We are looking to move into the S10 (lodge Moor), S6 (upper Stannington) or S33 (upper Bamford) area from our lovely town of Penistone (only 13 miles away but too much of a commute for the school and work run). I have a deep mistrust of estate agents and having just sold my house privately I now want to buy privately. Has anyone any experience of buying without the use of an estate agent. Are there any good websites that private sellers use or has anyone tried private adverts in local newspapers etc. Or has anyone got a 3/4 detached for sale ?????

Regards

Col S

PS. Nice website. I've only just discovered it.

I Have sold privately before, stuck a board in the garden, soon as I got an interested party, handed it over to the solicitors. Saved myself about £1k

Hi,

This website might be helpful

http://www.thelittlehousecompany.co.uk/

I haven't used it as a buyer or seller (yet), but it does seem to have properties in the areas you mention regularly up for sale... and then disappearing (which must be a good sign!)

Good luck!

Whatever you do try not to use Saxton Mee as they have treated us very badly I have discovered that they are very rude and offer a poor service.
:(

Yes, I must just also add my two cents worth on BLUNDELLS estate agents.

When we first came to Sheffield a few years ago, we were looking to rent a house. The estate agents at BLUNDELLS (Banner Cross Branch) were appallingly rude and unhelpful. The woman we spoke to barely made eye contact as she threw a list of available properties across the table at us! Naturally we did not rent one of their properties and found an excellent private landlord.

However, about 6 months later we were ready to buy and - actually ended up buying through Blundells. Boy! When we walked in there as potential buyers, did we get a different reception: smiles and cup of coffee. It made me want to puke!!

Yes I also had problems with S----- M--, I discovered that they did n't even forward our offer on to the vendor even though it was a substantial amount higher. If you are planning on selling your house do not use the Banner Cross office

I rent from BLUNDELLS Banner Cross office... I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all never to use their service. I cannot believe the amount of grief we have had from them to get things done. Please allow me to elaborate with one of many examples:

January 10th, the central heating breaks down. Now you would think that this would class as an "emergency" but when i rang the office to inform the rude lady on the other end of the phone, she told me that she was too busy to help and told me to ring the "repairs hotline"... Which i did to find out that it was an answer phone. Someone else eventually rang back after 3 days to ask what was the problem. I explained that there was no central heating and she said they would sort it out "immediately". Two weeks and 5 phone calls later a plummer comes out to have a look... "Your boilers broken down mate," he sighs, packs up his tools and goes. Three more phone calls and 5 more days later i eventually end up back on the phone to one of the many super-rude rentals agents... "We can bring you an electric heater", she suggests. "Or you can fix my heating," I reply. No joy. A broken electrical heater appears. Makes an excellent door jam to keep in the meagre amount of heat we can develop from our own 2 bar electric fire. Long story short: 5 weeks on top of a flaming mountain with no heating. No attempt at an apology or refund of rent to pay for the extortionate amount of electrickery that got sucked up by our portable heater.

NEVER RENT FROM BLUNDELLS !!! :x :x :x

They are rude and project an air of: "so what do you want me to do about it?" Although they seem quite happy to remove £50 from our rent into their pockets every month!!!


[edited due to complaint - RPG]

Or the BLUNDELLS roof incident:

Four months, reported: April, repaired: July, to replace three tiles. And when the builder came, he got the original slate out of the gutter where it had slid down and nailed it back on. 12 minutes job from start-end. Now we need our entire master bedroom re-wallpapering and painting to fix the damage the river of water running down the wall in the night caused.

I have no doubt that when it is seen to in six months or so there will be a nice man to put us some wallpaper paste on the back of the mouldy stuff and stick it back to the wall!!!

Nice one BLUNDELLS, you are the best :? :? :x :evil:


[edited due to complaint - RPG]

I came to Sheffield from the Saaarf (!) 10 years ago and I've never known anywhere so polarised in terms of (what people believe to be) "good" and "bad" areas. Estate agents know this and thrive on it.

We have always lived in the Crookes/ Walkley area - we got lucky and bought a house we were renting and did it up, then moved once in '99 before things got ridiculous (even then, we paid 10% over the asking price). My daughter has just been enrolled at Rivelin school, so it looks like we are playing for keeps! Tried to move a couple of times and had no problem getting offers on our house, but real problems getting offers accepted - even offering 15% over wasn't enough, and we were looking in Loxley and Oughtibridge, which we thought would be more sensible than S10, but oh, no!

