15 Reasons Why Estate Agents Are Idiots

The message i’m trying to get across here is, “don’t trust your Estate Agent, he/she is probably an idiot”

The majority of this list is based on acts of ‘deceit’, ‘immorality’ and just basic ‘idiocy’. The list is not fictional, every example is common practise used by Estate Agents nationally, from the bottom man, all the way to the management. I urge you, my friends, please be careful when dealing with these rodents, because they will fuck you over at any given opportunity.

1) No qualifications or regulations

There’s no real science or mystical theory to why Estate Agents are mentally inadequate. In fact, it’s quite simple- the Estate Agent industry in the UK is unlicensed and unregulated, so any old fool off the street without qualifications or experience can set up shop as an Estate Agent. There is no official training required. That explains a lot already, doesn’t it?

2) Who would want to be an Estate Agent?

Continuing from my first point, you have to ask yourself, what kind of person would actually want to be an Estate Agent? A profession that includes backstabbing to the ultimate level; manipulating people into buying homes because their salary depends on it; a life of working 6 days a week, 12 hours a day; an occupation that requires no qualification at all, and has no consumer protection. In my honest opinion, the answer to that question is, ‘a devious idiot that carries a joy for inflicting misery’

3) You have more protection when buying a tin of soup

Estate Agents are protected, because as mentioned, there is currently no regulation. They can be sneaky little snakes, and laugh at your expense, which they do- in fact, they laugh all the way to the bank without carrying fear of prosecution. It’s extremely hard to claim anything against Estate Agents, unless they do something blatantly illegal. It’s amazing how British consumers have more rights when buying a tin of soup than when they buy a house.

4) Commission-based salary

Their commission-based salary means they will try to sell you anything at any cost. ‘Deception’ and ‘manipulation’ is usually their weapons of choice. Don’t be fooled by their kind nature because it is only skin deep, if that.

5) “This property is really popular”

A favourite trick would be to arrange two viewings to “accidently” coincide, so the property appears to be in demand. Additionally, the agent will often get someone from the office to ring while taking a viewing and pretend that someone has just put an offer in.

6) That house is perfect for you, sir (NOT)

Estate Agent’s will lie through their teeth about every little detail in order to persuade you to sign on the dotted line.

Example:

Hey Mr Estate Agent, is that barn an appropriate living environment for my wife and my newly born child?

Well, let me see; according to my calculations, I get 1.5% of the sale price. So if I worked this out correctly- then YES, it’s a perfect living environment for you and your family

I’ve never heard any Estate Agent say, “No, that would be a bad buy, my friend”

7) The Estate Agents perfect deal

Estate Agents don’t try and get you the best deals; they try and get themselves the best deals. Again, this relates to the commission based salary scheme, and their love for money. Regardless of whether you’re a buyer or seller, they have tactical methods of trying to exploit anyone at either end of the chain. If you’re a buyer, the Estate Agent may try and make you pay as much as possible for a property, because that has direct impact on how much commission they earn from you. If you’re a seller, an Estate Agent may try to under value your property, and then quickly buy the property via a “friend”.

8.) They’re all the same

Estate Agents are all manufactured from the same factory in Taiwan- cheap, and well presented. They all step off the production line in a cheap River Island suit, slicked hair, and a slimy personality that makes them think they’re hot sh*t. Estate Agents should be required to have a qualification other than that of a sharp suit. But they aren’t.

9) Estate Agents waste time

Time wasters. There’s no point even being specific about what type of property you want to buy. It’s in the ‘Estate Agents Bible’ that they must show you properties out of your price range or/and properties that don’t match your original dimensional criteria. Why do they do that? Well, it’s usually when they don’t have enough properties in their books that match your criteria, so instead if losing a sale they show you random properties, in hope you will bite the bate.

10) They will shut up when the time is right

You would think as sales people Estate Agents would never shut up since they have the gift of the gab. Oh, how wrong. Estate Agents know exactly when to jump into mute mode. Estate Agents want to sell property, but only at a rate that will suit them. So if you make a low offer, expect them to go into mode mute and not pass on the offer to the seller. God forbid a seller accepting an offer significantly lower than their asking price. There’s nothing more an Estate Agent fears than ‘a good deal’ from a buyer’s end.

