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Michael English
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The 'opening hours of a high street office' may well be conventional office hours, but if its an independent agency then owners for sure and staff quite possibly will be doing out of hours work from home and certainly carrying out appointments outside the hours when the office might be shut. Our own hours reflect when the office is guaranteed to be open rather then when we knock off.
From:
Michael English
23 October 2019 14:34 PM
'Best' being the operative word ie when I first started (working for a corporate) we were encouraged to negotiate the @rse out of a buyer and felt chuffed to get a tick on the wall at a high price. It didn't take too long to discover that over squeezed buyers would continue to look elsewhere and all too often pulled out a month or so down the line leaving an angry customer. The old adage 'a happy buyer and a happy seller' is all too true.
From:
Michael English
02 July 2019 09:49 AM
HMRC AML compliance will be pretty tricky with crypto currency. I look forward to a licensing body such as NAEA issuing their members with Client Money Protection certification for crypto! And I'd rather someone other than me try to explain to a landlord why we thought it a good idea to take a deposit and/or rent in crypto ....
From:
Michael English
19 June 2019 10:18 AM
No, it was only offered to staff needing help with basic spelling and randomly floating apostrophes. Probably a pretty high attendance rate.
From:
Michael English
19 June 2019 10:14 AM
Politics & votes ....
From:
Michael English
17 June 2019 12:40 PM
An experienced estate agent will advise the client at the time of doing the MA that they need to get the lease extended. We have always done so.
From:
Michael English
12 June 2019 10:29 AM
WTF? And it even mentions Nigeria, that's so reassuring. Buying a small portion of a property is about as exciting as buying a leg of a racehorse. And the legal bills! Solicitors already get thrilled at houses with solar panels bought on the never never against the lender owning the freehold of the roof space. Yours sincerely, aged cynic from Tunbridge Wells who never quite got sucked into timeshare apartments either
From:
Michael English
12 June 2019 10:26 AM
What were those 19% thinking! They sound like the 4% of people in Gibraltar who voted for Brexit.
From:
Michael English
12 June 2019 10:21 AM
I want to agree but I'm not so sure. We are not talking conventional here, but 'prime & super prime'. What does that mean in money? £2m - £100m? I can see that buyers at the super high end will not want to spend their time trawling Rightmove. Its similar with the classic car market at the high end. But in my opinion the entire topic is irrelevent to 99.99% of us who are not operating in the super prime market so who cares?
From:
Michael English
04 June 2019 09:34 AM
The initiative sounds good. Until recently though almost all NFOPP training sessions were based around London or Birmingham but recently, thankfully, NFOPP has embraced the webinar model which I very much appreciate. ie I hope this new initiative also embraces the webinar model ....
From:
Michael English
29 May 2019 09:19 AM
Indeed, it could be called a Home Information Pack, perhaps HIP for short? Oh no, we tried that from 2007 to 2010 but mortgage companies still insisted on carrying out their own surveys at extra cost, apparently not trusting a RICS qualified surveyor paid for by the seller! But I still agree with you.
From:
Michael English
28 May 2019 17:34 PM
I find it intriguing that emoov managed to treble their fees since 2012 whereas my 'high street' office was obliged to reduce from 1.5% to 1- 1.25%. Also that google fees increased 25 fold in the same period. The client has benefited by an overall reduction in costs for a similar if not better overall service since 2012. We agents have suffered from our fees going down, our service going up ... and ironically our internet charges going up astronomically. Lets not mention how Rightmove fees keep rising .... ! In future though the number of estate agents is likely to fall as the industry is seen to be less profitable than it was and less easy to remain compliant within. I welcome a reduction in the number of agents as long as those who remain are obliged to become more professional and more accountable eg through compulsory licensing and CPD. I slightly resent operating as a licensed, compliant one branch office where so many (including the big boys) do not bother and can get away with it.
From:
Michael English
15 May 2019 11:32 AM
When a company gets too big by acquiring a mass of existing companies then, rather than the benefit of economies of scale and best practice processes as you might hope, instead you get a huge admin and managerial overhead, a cost that has to be paid for by the agencies. They simply have far too many managers being managed by area managers, managed by regional managers, managed by national managers, being managed by international managers. All know best, all have a big staff, all have to be paid for on top of the usually tight structure that a small business has. They are huge but, in my opinion, they are also a hugely flawed model always seeking additional income streams.
