Right-wing journalist Melissa Kite has used the columns of the weekly political magazine to accuse estate agents of being “like a pack of wolves” because of their fees.
Her piece begins with: “After a year dealing with estate agents I can only say: a plague on all their houses, except the one of mine they’re trying to sell.”
Kite spends some of the article criticising other columnists for being left wing - saying “I am not a red kite, I am a blue kite” - before discussing the challenges of living in the countryside and owning a horse. But then she returns to her experiences with agents.
She says as a group, agents “are so tiresome as to enforce all stereotypical notions about them.”
She says she sacked one agency marketing her home for dropping the price too low and hired another in the belief it would market the house for more. However, she then hit trouble.
“As soon as I signed with the new one, they told me they would have to drop the price to what the previous agent was asking, but would not be charging me the one per cent of the previous agent - they would [instead] be charging me 1.5 per cent.”
Kite then says she sacked the second agency and returned to the first one.
“They served me notice that, as I had signed a contract with them, if this original agent now sells it, I will owe both the selling agent one per cent and them their 1.5 per cent, which they will come for, I can be assured. Like a pack of wolves.”
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Typical vendor believing that a different agent could sell their house for thousands more. Market value is market value!
I don't believe the bit about the fee. If she had signed a contract for 1% the agent could not charge her 1.5%. That is why it is called a contract!
She's spent a 'year dealing with estate agents' yet writes an article that shows she's clearly learned nothing and just has a chip on her shoulder.
Typical anti-agent fodder - very boring and unimaginative. Unfortunately we've seen it before and we'll certainly see it again.
Oh dear, oh dear, try going to France where the agents try to charge 10%, and its a falling market anyway!
taking part in a charity bike ride next year Nicaragua to Costa Rica Cycle 2017, would be great to get some support
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/MikeMorris2016
lets all go to Costa Rica!
im not defending her as I know exactly what has happened here! I do sometimes wonder if agents explain terms and conditions in layman's terms enough when dealing with the public.
I'm an estate agency trainer and landlord and have just put one of my properties on the market - the terms of business was emailed for me to sign with no other communication or explanation. People sign without reading or understanding these days.
ps I'll come to costa rica!
if you can't come then would you sposor me?
I wonder what rates they charge in Costa Rica!
not sure but if you sponsor me i will be able to find out and tell you on my return :-)
I hear Purplebricks are launching in Costa Rica in the new year
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