I once collared an estate agent (SM) and asked him why there was this stupid system in Sheffield where everything seems to go to a bidding war and everyone seems to throw themselves zealously into it. His reply was one word: "Schools." I don't buy it, though - estate agents are cunning creatures who know middle-class fears inside out and thrive on them. They create perceptions of certain areas (I mean, look at Crosspool -the houses are really ugly 30s semis and yet people will sell Gran into the white slave trade to live there) and are complicit in this thing called the "market" which they claim to be controlled by. They're odious people.

Things estate agents do for which they deserve a slap:
- Failing to pass on bids to vendors
- Underpricing to create the illusion of hot interest in a house, when in reality most of the viewers won't be in the required price bracket
- Talking areas up at the expense of others (Crookes may well be "convenient for hospitals and University", but it's quicker from Hillsboro' by tram, and yet you never see it mentioned on the particulars for houses in S6)
- Calling houses "in need of some attention" when they are quite patently falling apart
- Inventing bids to stoke up a bidding war (vendors can just as easily do this - not rocket science to get your mates to put in a fake bid, is it?)

And a particular mention for the snooty woman at the Crosspool-based agents - let's call them, er, Bowmans - who looked right down her nose at my wife when she went in to collect the particulars for a house in Fulwood recently. "*You* want to buy *this* house?" said her body language. Despite several phone calls, they never so much as aranged a viewing for us.

Now let's have an estate agent on here to refute the above and defend their profession!

DannyBoy, I agree with most of what you have said, and people I've spoken to outside of Sheffield can't believe the system of buying houses in the city. However re. Crosspool, Greystones etc. and the 1930's semis, I and a lot of people I know, like the look of the properties from that period!

Yes, why is Sheffield different? I've bought and/or sold in 3 other towns/cities (inc. London) always advertising an "aspirational" price in hope but ready to accept a bit of negotiating.

If a buyer really wants the place, offering the asking price usually closes the deal. In Sheffield the estate agent will laugh at you if you offer the asking price.

Here you go for a house advertised at a price you can manage only to find there's already offers 10 or 20% higher. As vendor you get the hassle of people viewing who can't afford it, as buyer you tramp round loads of places you can't afford before you start looking for those advertised 20% below your budget.

Q: Why don't estate agents look out of the window in the morning.

A: It would leave them with nothing to do in the afternoon.

Originally posted by robh
Yes, why is Sheffield different? I've bought and/or sold in 3 other towns/cities (inc. London) always advertising an "aspirational" price in hope but ready to accept a bit of negotiating.

A collation of the answers/excuses I have managed to get out of estate agents on this, plus discussions among friends and peers, indicates the following:

- There's a lack of fantastic housing "stock" in Sheffield and so there's always a huge demand.
- Houses in Sheffield were always low-priced compared with other cities of similar size. There's a history of houses being underpriced, allegedly (although I think this is an agents' trick).
- More professionals/ aspirational families coming into Sheffield in the last 10-15 years has meant that they are overspilling the traditional areas where these people lived (Crosspool, Fulwood, Ranmoor, Millhouses et al) and pushing prices up in areas which were previously OK but not the bee's knees (e.g. Crookes)
- The good schools, or those perceived as the good schools (big difference) are all in the same areas.
- Middle-class parents are ready to mortgage themselves to the hilt in order to be in a good catchment area, and they know they will be competing with people on similar incomes with similar aspirations.
- No professional parent wants to send their kids to (e.g.) Chaucer as they think they will come out with no GCSEs, sixteen piercings, a shaved head, a penchant for joyriding and car-torching and the broadest of Sheffield accents. (My friend who lives in Crookes sees quite enough kids from the wonderful Tapton School swinging on her gate, spitting at passers-by and swearing, but that's another story...)

What really annoys me is that estate agents don't think we know what they are doing. They genuinely believe people swallow all this stuff. Do they think we came down in the last shower?? There is a total lack of respect in the profession for their *customers* - the people who pay their bloody wages.