From:
Michael English
13 May 2019 12:20 PM
At least dead cane toads can be recycled into stubby holders, pencil cases etc. Not sure what we can do with a stuffed PM .... well, we do have a village scarecrow competition coming up next week, she'd look great sitting on my fence.
From:
Michael English
26 April 2019 12:03 PM
Perhaps Saxe Coburg should have promoted an 'Oriental Rug Sale, new and old' instead? Those boards seem to get away with it everywhere.
From:
Michael English
26 April 2019 11:58 AM
Super.
From:
Michael English
17 April 2019 17:34 PM
Agents should not do this but the issue is far more with property developers selling an estate of new homes and shared ownership housing associations who require applicants to pre-register on the HA website and strongly 'advise' them to be financially assessed by the HA's 'suggested' FS broker. In both of these cases applicants are very much steered and manipulated by Big Brother. yes many corporate estate agents act in a similar but much smaller way. Independent agents have very little manipulative impact on buyers in this way. And this is not to mention those large property developers who expect buyers to use their in house conveyancer too, in order to meet the '28 day to Exchange' requirement. Individual estate agents are nothing compared to housing estate developers and housing associations.
From:
Michael English
02 April 2019 10:02 AM
We make a real effort to help FTB's , elderly, vulnerable .... anybody who indicates that they are inexperienced and need help. I hate these blasted P/Ex and EasyMove schemes and with good reason.
From:
Michael English
13 March 2019 12:51 PM
FTB's shouldn't worry, the elderly, vulnerable and lazy make the same expensive mistakes at the end of their lives by selling and buying through P/Ex and easy Move schemes !
From:
Michael English
13 March 2019 12:04 PM
You are right, I am pretty sure that any experienced salesperson in any sales industry could come up with a very similar complaint. Trouble is, all too many get into this business thinking it will be easy. Frankly, what business is easy?
From:
Michael English
12 March 2019 10:07 AM
Not sure about the current Housing Minister but Gavin Barlow told me that it was his preference to close down the PRS where the landlord has a small portfolio of below 15 homes. He wanted local councils or big business to be the landlords in future, investing in purpose built units on large housing estates. Wonderful. If this remains the policy then forcing out small landlords is what is wanted ....
From:
Michael English
11 March 2019 10:39 AM
Facebook has offered that sort of thing including whether or not a couple were expecting a baby and many other very personal matters. GDPR springs to mind.
From:
Michael English
11 February 2019 09:32 AM
David is right, as an independent agent and employer I have always offered a decent basic salary far above minimum wage and a relatively small commission, based on shared office pot, so that staff have some incentive to perform but not an incentive for unpleasant practice and a 'me' rather than team attitude. When I had been employed by a large corporate I had been unimpressed at the behaviours caused by too much reliance on commission. However, if agents get together to work on a fair system for paying staff then why should the law jump on them for getting together to work on a fair fee to charge customers? If there is a minimum wage for employees why not a minimum fee for employers? Oh yes, the law calls that price fixing. Funny old world.
From:
Michael English
10 January 2019 09:21 AM
A tenant who cannot afford to find the deposit is not a terribly inspiring applicant for a residential landlord's home. These insurance schemes will appeal to only the most vulnerable and cash strapped tenants and smack of dodgy schemes such as pay day loans. All should view them with great caution .... or as a marvellous way to make money from the vulnerable.
From:
Michael English
27 December 2018 10:25 AM
“Outside estate agency, we know of two men who have one of the most senior male job shares in the country – both joint group directors of public policy and sustainability, each working a three day week, overlapping on Wednesdays. Whilst they have both taken a 40 per cent cut in salary, the improvement in their work-life balance means that they are both happy to make the trade-off.” Great so the employer has to pay 120% of the salary to get perhaps 100% of the job, and the clients are irritated at the lack of continuity. Splendid.
From:
Michael English
11 September 2018 11:34 AM
I agree, by & large ER seems to be taken up by vulnerable types who don't quite understand what they are getting into. On the other hand it does give the older person access to money for their old age when bills are high and income low. Right now I am dealing with ER on a period cottage. I have a sale agreed at a figure which after all costs will clear the ER loan by perhaps £10k. Or so we thought. Its just had a survey that was far worse than expected, watch this space ....
