deliver 100 % of all messages for some reason ..
secondly the French are likely to dismiss any enquiry from someone with a non .fr email address as they may think its a scam or non serious - they often advertise an item for sale or even a property and insisist on telephone contact and specifically not email contact - which seems odd when advertising on a website - but thats the French !
It does make you wonder sometimes Alan if estate agents and indeed other artisans actually want the business. Many french self-employed people as well as some companies have little or no idea of what 'business acumen' actually means ! Over the years i've asked for 'devis' for work to be done and have often never received so much as a 'thank you for your enquiry' message etc . In my experience the good artisans are very good, the bad ones are very bad and the majority somewhere in the middle don't seem too bothered if they give good service or not !
French Estate agents do not seem to want to have any business. I have written to three recently by replying to their ads in Leboncoin requesting a viewing of a rental property and had no reply. I then sent them a separate email asking them to reply to my previous emails, still no reply. All were in reasonable French as well as English. I then rang them and they promised to get back to me but never did. One of the properties was so interesting I said I would pay six months up front. Still no response. I decided that they don't like Englishmen.
Where are you looking Sten?
Erhh, well yes Mark !
Glad you're paying attention !
I've now worked it out!! The following responses are on subsequent pages and there are arrows with page numbers at the bottom of the pages which allows you to go forwards and backwards as you wish!