Is this really true? About going well above the asking price.Is this something that always happens?We are moving up from london where it,s great if you get the asking price.Just how can one particular city be so different .
What about house autions in sheffield ? any good.
Mel

Originally posted by melnic
Is this really true? About going well above the asking price.Is this something that always happens?We are moving up from london where it,s great if you get the asking price.Just how can one particular city be so different .
What about house autions in sheffield ? any good.
Mel

Yes, it's true, and yes, it always happens! OK, maybe not in the less "desirable" areas (I hate that kind of vocabulary) but in any area where people are competing to live it certainly always happens. It's true of every house which I've known about recently in Broomhill, Crookes, Walkley, Lower Walkley, Hillsborough, Wadsley, Wisewood, Loxley, Oughtibridge and Bradfield. Anyone know any areas where it *doesn't* happen??

There was a house for sale on my street recently which was on for £98K and went for £127K. If you don't feel like doing the maths, that's about 28-29% over the AP.

It always amuses me when Phil & Kirsty from Channel 4's "Location3" say they are "going in early with a low offer" - it just doesn't happen here. Vendor says "ta very much", andsits on it while they keep offers open for another 4 weeks, during which time they just climb... and climb...

I have heard of people getting to know the vendors and, in effect, saying "Look, what do we have to give you to take this off the market and make it ours?" When this works, the sum quoted is about 15-20% above the AP. It can backfire, though, because it can just result in the vendor and agent rubbing their hands with glee at the desperate interest the house is gaining.

Oh, another low trick by our old friends the estate agents (spit) is that they'll go to the vendor and ask them: "Who's your preferred buyer out of those who've offered? And how much do you want from them?" They'll then go back to this buyer and tell them - how shall I put this - lies, yes, that's a good way of putting it (!) to get them to up the offer.

when we bought in lower walkley it was for 10% above the AP, and was the 3rd or 4th house we had bid on.

It's not just in the city as well. As far away as Anston & Dinnington (J31 M1) I made offers at 10% above the AP and still got outbid!

Of course if we sell, we will take advantage of the market behaving this way and set a 4 or 6 week period for offers to be submitted. No point in taking a low offer when people are prepared to bid each other up for it.

In Liverpool where I live, if you are putting in an offer on a house, the estate agent will not tell you about anyone else's offers. In fact, they refuse to do so. As a result, while prices are still sky-rocketing, you don't get the insane pseudo-auction effect that I believe you see in Sheffield.

Why this difference exists, I've no idea.

The reason that there is a bidding war in most areas of sheffield is the virtual cartel situation that exists. Certain key estate agents have a policy of bringing on houses at low prices. Many vendors will be guided by the agent because they are 'the biggest' and so must know best. The benefit to the agent is that the low price creates a lot of interest and lots of potential valuations and lots of potential future business. The problem with the system is that if you put your house on the market for the actual price you want (with an agent who gave us three different possible valuations and explained the pro's and con's of each) then people think its over priced and you get less interest. There are a number of large complacent agents out there- go with the smaller establishments and without doubt get a variety of different agents out before you decide. The agents only reflect our own greed- how many time have you heard, 'such and such told us to put it on for this but to expect it to go for this'. The only people who can change the trend in Sheffield are the vendors and buyers who refuse to get involved in demoralising bidding wars.

Plus its psychological, if you view a house and are told that 'someone is interested' it can immediately make you more interested. If a house seems to stick then you lose interest yourself. The agents aren't daft!

Originally posted by Dug
However re. Crosspool, Greystones etc. and the 1930's semis, I and a lot of people I know, like the look of the properties from that period!

I'll second that. Much rather a traditional period semi than a cheap and nasty new build with no character that will probably have fallen down in another 70 years from now. I also like cottage type houses and traditional stone built properties.

My favourite property style would probably be tudor with a real thatched roof.

Furthermore, to DannyBoy - the reason that areas such as Crosspool are expensive is simply because they are better areas in terms of schools, lower crime, nicer surroundings, and a pleasant, wealthy suburban feel. This is reflected in the high demand for such areas which is what forces prices up in these areas.

Originally posted by t020
I'll second that. Much rather a traditional period semi than a cheap and nasty new build with no character that will probably have fallen down in another 70 years from now. I also like cottage type houses and traditional stone built properties.

My favourite property style would probably be tudor with a real thatched roof.

Furthermore, to DannyBoy - the reason that areas such as Crosspool are expensive is simply because they are better areas in terms of schools, lower crime, nicer surroundings, and a pleasant, wealthy suburban feel. This is reflected in the high demand for such areas which is what forces prices up in these areas.