11) Estate Agents run their own shop…from their suit jackets

Estate Agents will try and sell you ANYTHING, not just property. I wouldn’t be surprised if an Estate Agent pulled out stainless steel cutlery out of his/her polyester suit in the middle of a viewing, “Madam, this fine set of cutlery would go lovely with this house. I can make you a deal if you buy both today”

Beware of Estate Agents that come baring mortgage deals and home insurance offers. They can also make commission from those ‘extras’. Once you show passion for a particular home, they can pull out lines like, “I forgot to mention, we only sell property based on the policy that you use one of our mortgage brokers”

12) They hate their own kind

Estate Agents hate Estate Agents, so what chance do we have? And I’m not just talking about feuds between rival companies; I’m talking about in-house war, too. They backstab each other by taking each others leads, and take severe pleasure from their fellow peers losing out on sales. If more than one negotiator is showing a particular property, it’s not abnormal for keys to get misplaced just as a rival’s client turned up for an appointment.

13) Flyboarding

A lot of Estate Agents try and cut corners in every possible situation, and their marketing strategy certainly doesn’t escape the trend of being “cheap”. A lot of Estate Agents have been known to use a marketing method known as ‘flyboarding’. This refers to the activity of putting ‘For Sale’ or ‘Sold’ signs outside of properties that aren’t actually for sale. It’s merely a cheap way of advertising. Not surprising, really.

14) Estate Agents are Skitzo

If the property market is ‘hot’ and there are is plenty of demand for property, Estate Agents may treat you like last years clothing line. Their level of communication will be at an all time low and their clock maybe ticking a lot slower than everyone else’s. However, if the market is dead, you may get the best out of them. They’ll probably pop round and drop off some sugar; build some common ground and try to ‘relate’. Once again, deceitful. You could say they’re like ice-cream; a seasonal commodity.

15) They know the answer to every question

When an Estate Agent doesn’t know an answer to your question, don’t expect a confession, nor should you expect a respectable response like, “I’m not entirely sure, but I will find out for you and get back to you”. Strap on your seatbelt and expect a train of verbal trash. In most cases, an Estate Agent won’t comprehensively know the in’s and out’s of all the areas they deal in.

Example:

Hey, Mr Estate Agent, what are the local schools like around here?”

errr…well, they’re very good. Yeah, my daughter goes to the one around the corner. Highly recommended. Your children will be safe and well educated there”

The Estate Agent is lying. He doesn’t have a kid. He hasn’t even had sex with a human before, only with money. He lied about having a daughter to strengthen his response- who would lie about having a daughter? Estate Agents.

Please note, I don’t actually think every Estate Agent out there is dodgy; I just think the majority have committed at least one of the sins above. I have no doubt in my mind that there are a few good men standing.

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Talk / 105 Comments left so far

Sarah wrote this on 2010-01-17 00:35:05 Estate agents should never be trusted. Never work in one, it really is the pits. 66

Mark from Robinsons in Dunstable wrote this on 2010-01-25 17:56:10 Yeah I'm a lousy estate agent, I love winding up my customers. To be honest we do it because we are all after screwing as many people over as we can. You know as a race we could be redundant. That's right, we're not actually needed. All you we really do is advertise your house then cock up all the paperwork. Any bugger can do that. I have to say that I don't know a single estate agent that wouldn't sell his first born for a hand job, I mean that as in a back hander, ahem. I'm arrogant and know everything. Everything you can do I can do better. Don't forget who's name is above the door. That's right mine! Just like a pub. I'm the landlord and you're barred! Haha. Seriously I hate normal people like you because I am slime. 67

The Landlord wrote this on 2010-01-25 18:03:10 I admire your honesty, Mark. See, you're not the average Estate Agent, entirely :) 68

Pissed Off wrote this on 2010-01-27 16:19:50 Just started looking for our first house and already with the first house that we really liked the Estate Agent managed to start a bidding war. Bastard. My advice for anyone inexperienced with them is to tell them exactly what you expect them to do. I.e. Pass on my offer immediately...

Also just so people know ES are legally bound to pass on your offer immediately and (If you could ever prove it) it is illegal for ES to create phantom bids... 69

Rick wrote this on 2010-01-28 18:37:13 Re: previous comment from 'pissed off'.

so lets get this right.....
you walked into, and fell in love with a house. The chances are you are not the only buyer in the world, all be it a little precious, and other people wanted to view this property also. The agent (bastard), managed to arrange other viewings on the proeprty 9the cheek of it). I would imagine other viewees of the house also liked it just as much as you, and they also offerd, (bet you loved it more though).

note: Now, as you have clearly stated, and correctly so, all offers have to be submitted to vendors, both verbally and in writing.

