Tuesday 19 October 2010

Man Irritated By Estate Agent Shock

I'm looking for a flat to rent at the moment. One of my least favourite things to do in the world, because of exchanges like this one:

Me: Thanks, but it's not quite what I'm looking for.
Estate Agent: It's been on the market a while now, I think they'd be prepared to take an offer.
Me: Well I'll think about it and let you know.
Estate Agent: Ok, but places like this tend to get snapped up pretty fast.

...But... you... just said...

I'm resigned to estate agents lying to me, but it would be nice if they at least listened to their own lies. Instead, they're like goldfish who think the conversation only began six seconds ago. Sure enough later on, when I asked him if he had any of such-and-such a type of flat on his books, he said no; and there was no point me waiting for one, because this was the slowest time of the year. Evidently the jostling crowd of eager flat-snapper-uppers had already vanished back into the mists from which he had conjured them.

38 comments:

eAi said...

I'm looking for a flat in Brighton at the moment and it's certainly the thing I hate most in the world. Traipsing around uninspiring flats with smarmy estate agents who expect you to make instant decisions... It's not helped by the demand in Brighton being very high meaning prices are high and decisions have to be made fast.

Horrible.

Anonymous said...

It's not so much the searching that annoys me, but the actual moving process. Packing, unpacking, cleaning, organizing...I'd like an agent to delegate that, please!

Bardrama said...

I am currently moving out of my place, on Sunday arvo people continually buzzed over the course of two hours, obviously the real estate agent has accidentally advertised an open house when there wasn't meant to be one!

When I asked them about it, they denied doing this, saying "People are so excited about your property they came a day early"....hmmm I doubt this mate...

Monalisa said...

I'd been in search of a plot for the past few months. But this part of the sub-continent (i live in India) got so much cheap land out for sale, but all slanting to a plunge. I missed out mentioning the agent i need a straight level land and i need to build a shed on it. Dozens of agents running about for a place for me, and i'm having fun seeing them [:P]

Guess they're tired but the margin keeps them going. Some of them showed me the same plot one after the other, but the funny thing was, i liked the plot but not the price. hehe.. the price- it kept changing from one agent to the other but the ones who said the lower prices said it while scratching their head. Hmm.. Some thing's going on around.. ;)

Joe Pereira said...

John, I am looking for a flat in west london and having the same problem. Also have you noticed how estate agents advertise all sorts of properties that have long gone?-just to get you in? Despicable. I wrote a post on it recently, pls check if you'r interested. Good luck

http://joesgossip.blogspot.com/search/label/Estate%20Agents

Sou said...

oi, where's your follow button? I would like to follow... Either I'm ridiculously blind, or you've ridiculously hidden it from me.

Sou said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Easy Breezey Kiwi Kelly said...

I've got a lovely guest house in Maryland. Bit of a commute to London, but, considering the exchange rate, the price is right!

These3Butterflies said...

Saw ur pic. You're cute. That's all I wanted to say.

Piques said...

I lived in NYC for 5 years and I remember the apartment hunting with a shudder. Certainly for the island of Manhattan there were always more people than flats. You did not select a flat - you auditioned for it.

With that said, I have recently had cause to count all of my residences since I was 18. I have lived in 17 places in 18 years in five countries.

Angel said...

I am also irritated by those contradictory statements but they dont just come from estate agents oh no....!

sarah walton said...

Suggest you start playing mind games with the agents.
Tell them:
- that the apartment is underrated and you will only take it if you can pay more.
- that you have a pet Komodo dragon, and you think the bath is too small.
- that you will take it, and you will be ready to move in on November 15, 2011
- that you think that real estate is very kinky and you only lured him here to meet the neighbours and open all the cupboards.

Iana Letícia . said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Daedalus said...

Just helped an incoming Brit to move in to an apartment in Rochester, NY, USA. One bedroom, kitchen, bath, all mod cons, $800 a month. "Beats a half share in a bed-sit eh?", I said to him. He could only agree. Ah, America!

el cajon condo said...

As if the packing & moving isn't frustrating enough, but the search can be super irritating. I hate contradictory statements as well!!!

Shine your Light said...

Hugely funny! Thanks for the post!

that girl said...

yeah. i feel for you. i kinda dislike the whole real estate agent thing too. we were renting a spot and came home one day to see for sale signs on our yard. the person renting it to us didn't tell us. that wasn't bad enough. we came home a day later to find that someone (the real estate agent) had walked someone through our place without telling us. we called the owner who told us that the agent was to tell us. so i called the agent and gave him a blast. at the end of the conversation he said, i noticed in your top drawer in your kitchen that you had a real estate newspaper so i guess you guys are looking to buy. would you be interested in my help?? ummm, yeah, not likely!

Anonymous said...

Interesting

that guy said...

too funny...found you on blogs of note...

here across the pond they have been lying for so long that the economy nearly collapsed...okay that could be a bit of oversimplification...but they still think a cardboard box near a platic shed is a "dollhouse with an out building"

thanks for the laugh

-bruce
bruceejohnsonjadip.blogspot.com

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

We're on the other side of the transaction and the agents lie to us too ... "perfect time for selling/letting" ... "very little on the market" ... "may have to drop the price because of all the competition" ... And so it goes on.

Garveson said...

As an "experienced, old, trained, etc." real estate agent in the US, I certainly understand your (well deserved) frustration! I too, am frustrated, as I read the comments--all true, I am sure. Training is the key to our industry. Too many times, the responsible supervisor allows the "untrained" to roam freely. I certainly hope your post makes it back to the supervisory broker

Unknown said...

Hahahha, thats hilarious! And so true. The world of advertising and all that jazz.

Riviera said...

There are bad apples in every sector of society, estate agents included.

If you don't like estate agents, at least in the UK, fees are quite low compared to French estate agent fees.

In my blog, I talk about fees here:
http://wardeproperty.com/blog/index.php?/archives/15-French-estate-agency-fees-explained.html

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"Oh, King Neptune, we are humble goldfish estate agents!"

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