Estate agents

FixdePitchmark · 19-09-2018 6:50pm #1

Looking for a bit of help on first time selling.

Any pros / cons of any of the main estage agents.

We were thinking of using Sherry Fitz ?

What sort of charges should we expect and is there much difference between different estate agents on charges

Thanks for any input.

uck51js9zml2yt · 19-09-2018 10:15pm

Where are you based?

My local charged me 1% and did individual viewings.

She's totally against open viewing.
All you get is tyre kickers and people in the way of those who are really wanting to buy.

FixdePitchmark · 19-09-2018 10:19pm

Amos Scarce Ramrod wrote: »

Where are you based?

My local charged me 1% and did individual viewings.

She's totally against open viewing.
All you get is tyre kickers and people in the way of those who are really wanting to buy.

D5 / D3 area

Interesting

uck51js9zml2yt · 19-09-2018 10:24pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

D5 / D3 area

Interesting

Mine is D7.
Get a small local one who knows the area.
The big ones just give you a junior EA and charge through the nose.

FixdePitchmark · 19-09-2018 10:27pm

Amos Scarce Ramrod wrote: »

Mine is D7.
Get a small local one who knows the area.
The big ones just give you a junior EA and charge through the nose.

How much extra do they charge ?

Likes of Sherry Fitz

Gumbo · 19-09-2018 10:36pm

Most are about 1% plus vat.
Some a little less, some a little more.

A Law · 19-09-2018 10:37pm

Sherry Fitz in swords is 1.5%. Morton and Flanagan 1.25% and DNG 1%

bleary · 19-09-2018 10:55pm

I only ever saw my house at open viewings. Im Working long hours usually and could see a few houses every weekend using open viewings.
I didn't bother going anywhere that didn't do it

FixdePitchmark · 20-09-2018 9:43am

joefuss1986 wrote: »

Sherry Fitz in swords is 1.5%. Morton and Flanagan 1.25% and DNG 1%

1 % for DNG seems very good , was always impressed with them as a buyer as opposed to Sherry Fitz

Why do people pay the extra for Sherry

Thanks for info so far

_brendand_ · 21-09-2018 10:31pm

<SNIP> who work for them. Sherry Fitz are not as professional as their big name suggests, a colleague of mine had the selling agent disappear on him in the middle of the transaction.

Personally I'd go for a smaller one (might be operating under a brand such as Re/Max or REA, but essentially a small business) or DNG seem to be not bad.

A Law · 22-09-2018 12:01am

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

1 % for DNG seems very good , was always impressed with them as a buyer as opposed to Sherry Fitz

Why do people pay the extra for Sherry

Thanks for info so far

I reckon it's like comparing VW and Skoda. Same thing essentially, the perception of what other people think about the car you have is difference.

Juwwi · 22-09-2018 12:25am

joefuss1986 wrote: »

Sherry Fitz in swords is 1.5%. Morton and Flanagan 1.25% and DNG 1%

Do you know what Flynn's in Swords charge as a matter of interest they seem to get a lot of the houses ?

Thanks

q85dw7osi4lebg · 22-09-2018 12:31am

Ask people on your road who have sold. Can recommend Sherry Fitz.

utmbuilder · 22-09-2018 12:50am

id love someone to try yourbricks or auctioneera and let us know the outcome

600 euro aparently

[Deleted User] · 22-09-2018 1:15am

joefuss1986 wrote: »

I reckon it's like comparing VW and Skoda. Same thing essentially, the perception of what other people think about the car you have is difference.

Is that true though? I don't think it really matters? DNG, REA, Sherry, O'Brien, etc. etc. are all just a name on a sign to most people.

Nobody will buy a house based on who the agent is. Much like no one will avoid one based on who the agent is, either.

If a house comes up, that you're interested in, the name on the sign is the least of your concerns I'd imagine?

Toulouse · 22-09-2018 12:00pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is that true though? I don't think it really matters? DNG, REA, Sherry, O'Brien, etc. etc. are all just a name on a sign to most people.

Nobody will buy a house based on who the agent is. Much like no one will avoid one based on who the agent is, either.

If a house comes up, that you're interested in, the name on the sign is the least of your concerns I'd imagine?

For me it is! I’m sale agreed on a property, exchanging next week but I’ve been looking a long time and am familiar with a lot of estate agents around here.

I’ve not looked at houses being handled by one agent in my locality as I know for a fact that he’s a liar, inflates house prices in the area and he’s an odious toad that I’d rather not deal with. If that means I miss out on a house then so be it, life is too short.

Then there’s another who made an absolute balls of a property she was handling and even though we were offered the property in the end and had already gone sale agreed elsewhere it wouldn’t put me off viewing a house she was showing. It would put me off selling a property with her and her agency though.

starbaby2003 · 22-09-2018 9:46pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is that true though? I don't think it really matters? DNG, REA, Sherry, O'Brien, etc. etc. are all just a name on a sign to most people.

Nobody will buy a house based on who the agent is. Much like no one will avoid one based on who the agent is, either.

If a house comes up, that you're interested in, the name on the sign is the least of your concerns I'd imagine?

When we were looking we refused to view any houses xxxxxx estate agents were selling. Awful trouble on a house we originally bid on so I think the poster has a point.