From:
Michael English
10 September 2018 10:06 AM
I wish your strapline made it clear you are talking of new build houses rather than say existing flats
From:
Michael English
07 September 2018 09:29 AM
I suggest that those who polled Yes that absent solicitors are the MAIN reason for delayed transactions have been sucked in by what appears to be an advert for a potential supplier of a different system. Nonsense, delays are due to staff shortages in many areas including district councils, SSDC are hugely behind due to funding cuts. Land Registry ditto, causing delays of up to 12 months where title has not been correctly registered! Conveyancers can easily be projected to us estate agents as the culprits when in fact the delays are often with the people who they are trying to get facts from.
From:
Michael English
06 September 2018 10:27 AM
I agree, the red tape is now overwhelming ... I just had to do a 30 odd page fire risk assessment too! However, I suspect that we are not alone, my guess is its almost as bad for solicitors, accountants etc but not AS bad as in our industry.
From:
Michael English
01 June 2018 09:11 AM
Clowns? Oh yes, the Brexit campaigners. Strangely my little pocket of rural Somerset is so insulated and isolated from the financial markets that, for the moment at least, our prices are easing upwards. Our workload is such that we have decided to take on an extra staff member full time too, I am fed up with a series of late nights at the office.
From:
Michael English
24 May 2018 20:28 PM
Sometimes, just sometimes I wonder if perhaps politicians are more interested in pursuing policies that they feel will win them votes rather than policies that they know are honest, sensible and for the benefit of the future. No point pursuing a policy that will have benefits in 4 years time, they want results that will get them voted in next time ... attacking the perception of the Fat Cat landlord is a good policy for getting votes from the limited thinking masses. No good for the future of the economy though.
From:
Michael English
12 April 2018 15:32 PM
A fixed fee for a bespoke service can often be the case .... but in line with many other service providers an agent might offer a special rate for staff, family & friends, a repeat customer, a client in a particularly difficult financial position, a developer whether large or small with a quantity of homes to sell or the likelihood of future business, someone who has bought through the agent before, a particularly desirable home or well motivated vendor ... or just because they have a real need for more stock fast. We have at times offered a discount rate for all of these reasons. And I have increased my rate in some cases where I didn't much want the business for one reason or another. I also charge a higher rate where a client will not allow a For Sale board, that focuses their minds!
From:
Michael English
11 April 2018 09:13 AM
We are at last getting some leads coming in from the OTM portal
From:
Michael English
14 March 2018 15:32 PM
Yup, the average punter seems to think that we all advertise on the internet so what's the difference? Suggested asking price & fee have always been key drivers to the average seller. Its a great shame and can never be overturned fully, yet past success & reputation should really be key factors. Being a successful lister is an increasingly skilled job unless you are one of those who unashamedly milks asking price & masks fees.
From:
Michael English
14 March 2018 15:29 PM
I completely fail to appreciate the relevance of these figures which seem to me to be statistics for statistics sake. eg some divorcing couples price high 'as we need the money' but other divorcing couples price to sell 'as we want to get on with our lives' so negotiating 4.1% off such a property classification is meaningless.
From:
Michael English
22 February 2018 10:18 AM
Fair enough. I am currently handling an 'Easy Move' P/Ex with 'the new homes Group' and part of their T&C is that I list the property within 48 hours of receiving the instruction with both Rightmove and Zoopla. Under the lapsed OOP rule (a current rule for those who did not support the float) I would have been unable to do business with tnhG.
From:
Michael English
14 February 2018 13:15 PM
Isn't it just! For leasehold I ask to see a copy of the lease so I can answer basic questions. For an old house where I discover that title is not registered electronically I always advise the seller to have their conveyancer start to register it now, as we go to market rather than once a sale is agreed. From experience I tell them they will need to be firm with their conveyancer who will inevitably say 'No, don't worry, we'll do it in the conveyance else you will pay to do it twice'. I advise that an extra £500 now is well worth it but clients almost always ignore my advice ..... and almost always this bites us. The most recent case took over a year to get registered losing us 3 frustrated buyers along the way. Where I suspect defective title (eg some flats I often get) I warn all parties so the issue can be addressed at an early stage. Most solicitors still get paid by the hour so benefit from a drawn out conveyance. Most agents get paid only for getting a result so do our utmost to smooth and speed a conveyance.