The vendor by now has several offers to which to choose from. Again using my imagination (feel free to use common sense Mr/Ms 'pissed off') the vendor probably went with the highest offer to a buyer in a 'proceedable' position.

The bottom line here is, you did not offer enough on the house and subsequently missed out. The agent did not create the bidding war......that is down to 'supply and demand'. If you had offered a higher ammount at the outset, you could have probably clinched the house.

Result here is...The vendor got the best price on the day for their property. This equates to the agent doing their job for their client.....the vendor.

Could everybody please remember, a house can only be sold once, and ultimately it is the vendor who decides what level of offer to accept, not the agent.

So don't be bitter, carry on the search and find your property utopia. 70

Lisa wrote this on 2010-02-03 18:54:38 Hi Landlord firstly can I say in your defence. The person who set up this site(Landlord)set it up to try and help people, I do belive that the 15 reasons to hate Estate Agents is not meant to be really serious and I think its meant to be light hearted fun. I see he does say time and time again in his posts that he does not tar all agents with the same brush.I know not all Agents will find it funny but you have to have a sence of humour. Post 67 is the funniest. There are some very good Agents and to be very honest some bloody dodgy as hell ones, its those ones that ruin it for the good ones.Once someone has had a bad experiance with anything you will tell 10 people how bad it was, but when you have a good experiance you only tell one.
Me personally i'll focus on the Tax Man this time of year now thats where we can all agree we get well and truly shafted. 71

natalie wrote this on 2010-02-11 07:29:43 All the issues mentioned in the article are correct, they do occur. Not by every estate agent but by some.
The trouble is the good agents are fewer and well hidden amongst the louder idiots. Hence the awful public perception of estate agents. 72

Mike Cole wrote this on 2010-02-17 17:36:06 I thought it was really sad to see such a negative view that at best can only be justified against a minority of agents. Equally, you would find the majority of respectable agents are just as frustrated by the practices of that minority.

Factually you are incorrect in so many ways it's frightening;

Agents ARE accountable via The Property Ombudsmen, of which almost all are now members. There is a legal obliagtion to be a member of some form of redress scheme on Sales Agent. This wholly independent Ombudsmen can and does fine mispractise to the benefit of the complainee. I think few industries offer that kind of accountability.

On the lettings front agents can join The Proeprty Ombudsman again, or ARLA or NALS. Although they are not legally obliged to yet, if you are displaying any of those, or often a combination of those kite marks you are accountable and are regulated. Clients as with any agenct based purchase be they travel agents, mortgage brokers, even football agents can readily see if the agent they choose to use is verified in this fashion.

More of an issue is that often the agents who are not regulated are cheaper. If you choose to take the cheap option of course you increase the risk of dealing with someone unscrupulous. I would suggest an individual should be looking in the mirror at their own choices before then bemoaning the service they receive.

We do not 'hate our own kind' as standard. What you refer to is that we are in a very competitive business. Alex Ferguson is not going to go line dancing for a night out with Arsene Wenger, they are hard rivals, it would be inappropriate. They will always be looking to gain a competitive edge over each other. That's business in general and such that encourages businesses to invest in better staff or more marketing or better premises etc... all of which clients can then benefit from.

You are right to say qualifications aren't required, but then this isn't rocket science we are dealing with. The process of understanding how a sale works is not difficult to learn and categorically couldn't be made challenging enough to put off soemone interested in entering the business for ill gotten gain. You can learn 95% of estate agency in 6 months on the job, the other 5% may take you 6 years as it will deal with rare events that have no impact on service standards any way. More relevant would be greater training in actual sales skills, but your arguement seems to intimate that the principal of selling a product to someone is automatically seedy. Quite untrue again.

A good sales person matches their product to a clients needs. They may well try and broaden a clients horizons, but what is wrong in that. If I only told applicants about the exact type of property they wanted I'd hardly ever do a deal. Usually clients are a little naive on what may be available or on what their budget should entail. Some are overly ambitious, some are pessimistic, but most havea greater level of flexibility than they had originally started out with. I'm not abusing my position or failing to listen in any way whatsoever. I'm opening their eyes to possibilities that they have every right to tell me is pointless if they see fit. If you don't like a programme on telly - don't watch it then - but don't complain you have the option to watch it.