A Law · 23-09-2018 12:25pm

Juwwi wrote: »

Do you know what Flynn's in Swords charge as a matter of interest they seem to get a lot of the houses ?

Thanks

Think it's 1% but could be 1.25. not totally sure.

FixdePitchmark · 27-09-2018 9:13pm

An estate agent just quoted me 1.75 %

nuts ?

blindside88 · 27-09-2018 9:19pm

We’re looking at selling in Carlow, all the agents seem to be at 1.5%. We’ve gotten one down to 1.3% as we’re buying our new house through them

caviardreams · 27-09-2018 10:56pm

I think it depends on the individual EA. As a buyer, several EAs didn't return my calls or follow up after bids, left me waiting etc. If I was the vendor I would not be happy with an EA treating potential buyers like that, it caused me to lose interest in the properties.

The guy I bought off was very responsive, always got back to me, there were some issues but he dealt with them very speedily, and kept me on board. If he had been slow at getting back to me and stringing me along I would have not been happy and possibly pulled out of buying.

As a seller, I would want an EA with good customer service to keep good buyers on-side, and also one who can spot and deal with weeding out a buyer who might half-heartedly go sale agreed but not be serious and be stringing me along as a vendor. Very much down to the individual EA rather than the "brand" as such imo.

Loves_lorries · 28-09-2018 9:48am

I've never had as much trouble with estate agents as I have solicitors, the amount of duds in that sector who can't conduct business properly is shocking.

blue note · 28-09-2018 12:40pm

I'm a buyer, not a seller. But from my experience you get the difference from person to person as opposed to company to company. There was only one individual I'd strongly advise against someone going with and he was with DNG. Sherry Fitz tended to be good, one woman in Flynn was excellent, Savills always seemed decent.

As someone else said, it is nice when you can get an estate agent who can tell the real offers from the people who are maybe just throwing in bids that they don't intend to follow up on. However, what you don't want is an estate agent more interested in a quick sale than getting you the best price for the house. I know of one sale where the buyers bid had been accepted, he was a couple of days late sending the initial deposit and when then when he paid it over the estate agent said the sellers had gone with someone else. Presumably the estate agent went back to the seller to say he wasn't a real bid or something and they went to the next bidder. The outcome of that was that he knocked on the sellers door, asked the sellers what the story was and they went back to the estate agent and told them they wanted to accept his bid (as they originally had done).

But looking at it from an estate agents point of view - they're interested in quick sales. Having to show a place repeatedly is no good for them. And even getting an extra 10 grand for a place isn't worth much to them, certainly not worth any extra work. Just bear that in mind when engaging with them and dealing with them. They work for you, but you're a commodity to them that they want as much money from as possible with as little work as possible.

One way of tackling this and I'm not sure if they do it in Ireland is increasing their commission past a certain point. So for example, if you expect your house to sell for €400k - give them 1% on the first €400k and 5% on everything after. That would actually encourage them to get the highest possible price for your house. A guy I know sold his place in Australia and that's the way commission worked there.

FixdePitchmark · 28-09-2018 3:14pm

blindside88 wrote: »

We’re looking at selling in Carlow, all the agents seem to be at 1.5%. We’ve gotten one down to 1.3% as we’re buying our new house through them

Guys when we are talking %

Do you add vat on to that

so 1% + Vat @ 23%

uck51js9zml2yt · 28-09-2018 9:13pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Guys when we are talking %

Do you add vat on to that

so 1% + Vat @ 23%

Yes

blindside88 · 28-09-2018 9:32pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Guys when we are talking %

Do you add vat on to that

so 1% + Vat @ 23%

Yes sorry it’s plus vat so the rate I’ve been given is 1.3% plus vat

CeilingFly · 28-09-2018 9:39pm

blindside88 wrote: »

We’re looking at selling in Carlow, all the agents seem to be at 1.5%. We’ve gotten one down to 1.3% as we’re buying our new house through them

An agent will also look at the overall fee -

1% on an easy 400k sale in Dublin will be more attractive than 1.5% on a 200k sale in Carlow.

1.3% is quite good for rural towns

FixdePitchmark · 30-09-2018 6:54pm

Guys anyone got on views on placing the house on the market price wise
Low End
Average
Top end

Pros and cons ?

Thanks for help so far

Sleepy · 01-10-2018 2:44pm

Looking at the percentages it amazes me that there aren't more houses on Daft being "sold by owner"!

It'd kill me to pay someone the guts of 5k to take a few photos, stick up ads on Daft & MyHome, host a couple of open days and take a few phone calls. Seriously, is there even 10 hours work in that for an ordinary property in any area of normal to high demand?! €500 an hour? Nice money if you can get it!

astrofool · 01-10-2018 10:54pm

A good salesman would easily be able to get 2% more for something than a bad salesman.

If you think you're a good salesman, then do it yourself, otherwise pay someone else to get more money for you.

With houses, one extra bidder will usually cover the EA costs, so you're betting on their ability to get that extra bidder in.

bilbot79 · 01-10-2018 11:08pm

Dng want to pitch the house below market rate to get people in the door and start a bidding war. Sherry Fitzgerald want to pitch at market value.

Estate agents

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