From:
Michael English
07 February 2018 12:22 PM
Hmmm, the mud slinging does not help. Both sides are guilty of all of these offences at one time or another. The entire conveyancing process is back to front. The HIP had merit and was only kyboshed by mortgage providers refusing to accept a survey report that they had not organised. If houses went to market with an 'exchange ready pack' or something close to it then conveyances should be very fast. It is done in UK for auctions so why not for conventional sales?
From:
Michael English
07 February 2018 10:15 AM
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. It is pretty stupid/arrogant to go to a very foreign country and assume that everything is done there in the same way that it is done in England. Buying a car through Gumtree in UK is fraught with danger (I have reported 3 obvious frauds to them) so buying a car in Dubai through the equivalent outlet is clearly risky. The man seems not to have understood local rules either for car sales or for internet complaints. Perhaps he should have taken advice from the many expats who live there? Or better, made friends with locals and taken their advice?
From:
Michael English
11 January 2018 09:23 AM
Naive? But Carl is also correct (well I agree with him). At a guess CIELA is mainly aiming its brickbats at dodgy lettings activities. If so, there is hope that in a few months all Lettings work will start to be processed via licensed lettings agents only. It will take time to make that a reality but once it has happened should hugely sort out the rogues ... many of whom are not in fact agents but private landlords who have been able to get away with endless abuses for far too long.
From:
Michael English
20 December 2017 09:42 AM
"He says 360-degree tours could reduce that total viewing number " ... a proper viewing is what a proper buyer needs, www marketing is simply a virtual intro to the property and the area. A 360 of the house interior is a pretty useless indicator of the location, location, location which is a critical factor in most property sales.
From:
Michael English
11 December 2017 09:54 AM
So why no timings?
From:
Michael English
11 December 2017 09:50 AM
Is 'admit' code for 'are very frustrated because the conveyancing part of the' ?
From:
Michael English
31 October 2017 13:35 PM
I saw this coming a long time ago. It may open a can of worms though, with pressure being applied on EPC assessors by vendors keen to get into a better SDLT band.
From:
Michael English
12 October 2017 13:46 PM
"there would be issues to be addressed - particularly ensuring that those who have properties now don’t unfairly pay twice once the reversal is implemented." Indeed.
From:
Michael English
11 October 2017 09:24 AM
Heavens above, I totally agree with my parent body on all these points.
From:
Michael English
11 October 2017 09:12 AM
Statistics. The full report presumably also covers what is involved for the fee, eg I think that in France it covers a great deal more associated work than in UK, perhaps even legal costs.
From:
Michael English
04 October 2017 13:23 PM
Perhaps. If it sounds too good to be true ..... perhaps the 'internal algorithm' cuts the value by 50% ? Jeez I am getting cynical in my old age, I don't like it either
From:
Michael English
21 September 2017 14:26 PM
"If auctions prove one thing, providing information up front is one way to speed up the conveyancing process." So very true and generally speaking, so very easy to do too. We need either another exchange ready 'home information pack' but without a survey or better, one with a survey but this time around the mortgage providers obliged to accept the word of a properly licensed, qualified and insured surveyor. Rogue surveyors would soon be struck off, their insurance paying out any lender losses.
From:
Michael English
19 September 2017 09:59 AM
Very sceptical. If tenants don't have a financial stake in looking after the property then they won't. A very good indicator of how reliable a tenant might be is whether or not they can come up with the deposit for their new let before they have got the old one back. If they don't have the money and/or don't have the trust of anyone they know to lend it to them ......
From:
Michael English
21 August 2017 09:55 AM
So much for large corporates with a London presence helping optimistic rural vendors to find a wealthy London buyer who doesn't bother to look at comparable local pricing. The bounders.
From:
Michael English
16 August 2017 14:24 PM
Well, I found it interesting, as long as the listing fee is reasonable. If it is then it may cause the leading portals to reconsider their relentless price hikes.
From:
Michael English
10 August 2017 10:27 AM
The conveyancing system in Australia, certainly in Victoria, is simple, fast, efficient & not too dear. Seller pays their conveyancer to prepare an exchange ready pack before they go to market. It is usually only about a dozen pages . They might provide a survey report if they feel like it but not compulsory as usually the buyer gets their own if they want. Mortgage lenders usually do little more than a drive-by. Seems to work well enough there so why not here?