You suggest that becasue commission is earnable it automatically promotes underhand tactics. That's like saying to any business if you are making a profit you must be dodgy. Earning commission to the positive thinker opens the opportunity to get out of a job what you put in. In the same way someone going self employed and starting their own busines would think. It means if you work harder than the person next to you, you can potentially earn more money. It means you ahev some control over your own destiny. That to me seems an altogether healthy way to persaude people to work the unsocial and very long hours agents do. And let's be clear that landlords and vendors expect us to do. Try finding staff to work 60 hours and weekends without incentives! That some people may seek to abuse the system for personal gain is an inherant human problem the world over, just as you get certain governments and big business that manipulate and defraud. It's a socail comment I could agree with wholeheartedly, but not an estate agency based one.

You initmate agents lie to get a result. That is a quick way to the poor house!!! As with most businesses, reccomendations are crucial to an agent surviving and flourishing. You simply don't get that business if you don't have a good reputation and you don't get a good reputation by lying.

Your 'mute' mode comment was ridiculous. Agents are legally bound to put offers, all offers forward. But don't expect us to be happy when you make a sily low offer as we are going to get it in the neck from the owner not you. Remember it's easy for you to pick a side here. In some of your points you are a buyer in some a seller, yet you can't have it both ways. If you were the seller and someone made you a silly offer, you would then probably be complaining we had encouraged a client to make such an offer and told us what we can do with it. We're damned if we do and damned if we don't. Equally if you were a seller and we weren;t getting you many viewings because we weren't encouraging people to be flexible oin their criteria you would then complan at lack of interest and suggest we werent doing anything for our money.

That brings us on to my final point. For all your criticisms of estate agents, most of which are completely flawed, I could name the same and more that the average man in the street does to us and to other members of the publicnthat we have to put up with.

GAZUMPING - A totally greed induced pastime of no possible benefit to an agent.

NO SHOWS - Not turning up on viewings with no call to apologise or to forewarn.

TURN UP AND RUN - Get to a house, not like the look and not even have the courtesy to tell the owner who is waiting for you.

WITHDRAW FROMM SALE - Clients pulling out of a transaction, often late in the day, for often very selfish reasons and with no financial comeback whatsoever. There should be regulation against this if you are so keen for more regulation.

VIEW PROPERTY WAY BEYOND BUDGET - Wasting everyones time by viewing something you can't afford in the hope to knock down an unsuspecting owner who has accomodated you in to their home.

DROP OFFERS ON EXCHANGE - Clients who abuse the urgency of someone to move, by reducing the agreed price late in the day when a seller may be forced to work somthing out rather than start again.

GO PRIVATE - Clients knocking on doors of houses we have shown them to see if they can do a private deal and cut the agent out.

I could go on and on. These are every day occurances that are thoroughly miserable for agents to deal with. Agents who remember are on a NO SALE, NO FEE deal whereby they earn nothing when these sales go abortive, but still have to deal with the fall out.

That however does not give me the right to say the house buying / letting population of Britain are all lying, cheating scumbags. It is a minority, the same sort of percentage minority that are lying cheating estate agents.

Of course some exist, I'm certainly not lacing estate agents as saintly, but your portrayal is miles off the mark.

Your article is a reflection on a percentage of humans, may be a growing percentage, in a commercial society that often seems to encourage the individual to look out for himself, whatever the cost to others. That some peole's moral compass allows them to fall under this spell, especially if they can make financial gain, is very frustrating for the decent people in this world.

To tar estate agents in this day and age, as needing some sort of health warming over their head any more than any other industry type is out dated, unresearched, stereotyping of the laziest type.

There is the opportunity to earn good money in my business. However it requires incredibly hard work, a lot of investment and a certain amount of talent all to be practised over a concerted period of time. It is not a way to make a fast buck in any shape or form and trying to do so fails miserably in this day and age.

Respectfully.

Mike Cole - Imagine Watford www.twitter.com/imaginewatford 73

Mike Cole wrote this on 2010-02-17 17:51:08 PS - I accept the artticle was partly intended as light hearted, but it is exactly that sort of misinformation that fuels the stereotype that people then complain about and jump on the bandwaggon of bemoaning. Hence my sense of humour failure :) 74

Rick wrote this on 2010-02-18 08:41:10 I would like to state that I believe the previous two postings (Mike Cole), are with out doubt THE most level headed, and well constructed of all on this blogged debate.

