I would expect to see a few chickens or maybe a goat in a kitchen like this.
The smell could well be the Pont l'Evêque under the bike wheel or the dead rat in the sink !
My OH has photographed tidier derelict houses. This one has a lived in look and the smell of dirty trainers exudes...
Blimey !
No of course not all agents are bad.
But at this point I have not met a good one.
Such a pity Bergerac is out of Brians wifes territory as she could
show me the way?
I really would like to be able to rely on an agent.
Not all agents are bad Barbara. I'm not here to defend agents but it is a hard way to earn a living and it amazes me how some agents treat their sellers & buyers with contempt and disrespect at times. Surely it's in everyones interests to have a good rapport. I'm probably too old fashioned to expect agents to consider the 'client est roi' ! The client in this case being either the seller and/or the buyer. It's probably no wonder some agents are held in such low esteem ?
We are too far away, it is somebody else over there. Agents do not like others on their 'patch' and similarly distance in terms of the hours of input work against somebody who has over an hour drive to your place, plus the same back of course, plus the time spent with vendors and buyers, especially the latter who may look for an hour plus then simply forget it. No Barbara, it is quite territorial for practical reasons. As for Leggett agents not responding, then call the company themselves and find out why the agent does not respond. Bad practice is not encouraged, so you have a right to complain.
Leggetts is a big Network. I have called one of the agents 2/3 times to ask a
question on behalf of my friend....but my calls have not be returned.
But that seems to be their style.
infact that seems to be the way of the immobilier.....not to return calls because
they are not interested.
They seem, sometimes to walk away from responsabilities and I could tell a story
or 2 but I am happy to stay alive.
Brian ask your wife if she would get in touch and sell a couple of properties.....
you did put her forward. But I did not hear anything.
After all the 2 properties are interesting.
YES the whole world is pretty greedy but some of us will play fair is a buyer
comes along and wants the property!
Illegal practice can always going to happen in any business Barbara. Immobilier is highly regulated in France and one thing all agencies have to abide by is the drawing up of a 'Mandat' which has to be registered for example. Many such rules and regs apply tho' it is very difficult to ensure all agents & agencies are 100% 'serious' about selling your property. Sometimes it is advantageous to not push your property from the agents point of view. I've had my place with Leggetts, a very reputable company for nigh on two years and they have told me business is pretty good but they haven't yet visited with a client. I assume the lady responsable considers the price too high or the property isn't suitable for her clients tho' just one visit would be nice...
As many on here have intimated, if a property is fairly priced and presents well then the chances of a sale are pretty good.Maybe I like others are guilty of being a tad too greedy ?
Or if both sides were seriously working together agent and owner ....and the
law changed to include an initial fee.
A promise on both sides and then a reasonable fee for the completion of the sale
with assistance to the owner at all times.
It is obvious that owners will join up with one or maybe 2 agencies rather than taking on
everyone in the tel directory.
At the same time the agents will have their own portfolio of properties.
Rather than all of them exhibiting the same ones.
interesting.
So the immobilier makes a charge for his / her visiting time....in this case 350 euros.
If the immobilier" forgets" to market the property he/she can male a reasonable living
without too much effort.
That is why it COULD BE illegal.
Or perhaps become illegal.
That's quite right BM. It is and has been for decades, a dog eat dog situation. 'Shady' is a good word to describe some of the dubious activities carried out by some (I stress, some). There's a lot of ill feeling out there between certain agents.I recall some nastiness many years ago between our agency and a present SFN member. Neither was right or wrong, that's how it was/is, that's business ! I never used to charge individuals for my services unless a sale was acheived but collegues did sometimes apply a charge in the form of a 'prestation de service' and why not IMO ? Even agents commerciaux have to eat !
Peter, my OH would confirm that. She spends a lot of time picking up pieces and regaining vendor confidence because of all you say. As she says, her secret is simple. She is not an agent but doing it for the income (when there is any), so applies the same principles as she would when doing what she really does. Too many of her colleagues, and those from other agencies, have never had to consider any of that in their previous working lives so adopt a kind of 'caricature' stereotype agent identity. She says she thinks the agencies themselves mainly do the same, therefore almost encourage their agents to work like shady second hand car dealers.
Why not ?
I was recently in touch with an immobilier who was recommended to me... the agent had, by the way
sold my friends property here in France.
He viewed the photos of my property on the internet and declared that he was interested to take it on
but there would be fee to take it on.
Is this legal?
Perhaps just being realistic.
As we know most immobiliers operate a network of " AGENTS" who represent them
and the are armed with a measuring devise, camera, contracts for the property owners to sign
and the aspiration of earning a portion of the 6% of the net figure paid to the agency.They are
not paid for their time or tools and are a little bit like Avon ladies without the promise of glamour,
Sometimes the shear desperation of making a sale and picking up the crumbs is a driving force
rather than an interest which goes any deeper.
It seems like a cushy job.....but it is not. In another world I would sell properties. Sold my 2
in France and my home in England without an agent. But times have changed.
However let me know people if you can truly recommend any agencies in the region which I
am in which is 33890.
I will be moving on soon and my friend in Bergerac has not sold yet.
Ps......neither of us are considering re locating to UK. Or in her case emergrating.
I did a mental count of the agents I know or who I have met in my area over the years and I can only think of about five out of probably fifty who I would consider 'worthy' of marketing my property ! Some are not cut out for the job, some are downright dishonest, some are all talk & trousers and many are just incompetant ! The rest however, are ok.
Picky, ain't I ?
Yes one serious customer.
a FEW decent agents.....Ones who answer questions honestly and ones who
at least reply.
There are some good agents around Barbara you just to find them ! The agent can be ok but the seller and property have to be ok too. It's a waste of their time and yours by asking over the odds as it's a buyers market. I've been told my asking price is 'correct' and i've had some visits but there is a vast choice of properties out there and not enough punters. I'm lucky to have found a couple of good agencies, one represented by a charming dutch lady in the Vienne and te other by an equally charming irish lad on the 87/16 border. So, good agents, fair price, nice property in a nice town - now all I need is just ONE serious customer !