From:
Michael English
18 May 2017 13:14 PM
Jeez, how irresponsible can she get, trigger article 50 a week before announcing a general election ... could have left it for whoever gets in to decide.
From:
Michael English
18 April 2017 13:40 PM
Remind me, who do we vote for to stay in Europe? Lib Dems was it?
From:
Michael English
18 April 2017 13:38 PM
er, data protection act?
From:
Michael English
12 April 2017 09:12 AM
No point just criticising conveyancers, overall this is a positive move. Yes, we all know conveyancers who send of Q's and don't chase for the A's, or claim not to have heard 'anything' from the other conveyancers. Mainly this practice lies with those who charge by the hour rather than agree (as my own local high st solicitor has done) to offer an up front fixed quote with fees payable only if the transaction goes through. I feel that the main delays are due to messy paperwork ... incorrectly registered title, dubious indemnity insurance, lack of clarity re covenants, ill defined boundaries, evasive replies to legitimate questions .... and of course all parties being able to withdraw with no penalty right up to Exchange. The CA suggestions should address all of this.
From:
Michael English
15 March 2017 09:42 AM
Is it price fixing for dairy farmers to be paid a minimum amount for their milk? Or for employees to be paid a minimum wage? Its not as though 1.5% was an obscene figure, its sensible. Where I am not so very far away in Somerset even 1% is becoming harder to achieve which together with the lack of housing supply is certainly putting the squeeze on viability for running a modern quality high street agency. I'm not convinced that the downward spiralling of fees really is in the customers interest any more.
From:
Michael English
07 March 2017 09:16 AM
Cool, as long as they don't try to slow data feeds to the competing internet portals. Seems a tad incestuous
From:
Michael English
01 March 2017 16:39 PM
At least that isn't an 'up front' fee so might be safe going forward !
From:
Michael English
08 February 2017 10:06 AM
In the event that a 3 year tenancy becomes the norm (and long tenancies are common in some countries eg Germany) then the English contract needs to be like the German contract ... if a tenant wants to break it then they must pay for the marketing to find someone to take over the contract and must continue to pay the rent until a new tenant is found. Is this what UK tenants want? I don't think so. As more, cheaper rental properties are required then it makes sense to reinstate and improve sensible tax offsets for landlords as this would be better use of taxpayer money than current ideas, as the necessary higher rents will force many tenants into social housing, a very expensive use of taxpayer's money.
From:
Michael English
07 February 2017 14:27 PM
I've just lost an instruction to online Hatched with their basic service at £495 incl VAT. Read page 1 of reviews on TrustPilot, most sellers were happy at the service level but some very unhappy. Most buyers were very unhappy. Topsy Turvy world we are in.
From:
Michael English
18 January 2017 11:06 AM
What nonsense to imply that if an agent is handling a £1m house and a £100k house (in the same area) they will both get exactly the same service. Buyer, seller and conveyancing related demands around the £1m house will usually be far, far greater than demands around the £100k house ... not always, but usually (I am handling 2 £100k flats improperly converted from a chip shop which are so complex that in hindsight a far higher fee is well warranted .... swings & roundabouts).
From:
Michael English
17 January 2017 09:44 AM
I have one local high street solicitor who, like us agents' is prepared to state that he will only charge upon a successful completion (apart from aborted purchase disbursements). He provides written quotes (through us) broken down in detail for sale and purchase, with references to whatever the current stamp duty might be, and to an extra £100 + VAT if the property is leasehold and/or has unregistered title and/or the oppo solicitor has a team number rather than a real name & direct contact. He gets lots of business this way, 65% of what he could realistically possibly get through our sales.
From:
Michael English
16 December 2016 09:42 AM
Would any of the processes suggested above have prevented this attack?
From:
Michael English
05 December 2016 10:20 AM
5. Land Taxation: This would be very messy indeed if one considers the uplift clauses that may already have been applied to such land but would not have considered such a tax, and cause upset at local & parish council level where developers are already hit by the CIL and/or Section 106 ... sometimes both ....AND often hit by requirements at council level that the beneficiary of the uplift gives money or goods back into the local community. Another tax on top of all of these taxes by any other name would seem most inappropriate and a legal nightmare.