In hindsight I wish I had not been sucked into name calling, and drawing on childish paralells in an attempt to get my point across. Quite clearly, an adult approach is a far superior route in establishing the truths in this 'discussion'.

Thank you Mr Cole for fighting the corner of conciencious estate agents everywhere who are just trying to do a job the best they can, and earning an honest living from it in the process.

(Love in over.) 75

Simon wrote this on 2010-03-03 15:48:22 HA - I can just imagine him eating salt and vinegar chip sticks furiously typing away with the occassional break to read his mums cosmopolitan and relieve himself. He never played sport at school and his mum used to write him a sick note each time his asthma played up. Rather than actually realise this is how he makes himself look writting splodge like this he will actually just probably pick me up on a grammar error .... seen it all before gayboy 76

KEITH ALVA wrote this on 2010-03-08 19:18:12 i dont know why you or anyone else brings up the qualifications bit, but in america, they require estate agents to take a course, and get licenced, yet the american estate agents are probably just as dodgy. the issue here is not that they arent qualified. greed is the motivating factor for why estate agents are so dodgy. in many cases, they know certain things are wrong, not working, not in the interest of the customer, but they choose to withold information on purpose because they want the comision. someone also said something about estate agents being dumb, but the one thing that is the most dangerous is an intelligent estate agent, one that will tell you exactly what you want to hear, then once they get their comision, they disapear. 77

deborah wrote this on 2010-03-15 13:59:19 I found this website because I typed 'letting agents are the biggest bunch of cockmunching shitheads in the world' into google and this was the first result. Unfortunately for me I cannot afford to fund a masters degree and live at the same time. The agents want 2000 upfront just to apply. cunts. Good job on the site :) 78

Lisa wrote this on 2010-03-15 22:40:29 My biggest peice of advice to anyone buying a house is Before looking at a property you are interested in ask the Agent(take their name) if they know of any repairs, damage, disputes with neighbours, floods, ect. If the Agent says "no not that I know of" take their word for it for now and have a look at the property. On your visit ask the same questions (write them down in a note book sounds sad i know but belive me if they do know this will benefit you). Legally an Agent does not have to tell you anything about the property if they do know if somthing is wrong, however legally they are not allowed to omit anything if the questions are asked directly. All agents will have a standard form asking the Vendors of any paperwork for works carried out dispute, ect. Some Vendors will lie and in those cases the Agents are not at fault when your survey comes back with problems. However a commen reason for a house sale falling through and coming back on the market is due to a bad survey in which case the Agent will know of any problems with the house, so if you have asked all the questions and they say they dont know its a lie in most cases you can get all costs refunded by the Agents by either complaining and demanding (they wont roll over easy though) If they dont take them to Court. Property Misdiscription Act is taken very seriously and the fines can be very steep. 79

vixen wrote this on 2010-03-28 16:15:56 These methods are used to get the most money for yor client, as an agent is payed to do!!im sure you all wouldnt be complaining if they has just agreed a sale on your property 10k-20k over the asking price!! 80

Simon wrote this on 2010-04-09 08:53:27 You people always blame others rather than actually having a brain cell between you. "Oh its the agents!!" .... Well do it yourself then and stop complaining you bunch of weak sheep! Bet you all work for the government and take days off cos you are in a "low mood." Get a life and stop complaining about everything because the people who's livelihoods depend on selling your houses will never be able to win with people like you so just get on with it..... 81

sam wrote this on 2010-04-23 17:46:50 I THINK WHOEVER WROTE THIS IS A FUKIN TOSSER HA 82

R.sole wrote this on 2010-05-06 14:06:06 Any British resident who complains about estate agents needs to have all their properties repossessed and never deserves to own one again. Why? Because no matter how many crappy agents there are, how many shady practices (and I agree, there are many), UK estate agents charge low fees, usually 2% at the lower end. And you can get lower - I am currently selling my house and I negotiated 1.25%. That's damn cheap.

Do you have the slightest idea what estate agent commissions are in the rest of the world? In Germany they are 6%. In the USA they are 6%. Imagine paying 6% on an average house, that's around 12k. The place I'm selling is a little over 500k and I'm going to pay 1.25%, around 6k. In America or mainland Europe I would pay 25-30k.