I agree that newbuilds have little character, and that the trad stonebuilt houses - terraces, semis and detached - are the best investment. Crosspool semis aren't really ugly; I was just struck by how they are nothing special, really, for the prices they are sold at. They look quite unprepossessing from outside (although I know a lot of them are lovely inside).

I'm not so much concerned with the actual prices of houses (Sheffield is still cheaper than a lot of the country - tried to buy in Oxford recently?!). I'm more worried about:

a) the prices people end up paying over and beyond the houses' actual value, meaning that they risk negative equity in a few years' time

and b) the fact that the traditional "3x-your-salary" way of working out a mortgage just isn't enough now. 12 years ago, a semi in (e.g.) Fulwood would have been on for about- what?- £60-70K? - making it well within reach of two averagely-paid professional people, for example two teachers on mid-scale. Now, the same two people would struggle to get a terrace in Crookes.

The high demand for properties in these "better" areas is all a matter of perception, and estate agents milk it for all it is worth. It's undeniable that certain areas are obviously, ostentatiously and unmissably wealthier, like the gated houses up above Psalter Lane and the closes around Whirlow. The question is whether somewhere like Crookes or Crosspool, which would have been quite ordinary a couple of decades ago, is actually any "better" in reality than (say) Wisewood or Wadsley.

If there is a gap, it's considerably narrower than the estate agents would have you believe. Parts of S6 have just as good schools (Bradfield bettered King Ted's, King Ecgbert's and High Storrs in the last league tables). Some parts of S6 have just as little crime and just as good amenities as S10/11. Nicer surroundings? Lower Walkley and Wadsley are right on the doorstep of the Rivelin Valley and you can be out in the countryside in 5-10 minutes. They just don't boast about it as much!

It's all a matter of perception, hence the original title of the thread. You start telling people that some areas are considerably better and people will end up wanting to believe it, and exercising this wish in concrete ways, e.g. actively keeping their kids away from schools in other areas. If I'd paid £40 to see the Rolling Stones at Wembley and they were absolutely $h1t£, I probably wouldn't admit it to myself, because I'd want to feel I'd got a good gig and a pleasant memory for my money. Same applies if you pay £250K+ for a semi in Sheffield - you want to tell yourself it's all been worth it...

Originally posted by DannyBoy

a) the prices people end up paying over and beyond the houses' actual value, meaning that they risk negative equity in a few years' time

and b) the fact that the traditional "3x-your-salary" way of working out a mortgage just isn't enough now. 12 years ago, a semi in (e.g.) Fulwood would have been on for about- what?- £60-70K? - making it well within reach of two averagely-paid professional people, for example two teachers on mid-scale. Now, the same two people would struggle to get a terrace in Crookes.



Yes I agree, it's worrying, especially when you hear about mortgage advisors suggesting that buyers take on 5, 6, 7 or even 10 times their salary. Ok they may be able to afford it now with historially low interest rates, but what happens when they raise - it sounds like the mortgage repayments will cripple them.

And on your second point, it is sooner than 12 years ago. My partner and I would not be able to afford the property we live in now if we hadn't bought when we did - and that was less than 2 years ago!

Originally posted by DannyBoy
I
a) the prices people end up paying over and beyond the houses' actual value, meaning that they risk negative equity in a few years' time

and b) the fact that the traditional "3x-your-salary" way of working out a mortgage just isn't enough now. 12 years ago, a semi in (e.g.) Fulwood would have been on for about- what?- £60-70K? - making it well within reach of two averagely-paid professional people, for example two teachers on mid-scale. Now, the same two people would struggle to get a terrace in Crookes.



Why do you think people are paying more than the value of the houses? Surely the amount they pay or are prepared to pay is what sets the value of the house... basic economics.
Unless something changed a few years down the line, the house will be worth more not less than they paid.

For mortgage advisers to be suggesting >4* salary mortgages means they are suggesting you lie on the application as no lender will aprove much more than that. It's completely illegal, fraud in fact and anyone daft enough to do it deserves not to be able to afford it.

Originally posted by DannyBoy
a) the prices people end up paying over and beyond the houses' actual value, meaning that they risk negative equity in a few years' time
Sheffield is a quite a strange market and usually responds so slow to outside factors that it doesn’t make any difference. Negative equity in Sheffield is virtually unheard of (I can’t actually think of ANY off hand) and I believe that it will remain that way.
Originally posted by DannyBoy
12 years ago, a semi in (e.g.) Fulwood would have been on for about- what?- £60-70K? -
Paid £60k in 1995. Value today? £200k+. Can't spend it. Crazy, but that's how it is!