From:
Michael English
21 November 2016 10:16 AM
Perfect.
From:
Michael English
14 November 2016 09:22 AM
There is a germ of a good idea here, but when all the practicalities are considered it becomes less of a workable idea.
From:
Michael English
08 November 2016 09:35 AM
Hmmmmm, maybe. So how does equity release get an older person out of a rambling property with a large garden, all needing maintenance that they are too aged or poor to deal with and into a small modern serviced retirement home beside the sea or close to their successful children living in stockbroker belt? Don't think so. But otherwise I agree, many older vendors of tired, worn out houses in an area of low employment and values are rather stuck when they feel that they need to move to a McCarthy & Stone in Sandbanks so tell us that they need a higher figure in order to move.
From:
Michael English
08 November 2016 09:31 AM
So if a client makes a large price change, or suddenly includes / excludes a few acres of paddock or rips out a mess and installs an ultra modern bathroom they are not allowed to present the fresh change again? In which case they will simply dump the agent who may have encouraged this fresh approach to the market and switch to a new agent, so as to get relisted. Remind me, who is the marketer working for again?
From:
Michael English
04 November 2016 09:29 AM
Well, that's OK. I'd rather Zoopla get income in that way, than relentlessly increase their fees as Rightmove had been doing
From:
Michael English
27 September 2016 10:37 AM
Did GH not sign a contract?
From:
Michael English
20 September 2016 11:26 AM
Disclaimer: Your investment may fall in value as well as rise ........
From:
Michael English
16 September 2016 10:41 AM
OTM is/was agents best opportunity to date to persuade major portals such as Rightmove to stop their relentless price increases. They need our support, not our criticism.
From:
Michael English
14 September 2016 09:06 AM
Blame those who voted to leave, most especially Nigel Farage & Boris Johnson who looked up in horror at the monster they had created and then ran away. Protest voters & abstainers hang your heads in shame.
From:
Michael English
13 September 2016 09:09 AM
For some years my local Martin & Co have offered 2 service levels, traditional full service pay afterwards, or bargain up front very minimal service ... and perhaps a mix too.
From:
Michael English
06 September 2016 10:44 AM
Indeed. 1.5% seemed a low fee 10 years ago, but now is high.
From:
Michael English
05 September 2016 14:47 PM
Indeed. The 3% rule seems to have ignored the house with an annex, with some solicitors certain that these automatically attract the 3% extra SDLT. This has already caused us one conveyancing problem.
From:
Michael English
08 August 2016 11:29 AM
Yup! I never experienced this when I worked for a corporate agency at the next village along, but as a family run independent we are welcomed in the community about as much as we could expect to be, do our best to minimise staff turnover and to answer industry related questions even where we cannot see an immediate financial return. Longer term I think this pays off anyway and short term there is a certain 'feel good' factor. The downside of this sort of life is money. We do not have the turnover of property that larger catchment areas have and yet more & more customers seem to expect a fee % that can only work if you 'stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap'. But we manage and get plenty of repeat business and referals
From:
Michael English
26 July 2016 16:01 PM
If "the days of browsing in estate agents windows are over " then why do people browse in our window almost all day every day? And an awful lot of browsers then come in to talk to us. But heck we must be an old fashioned estate agent as locals buy us drinks at the pub, invite us to parties, bring in home made cake, jams, veg and flowers. Some invite us on to local committees and councils, ask us to judge competitions, give us tickets to local events & shows, come in to use the photo copier (for which our favourite payment from one chap is the occasional freshly caught trout), seek advice on planning & tradesmen. If the postie is tired & overloaded he or she leaves postbags and parcels with us. Some people even buy & sell houses through us. And no, we don't have a sofa or a coffee machine either.
From:
Michael English
26 July 2016 11:18 AM
Good news as there is a world of difference between surveying skills and valuing skills. As an agent it is frustrating to have so many surveyors come in to the office to seek my opinion as to value, when technically speaking they are the professional valuer and I am not! But fair enough as most of them are at arms length from house sales. Its a shame that the Land Registry value calculator, which often gave a reasonably credible ball park starting figure, is no longer accessible via their website.