Why is it so much more expensive? Because estate agents are regulated and have to get qualified. Does this help? No, it does fuck all. Estate agents in the US and Europe are just the same as in the UK, with exactly the same list of common complaints and problems.

So, if you want to pay an extra 4-5% of your house value each time you move, then by all means keep moaning about UK estate agents. Otherwise I suggest you take your head out of your arse, realise how good you have it, and stop whining. Yes, I know us Brits like whining, but in this case we truly have nothing to whine about - British people moaning about "rip-off" estate agents is like Californians moaning about the weather, Italians complaining about their expensive and limited selection of fresh foods, and the French bemoaning the state of their wine industry. Get a fucking grip and stop being such a spoiled brat who expects everything for free on a plate.

Other than this post, good blog! 83

Katie wrote this on 2010-06-02 18:23:34 I've only dealt with inefficient and untruthful letting agents so far in my adult life, but as I'm only 23 years old, I'm willing to believe that they are not all the same. There's certainly time for some to change my mind! However can anyone explain this:

How can a letting agent justify charging a one off fee to tennants just to renew their contract? Around ~£90 to change the dates on the contract and post us and the landlord a new copy? The mind baffles. I presume that they are charging the landlord something similar too. 84

Emma wrote this on 2010-06-08 10:17:25 Don't know about estate agents but lettings agents are a bunch of tossers, the woman who showed us round our flat made it sound fantastic and we took it, then to find out alot of things that she had either lied about or not told us, the lift was ment to be working three weeks after we moved in and it's now been nine months! We have builders drilling at half seven in the morning leaving shit all over the stairs that we have to use which we never got told about, we got given a broke washing machine the woman new it was broke as it was from another flat but said the builder who was there would fix it don't know what he did buy he didn't fix it, so we tryed getting in touch with th letting agents to fix it they didn't sort anythig out for us, they was rude onthe phone we finally got it sorted after 7 months and that was only because we refused to pay rent that month, we got told it was going to be students and proffesional workers then to find out they got changed into counsel flats, I have nothig against the people who live in them but I believe they don't have to pay as much as we do and u think it's wrong that we have to pay full price as it is with all this shit going on, oh and the drive in gate and the walk in gate don't work either so we have to go right round to the other block of flats speak to someone through a buzzer to let us in the go through a gap in the fence and this was the letting agents instructions of what to do rather than fix it! Sorry that I'm ranting on but I was woke up by some drunk prick shouting outside to someone on the first floor at half six then again at half seven by the drilling so in a tiny bit of a bad mood! Oh and also most of my friends have problems with their letting agents so I'm not just going of my own problems! 85

CanGirl wrote this on 2010-06-21 23:07:50 Re Simon's comment: "Well do it yourself then and stop complaining you bunch of weak sheep! Bet you all work for the government and take days off cos you are in a "low mood." Get a life and stop complaining about everything because the people who's livelihoods depend on selling your houses will never be able to win with people like you so just get on with it...."
I take it that you are a real estate agent who isn't a very happy camper. Ok then, I am one of those FSBOs you likely hate. I sold my house and I got my asking price and I was honest with every person who walked through my door. Why was I able to sell when all of the other properties on the street that were for sale through agents did not and still have not sold? Some have been for sale since December. Why do I think that I was able to sell my place and the others couldn't? Number one, I was honest. Number two, I made it my fulltime job for three weeks to see to the property until it sold. I was not looking to make big bucks but to find someone who would really fit my property and to it sell for a fair price. Number three, rather than paying a commission to an agent, I passed those savings along to my buyer. I am not complaining. I put my proporty up for sale on March 31st and completed the sale before the end of April. I think that perhaps it is Simon who seems to have a complaint. I think that there are too many agents, too much property for sale and not enough people who can afford to buy right now. I still got more than twice the price that I paid for my house tend years ago and my new home, which is twice the size, was only a few thousand more so I have no mortgage. Those are just the facts. My mood, when I take my holidays and whether or not I work for the government are irrelevant to the issue. By the way, the time that I took off work to sell the house was my vacation time that I saved up and I'm not complaining about that. It was time well worth it and I met some very fine people in the process. Thank you. 86

sam wrote this on 2010-06-22 08:45:25 mike cole what a legend 87

Mike Cole wrote this on 2010-06-22 09:09:24 Thanks for some positive feedback having tried to make a well reasoned arguement on the estate agents side. (Post 73).
As part of my estate agency business I do present a Fecebook site, a Twitter page and even just started a bi-weekly You Tube video to give up to date news and views on all things property. Of ocurse some is specific to my business, but I do try to add as much general interest stuff as I can for those people who just like to keep in touch with what is happening in the Property world.