Originally posted by DannyBoy
I agree that newbuilds have little character, and that the trad stonebuilt houses - terraces, semis and detached - are the best investment. Crosspool semis aren't really ugly; I was just struck by how they are nothing special, really, for the prices they are sold at. They look quite unprepossessing from outside (although I know a lot of them are lovely inside).

I'm not so much concerned with the actual prices of houses (Sheffield is still cheaper than a lot of the country - tried to buy in Oxford recently?!). I'm more worried about:

a) the prices people end up paying over and beyond the houses' actual value, meaning that they risk negative equity in a few years' time

and b) the fact that the traditional "3x-your-salary" way of working out a mortgage just isn't enough now. 12 years ago, a semi in (e.g.) Fulwood would have been on for about- what?- £60-70K? - making it well within reach of two averagely-paid professional people, for example two teachers on mid-scale. Now, the same two people would struggle to get a terrace in Crookes.

The high demand for properties in these "better" areas is all a matter of perception, and estate agents milk it for all it is worth. It's undeniable that certain areas are obviously, ostentatiously and unmissably wealthier, like the gated houses up above Psalter Lane and the closes around Whirlow. The question is whether somewhere like Crookes or Crosspool, which would have been quite ordinary a couple of decades ago, is actually any "better" in reality than (say) Wisewood or Wadsley.

If there is a gap, it's considerably narrower than the estate agents would have you believe. Parts of S6 have just as good schools (Bradfield bettered King Ted's, King Ecgbert's and High Storrs in the last league tables). Some parts of S6 have just as little crime and just as good amenities as S10/11. Nicer surroundings? Lower Walkley and Wadsley are right on the doorstep of the Rivelin Valley and you can be out in the countryside in 5-10 minutes. They just don't boast about it as much!

It's all a matter of perception, hence the original title of the thread. You start telling people that some areas are considerably better and people will end up wanting to believe it, and exercising this wish in concrete ways, e.g. actively keeping their kids away from schools in other areas. If I'd paid £40 to see the Rolling Stones at Wembley and they were absolutely $h1t£, I probably wouldn't admit it to myself, because I'd want to feel I'd got a good gig and a pleasant memory for my money. Same applies if you pay £250K+ for a semi in Sheffield - you want to tell yourself it's all been worth it...

I strongly agree with DannyBoy and it makes me very annoyed when people feel that they need to promote the area in which they live as stated there are always points that are good and bad about all areas people chooses to live where they live by choice by things that are inportant to them and they dont need to come onto this forum to hear norrow self opinionated people who think that they are the best thing sinced sliced bread (to20) if you want people to move to your area or to make it sound inpressive dont do it making eveywhere else sound like S*@T why not try talking about what is inportant to people like schools, transport links etc not just my hose is worth this much and my area is ace because it feels like a posh suberb and to20 I dont expect a reply because you probably can not even read the screen as your head is so far up your own arse you to*@er and dot post up all the incorect grammer and spellings it was just a quick note to rant about the annoying post on here from all the people who need to make there areas sound good to make them feel and sound good as if they have achieved some thing

How many people have told him to do that recently?
And a newbie too (no offence) :D got him sussed already.

Originally posted by 1abe
I strongly agree with DannyBoy and it makes me very annoyed when people feel that they need to promote the area in which they live as stated there are always points that are good and bad about all areas people chooses to live where they live by choice by things that are inportant to them and they dont need to come onto this forum to hear norrow self opinionated people who think that they are the best thing sinced sliced bread (to20) if you want people to move to your area or to make it sound inpressive dont do it making eveywhere else sound like S*@T why not try talking about what is inportant to people like schools, transport links etc not just my hose is worth this much and my area is ace because it feels like a posh suberb and to20 I dont expect a reply because you probably can not even read the screen as your head is so far up your own arse you to*@er and dot post up all the incorect grammer and spellings it was just a quick note to rant about the annoying post on here from all the people who need to make there areas sound good to make them feel and sound good as if they have achieved some thing

Have you not heard of full stops? And yes..... appalling use of "grammer" (grammar).

