zsuzsanna Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I had a chat yesterday with my neighbour who is an estate agent manager. He told me that the company he works are planning to charge prospective buyer to view the pack and will not charge the seller for the HIPs pack until the property is sold. They have some cunning plans. Very annoying. I wonder if it will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFTB Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 The thought occurs that this will make prospective buyers very much more picky, thus reducing sales volumes a fair bit and making poor houses even less attractive. EAs shooting themselves in the foot, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I had a chat yesterday with my neighbour who is an estate agent manager. He told me that the company he works are planning to charge prospective buyer to view the pack and will not charge the seller for the HIPs pack until the property is sold. They have some cunning plans. Very annoying. I wonder if it will work. I don't think this could ever work. I wouldn't be willing to pay as a buyer - I would just avoid all properties and agents where this was the case, unless it became industry standard. As a vendor I'd be extremely worried about an agent doing this - it can only reduce the number of people making actual viewings. To be honest this just sounds like a bit more desperation to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
since the beginning Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I don't think this could ever work. I wouldn't be willing to pay as a buyer - I would just avoid all properties and agents where this was the case, unless it became industry standard. As a vendor I'd be extremely worried about an agent doing this - it can only reduce the number of people making actual viewings. To be honest this just sounds like a bit more desperation to me... Exactly - what with some people already advertising with more than one agent, who do you think they will go to. It is very rare in any industry for the buyer to pay to view a product. Most if not all advertising models have the seller paying the fee. I for one wouldn't pay google to let me view adverts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 do you pay to view the mot on a car when buying? does the mortgage company pay to view a damp proof certificate? I think what is being said here is the estate agent will charge a couple pound to send off a printed copy to prospective buyers to offset making lots of copies, not to cover the cost of making them, as it could get expensive for them sending off copies to 30 prospective buyers ect. but realy the costs will be incurred by the seller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AteMoose Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 (edited) http://www.movewithus.co.uk/hip/si.cmsx?itemID=818#CYCTB what a crock, 30 to 40 quid barrier to entry:(, but hopefully competition will lower this Would be nice if you could get the infor from a nethouseprice style website Edited February 24, 2006 by moosetea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zsuzsanna Posted February 24, 2006 Author Share Posted February 24, 2006 I wonder what other tricks they have up they sleeves? He admitted that they have not done anything about the HIPs pack yet. They are not prepare at all but what he admited that they are prepared for a huge no of properties up till Jun 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 http://www.movewithus.co.uk/hip/si.cmsx?itemID=818#CYCTB what a crock, 30 to 40 quid barrier to entry:(, but hopefully competition will lower this Would be nice if you could get the infor from a nethouseprice style website No way I'd pay that. That's not a reasonable photocopy cost! But it makes much more sense to leave a copy at the house to be viewed free of charge. Ludicrous that in this market they are seeking ways that will reduce the number of people viewing a property. It makes no sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Lucan Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I had a chat yesterday with my neighbour who is an estate agent manager. He told me that the company he works are planning to charge prospective buyer to view the pack and will not charge the seller for the HIPs pack until the property is sold. They have some cunning plans. Very annoying. I wonder if it will work. I don't think this will work in the majority of cases. Some may pay to view for a very special house. I think fundamentally the days of many EAs are numbered in the UK anyway; I think the supermarkets will take over and there will be a move to the Internet with owners playing a larger role in the sale of the home. I could never understand why people pay agents so much for what they do, it is a total nonsense industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 If the agents band together and demand it then there'll be no choice. In some countries, you have to pay an agent a commission of 2-3% as a buyer (they get the same from the seller) for them to show you the property. There are few for sale signs. It works because you have to be licensed to be an estate agent and once they're in the club they realise that collusion is good for everyone so no one is willing to break ranks and not charge. It's an excellent example of the fact that regulation of an industry often sets up an unhealthy monopoly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erd Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Does the report have to be hard printed? Would a pdf file (or similar) suffice in the first instance? Then a charge could be reasonably made if you want a real copy when you are ready to proceed into discussions about purchase? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 LOLOLOLOLOLOL, Why don't they just make the whole thing into a game and charge for the cards instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockdoctor Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 LOLOLOLOLOLOL, Why don't they just make the whole thing into a game and charge for the cards instead. THAT is the finest loft conversion I have ever seen. So clever the way it sensitively blends with the style of the property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zsuzsanna Posted February 24, 2006 Author Share Posted February 24, 2006 (edited) What the guy made very clear, that they want the seller to make the money spent on the pack, back somehow. He found it hilarious that the seller should part with money. The estate agency will pay fo the pack and then make the money back and some extra on top. Edited February 24, 2006 by zsuzsanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichM Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 LOLOLOLOLOLOL, Why don't they just make the whole thing into a game and charge for the cards instead. Hey, this is a great idea! HPC top trumps! The best card is a Kensington town house; the only card that will beat it is a studio flat on the old kent road that has a slightly higher yield... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrashCrash Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I had a chat yesterday with my neighbour who is an estate agent manager. He told me that the company he works are planning to charge prospective buyer to view the pack and will not charge the seller for the HIPs pack until the property is sold. They have some cunning plans. Very annoying. I wonder if it will work. is it leagal ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Does the report have to be hard printed? Would a pdf file (or similar) suffice in the first instance? Then a charge could be reasonably made if you want a real copy when you are ready to proceed into discussions about purchase? good point costs nothing to publish it online for all to see. im thinking this is an idea for estate agents to keep people selling there houses i suspect though they will have to take the costs if they pay for the hips outta the sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichM Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 "Hah! 36K tower block in Bethnal Green - 35 flights of stairs." "No! My 3-bed in Wandsworth worth 400K rented out to young professionals has only 6, sh!t!" "Yield - 8%" "Damn, yield 6.5%" "Development factor - 89%" "Yes! Development factor 92% - burnt out Brixton squat" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goat Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 is it leagal ? Yes, see the earlier link which suggests reasonable costs can be charged on. That said it does not cost £30-£40 to photocopy it (that would suggest over an hour of secretary's time!) Don't see it working though, people will just avoid the agencies that do this and what are the agency going to do if you say no? Kiss goodbye to £3,000 commission because you refuse to pay another £40 to them? Ring up their clients and say "sorry, we had to let that buyer go because they refused to meet our charges, yes I know that your house has been on the market for 9 months but there's a principal at stake....." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwickshire Lad Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 What a hideous Dirty Tricks exercise by the EAs to turn around the whole premise of the Seller's Pack and make the buyer pay. They're just a bunch of crooks. If, as an industry, they try this en-masse then I expect the Government to intervene, otherwise I will just avoid any EA that tries this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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