From:
Michael English
15 July 2016 10:44 AM
Indeed. Involved in a chain with PB a couple of days ago. My client complained to us that she as the buyer had to arrange the viewings and negotiate the price directly with the vendor. A sale was agreed & progressing nicely. Then a fresh buyer came along and gazumped her a week into the conveyance. Neither the vendor nor PB checked out the finances of this new buyer (who had of course caused my chain to collapse). She could not even afford a mortgage in principle at the price agreed, let alone get an offer. Sorting that out caused another week of delay. We are now, after much distress and also almost losing the buyer one down, back on track and looking forward to dealing with PB's conveyancing teams. yet somehow they seem to be getting more market share, but I can report several viewers giving us feedback that they would not even enquire about a house on the market with only an online agent, having heard too many horror stories.
From:
Michael English
11 July 2016 10:47 AM
Indeed, I'd sign it too but the timing is wrong, surely we can't go back on such EU agreements until (if) we actually leave? And wasn't it linked to some Green agreement (Kyoto) that essentially allows UK to continue to have factories polluting the environment at an unacceptable level, because we, in theory, encourage house owners to make them greener to get a better certificate (that very few give any priority to) ?
From:
Michael English
11 July 2016 10:39 AM
An excellent strategic move.
From:
Michael English
11 July 2016 10:32 AM
Deja vu? Just heard on radio today that some years ago Denmark held an equally close referendum on whether to join EEC or not and to the surprise of their government it was a tight decision not to join. They investigated as to what had swung the vote .... it was down to widely broadcast lies from a journalist called Boris Johnson ... yes the very same man who lied to us this time too. So, they held a second referendum and then Denmark did join the EEC. So it would seem that there is solid precedent for holding a second EU referendum where Boris' lies have been instrumental in misleading voters. I can almost understand David Cameron resigning as he failed to get his way and was instrumental in this particular English fiasco, but I am both delighted and disgusted at 'winners' Boris & Farage not having the balls to stay around to see through this disaster they have caused. A run on commercial real estate investments now, wonderful. And so far, all so very predictable. Trouble with democracy is that both mindless selfish morons and those capable of logical thought are equally entitled to just the one vote .... and this is why we plebs should not be allowed to vote on matters as important as this one, as a mass we do not have the skill to make this type of decision.
From:
Michael English
05 July 2016 09:41 AM
In Somerset in general the capital growth has, for decades if not for ever, been bungalows followed by houses followed by flats. OK if flats are grand enough to be called apartments and overlook the sea, a river or a cricket ground then perhaps its different but in general the above is true. So this is not news here.
From:
Michael English
20 June 2016 15:38 PM
Terence, I wish you were right. Doubtless you do and we do too, but .... recently I, a mere one branch rural Somerset agent, found myself dealing with the local branch of a multinational 'we expose your home to the London buyer and our Saturday assistant is a deb' estate agent. I asked whether or not they had evidence of funds for the person buying their client's home, as he had offered £600,000 for one of ours. Oh no, they never wish to offend their clients by asking such unsavoury questions. I pushed (as our last TPO had told me that he would expect us to have at least an email from the EAs down the line). The manager of this grand estate agency point blank refused and my own client was tempted to choose another buyer at £10k less, but took the gamble. It did pay off, but shows that some managers at some grand multi national agents do NOT show due diligence as they haven't the balls to risk offending wealthy clients !
From:
Michael English
20 June 2016 13:14 PM
In my opinion this is just AirBnB hoping to jump in on an opportunity for them. As all agents will have experienced, a tenanted house is murder to sell as the tenants don't much want the viewings and present the house badly. Lord knows how people occupying a BnB short stay holiday let type home would feel about viewings !
From:
Michael English
15 June 2016 09:18 AM
Indeed, the presentation handout did show a scale of fees, discounted to early adopters
From:
Michael English
13 June 2016 09:25 AM
The old Land Registry house price tracker / calculator tool was an invaluable aid, a great shame that they have stopped providing it. In my part of the world (Somerset) it was streets ahead of all other such 'calculators'. eg Zoopla was way out for this region though doubtless OK in some areas.
From:
Michael English
10 June 2016 10:12 AM
The irony is that OTM is designed to increase competition between the duopoly of Rightmove & Zoopla by endeavouring to make them cheaper to use, ideally now but more importantly in the future. Its unfortunate that the CMA is taking an anti competition attitude towards something that is designed to improve competition!