Subscribe to all three sites via the links on our website www.imagine-group.co.uk - I hope you enjoy. Mike 88

sam wrote this on 2010-06-22 09:13:51 mike,

people have only given negative points on estate agents - if people hate us that much why do 97% of home movers use us ha it doesnt make sense

you have clearly pointed out the otherside to it aswell 89

tom wrote this on 2010-06-22 13:46:36 Wrong title for this article:two good examples of other professions

-Politicans
-footballers

Idiots act like they care or get paid for playing games...
Estate agents are not idiots are clever people using clever tricks simple... dont hate the player hate the game 90

Natalie wrote this on 2010-07-22 23:06:29 Are You o.k. up there or have you let out your upstairs brain too???
There is corruption in every field, Driving Instructors (Don't want you to pass so can get more money out of you), Solicitors ( Take ages to complete anything and keep charging you meantime), Dr.'s (Getting paid £60 - £100k a year but always send you home with Ibruprofen !!! Wake up and smell the coffee !!!
I am happy with the estate agents services, at the end of the day somebodys got to do it!! 91

sam wrote this on 2010-07-23 16:23:38 natalie another legend 92

Twattybollocks wrote this on 2010-07-24 10:17:52 It must be so nice to live on planet Natalie. 93

gill wrote this on 2010-07-28 13:11:57 i dont think estate agents are all what was said. their job is to seell houses and they get paid 4 it. just lyke a clothing shop where the saels person convinces you to buy a shirt or a nice dress. we should respect others jobs! and ai more than happy with estate agents service 94

Simon wrote this on 2010-07-30 13:12:15 I was just thinking of what to call my next child ....Twattybollocks it is ..... genius! ... I just hope that it doesnt get shortened to anything embaressing for the little blighter .... 95

Dru wrote this on 2010-08-07 11:20:12 Why not post acreage clearly? Don't you think land is important? Or why post 4 acres on one site and then 2.5 acres on another by the same agent? How do those "agents" even get a RE license.... My experiences with MOST RE agents were not good. All they care is the profit. Some agents go out of their way to help you, but they don't do it in a professional way, with missing info and other discrepancies. I had the cash to purchase the 50 acres they were listing for many years unsold, but no agent returned my phone call (guess: my accent?) cause they thought I wasn't worth the attention? I spent the money elsewhere. I'm sure the property owner wouyld have sued such an "agent" if they found out that the "realtors" ignore customers like that. No respect from me to the "Realtors"! I only met ONE (1) decent agent in my life. She was professional all the way, and I feel sorry none of her properties were interesting for me, but she was the best agent ever met. In Columbia, SC. She even showed us a city center. She knows who I keep in mind. 96

jamie wrote this on 2010-08-25 22:25:47 Im an estate Agent, and this is not true at all, if i feel the house is wrong for the person, i will personly say so. not because i dont want them to buy it, thats up to them, but because that what i personly think. its up to them what there next move is.

and yes we do no most the answers to most questions, THAT ARE JOB! you have a question on the house we answer it. some estate agents lie. but these days not alot do! the HUGE! companys do that. because if the dont bring in enough sales, or viewings, ect they lose there job there and then on the spot. dont think they dont, THEY DO! i have seen it. but even still alot wont and dont.

AND YES! of course estate agents hate estate agents! its a market not a play park where we can all have fun and play! its the job you want to lose sales. then be nice tell them all about your sale and see if you have it in 12 hours! promise you wont....!!!

i do think that you need to grown up ALOT! and that these sites that make estate agents look bad is somethink that is very wrong with this world. i would like to see you... get viewings on your house everyday! off your own back. and then when you have found someone, deal with the solicitors! and chase them up everyday. chase down the chain to see if the chain is good and ready to move. OOH! why you doing you own job and normal life style. 97

Twattybollocks wrote this on 2010-08-26 08:44:20 Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. Dear, dear Jamie. How could we possibly think you are propogating the theory that all estate agents are idiots?