From:
Michael English
26 April 2016 09:13 AM
It has been highly successful in achieving the aim of Mark Carney & George Osborne, ie to stop a national price boom. Many buyers are very nervous.
From:
Michael English
22 April 2016 11:28 AM
Tim Higham gives a good response as a conveyancer. If all parties would only use real high street solicitors rather than remote cheap bucket shop conveyancing factories hundreds of miles away, things would improve immediately. Too many corporate estate agents such as Countrywide force their staff to try every trick in the book to tie their clients up with their in-house conveyancing factory 'teams'. My local solicitor charges £100 extra if his oppo is such a 'team' due to the communication & other delays involved. So yes agents CAN help .... by encouraging clients to use a real solicitor.
From:
Michael English
24 February 2016 13:53 PM
I agree. Had always felt that this policy was flawed but have given it a go .... and still feel it is flawed. Currently we are finding that demand exceeds supply so we have no trouble selling homes using only RM & OM for our internet marketing, but in a tighter market we might find ourselves thinking again.
From:
Michael English
06 January 2016 10:00 AM
OTM is our best opportunity to signal to the main sites that we are fed up with exhorbitant rates & endless upsells. Mainly Rightmove. Don't knock it so much else failure could become a self fulfilling prophesy.
From:
Michael English
14 December 2015 11:45 AM
In my opinion estate agents should not be used by HMRC in this manner (let alone charged an annual fee by them for doing this work!). I don't think that money laundering is as rife as ID theft, and its quite wrong that so many people involved in a property transaction should be required to take copies of ID and store them safely for 6 years. Break-ins to estate agents simply to steal stored ID's is a real threat. Best to leave this job to the conveyancing solicitors, or better even, to Land Registry.
From:
Michael English
11 November 2015 13:21 PM
So then they operate with no redress scheme. Wonderful. How can an agent charge a foreign FTB, or anyone for that matter, any money at all for recommending a solicitor & a mortgage broker! £2,500 .... disgusting. Equally I have just bought a title plan directly off the land Registry website for £3, but when googling I was initially directed to a Land Registry lookalike site that was going to charge me £19.95. A delightful world.
From:
Michael English
11 November 2015 13:16 PM
I work on the Somerset Levels and would not voluntarily put the EA flood risk category on details as in my opinion its not a good indicator, at times seeming to be postcode rather than contour related. But if flood risk is a concern then I do talk about it with an agents note, written in the details.... and I did this years before CPR's came in. No point a nervous buyer pulling out in the week of exchange.
From:
Michael English
10 November 2015 10:41 AM
Interesting but raises a few questions about potentially misleading a buyer. Would be reassuring to have a parent body comment on this
From:
Michael English
04 November 2015 09:45 AM
Reasons to break in: 1. Hoping a lettings agency will leave cash on premises (we don't). 2. Hoping an agency will leave its house key index book exposed with no form of encoding. 3. To collect AML grade ID for hundreds of people. Why oh why do we have to store such sensitive info for 6 years?
From:
Michael English
06 October 2015 12:33 PM
Hmmm indeed. As a traditional independent I valued a house a year ago for a lady in residence, getting divorced. I gave her some good advice on things she could do to get it sold. She went to market using this basic, up front fee service from Martin & Co and I am as sure as I can be that she did so as she did not want the property sold, but did want to indicate to her ex (not in residence) that she was trying. After a year of this a P/Ex company approached myself and a local high street agent asking us to go joint. I reported back that it was so poorly presented as to not be in a fit state to seriously offer for sale. The seller made a few basic improvements but it was still rough. Despite this we had one viewer book a second viewing which the client disallowed, and she then disallowed the next 2 viewing requests. We, the P/Ex company and the other agent disinstructed ourselves. She is back on the market with Martin & Co, using a picture of her kitchen table as the main image ... and its an attractive enough house. Its fine for Martin & Co, they are paid in advance under this system. It leaves the rest of us, including the viewers and doubtless the lady's ex all out of pocket. I wonder how many other homes are 'on the market' using such an online cheapie system ... in this case where martin & Co simply pass the clients phone number to prospective viewers and then step back ... where the vendor is sitting pretty and has no intention of selling? Prospective buyer beware!
From:
Michael English
10 September 2015 09:39 AM
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