Could it be the fact that you seem to have forgotten that in English we use CAPITAL letters to start sentences, use the captials I when referring to ourselves and spell something correctly not somethink!

It is also a good idea to have a point when writing in - oh and please proof read it to make sure it makes at least a modicum of sense. I've got this little mental image of you: Spikey hair, shiny suit with a small pinstripe, brown pointy shoes and you drive - let me see, it's coming to me now............... a ................Mini, no a Peugeot 307cc drop top?

Have you done anything to change our minds that all estate agents are idiots? Of course you have.....................

Now put down your Lambrini and go and play with yourself for a while.

Twatty. 98

sam wrote this on 2010-08-26 12:09:48 Twatty,

Who mentioned on this website that it was an English test. errrrrrm no one - im an estate agent and drive a procshe - this is mostly because im a typical estate agent - just want to sell the house to anybody to get my money for it - will tell anybody anything to get a sale - who gives a shit if the house is going to fall down - the website is true about estate agents we are all the same haha 99

The Landlord wrote this on 2010-08-26 12:38:23 @sam
"the website is true about estate agents we are all the same haha"

You clearly didn't read the article properly because it clearly says, in bold...

"Please note, I don’t actually think every Estate Agent out there is dodgy; I just think the majority have committed at least one of the sins above. I have no doubt in my mind that there are a few good men standing." 100

Bertie wrote this on 2010-08-27 14:21:59 I'm an EA and the last thing I ever want to do is hoodwink people or do anything remotely classed as dodgy. Hurting other people for my own financial gains is right up there with wishing to cut my own finger off.
I am diligent in my work and have attended courses to ensure I always comply with the strict regulations which the agency I work for, completely adheres to.
I, like many other EA's, just wish to do an honest days work, to aid people moving in or out of their homes in a timely fashion and with as little stress as possible. We take the brunt of the stress by negotiating between all the parties and their solicitors and believe me, most of the time the commission we recieve for doing that can be very low.
Please don't let a few bad apples make you paint an overall picture. Remember there is always good and bad in this world, all we can do is avoid the baddies.
For anybody who has been disgruntled, to which sadly their seems a few, I do hope any future business with EA's is a more positive one. 101

Twattybollocks wrote this on 2010-08-27 15:04:07 @Sam - what on earth are you talking about?

@Bertie - Nice one. I wish you all the best in your career.

TB 102

Simon wrote this on 2010-08-27 15:52:33 Dear Twatty

I love the way you use Twatty as your name .... a defense mechanism because you have been so used to people bullying you that you you believe that if you get in first we may not all call you a Twat bollock head like they did at school.Hmm lets see what you are ... bet you are fat and your only friends are on social sites (and they are the friends that YOU approach because of a mutual friend (who is usually more popular than you but you have no other means of making friends). Picking people up on grammar is immature and one dimensional, bless you, your A star in English lit has been put to good use. And "go play with yourself???... sorry Twat head (you like the name .... twat!) - we even sleep with real women now unlike you. So grow up, leave home and get in the real world you X box twatty head! 103

Twattybollocks wrote this on 2010-08-27 16:19:48 Dear Simon,

Is that you Jamie pretending to be someone else? Thank you for pointing out my foibles (thats a big word that you need to go and look up). If you are going to have a go why not do it in such a way that does not prove to the world that the gene pool is becoming more diluted with each passing day. Try to be more descriptive in your insults - it's good exercise for the brain and it makes it so much more interesting for the reader.

Now then:


It's DEFENCE not defense (unless of course you are living in the USA) and lit should have a full stop behind it because it is an abbreviation of literature.

How well you know me. You really should make a living out of this because you are so right on all counts. I also have lots of cats and enjoy Lapidery (another big word that you will need to look up) but my biggest hobby is winding up idiots like you.

I did once offer a prize for the best insult somewhere else on this site but no one took me up on the offer. Such a shame really as I enjoy a good laugh.

So come on Simon be bold, let your imagination run free and come up with something better than "you x box twatty head"

Love

Twatty. 104

John wrote this on 2010-08-27 16:40:07 Most agents would respond when i want to buy somethingm but when i want to sell my property most of them will ignore me. What do they expect then - customer loyalty? I'm talking about agents in the US, so-called "realtors". There are such morons as won't bother to show lower priced homes to a prospective buyer, who has the money! How dumb is that..... Avoid using any intermediaries as most of them are lazy assholes. 105

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