Originally posted by t020
Have you not heard of full stops? And yes..... appalling use of "grammer" (grammar).
I was wondering where t0 (Me so horny, me love you long time) 20 had got to these last few days.

Where ya been fella?:thumbsup:

Originally posted by DaBouncer
I was wondering where t0 (Me so horny, me love you long time) 20 had got to these last few days.

Where ya been fella?:thumbsup:

Around and about.... just posting less than usual. Was everyone missing me? :D

Nope just lil old me!:P

Sorry 'to20' you dont have your head up your own arse, As there is no space, because 'DaBouncer' has got his in there. Hope you both enjoy it. (ladies)

Originally posted by 1abe
Sorry 'to20' you dont have your head up your own arse, As there is no space, because 'DaBouncer' has got his in there. Hope you both enjoy it. (ladies)
LOL... can always tell a newbie when they arrive.

I think you'll find that my comments were tongue in cheek, and missing t020 would be the last on my list of priorities.

Obviously someone with a brain and observation skills as small as yours can be fogiven for making such a sweeping statement.:thumbsup: Maybe your lack of observation is due to the fact that your head is up your own arse.

Either way... I hope you enjoy your stay with us... loser:D

Originally posted by DaBouncer
LOL... can always tell a newbie when they arrive.

I think you'll find that my comments were tongue in cheek, and missing t020 would be the last on my list of priorities.

Obviously someone with a brain and observation skills as small as yours can be fogiven for making such a sweeping statement.:thumbsup: Maybe your lack of observation is due to the fact that your head is up your own arse.

Either way... I hope you enjoy your stay with us... loser:D

Was that little outburst at 1abe all tongue in cheek too?

You claim to have a brain t020, you work it out!:thumbsup:

Originally posted by t020
Around and about.... just posting less than usual. Was everyone missing me? :D

yes, but with practice, our aim is improving...............

PT

Just sold our house for £100k, it was on market at £85k so around 18% over asking price. We thought them valuing it at £85k was asking a lot and were astounded with the number of viewings (46) and offers (15) we had in our first week. Instead of doing what lots of people tend to do and holding out for 4-6 weeks (are you joking?!) we just took it then. Offers aren't going to come flooding in the longer it's on the market - people are put off that it's been on so long and also lose interest if you delay the process.

I think people are getting wise to the agents tricks of under pricing and looking at ones advertised below their budget (many of our viewers said that they'd lost houses priced in their budget because they went way over) so people ar looking at lower start prices in anticipation that offers will go way beyond that figure.

Hillsborough is much more convenient for the uni and hospitals than Crookes because of the trams, buses and better roads than Crookes. You might be closer distance wise in Crookes but if you drive then forget it!

When we were looking for a house last year. we saw what must have been THE nicest house in Darnall (yes, not a 'desirable' area, I know- but we liked it). The house was on the market for £57,000 and within days the bids had gone up to over £105,000. The house was clearly underpriced to start with- we were under no illusions about that, but we were surprised (no, shocked) at the mark up. Another in Firvale, on at £80, went in excess of £115. It must be such a nasty shock for people moving from elsewhere who don't know the crazy bidding system. We found a wonderful house (£12,000 over the asking price - we've been here 3 weeks) - so it was worth all the heartache in the end.

Originally posted by hatter
Another in Firvale, on at £80, went in excess of £115.


Wow, that IS cheap ;)

not sure about the policy of promoting businesses on this forum, so i'll keep this short!

i run a business called 2Roost.com that has been specifically desgined to offer an effective alternative to estate agents!!

we launched on 1st April and are in a test period for the month of April - our service is completely free while we test (no commission!!!!)

check it out and let me know what you think,

Thanks,

Caron.

Originally posted by Caronp

we launched on 1st April and are in a test period for the month of April - our service is completely free while we test (no commission!!!!)



Probably not the best day to launch and then claim free service...

fair point! but it is a genuine offer and not a fool in sight.....

looks like a good idea with the 2roost.com idea - drop me a PM, I would like to discuss it a bit further with you.

thanks again.

Which has a new campaign to find the worst Estate Agent...

Worst estate agent of the year award

We want to name and shame the dodgiest dealers as part of our Move It campaign. Your web stories will give us further evidence to call on the government to clamp down on rogue estate agents, so please tell us about your nightmare home moving experiences. Link to the Which campaign (http://moveit.whichnow.co.uk/campaign/news/040611worst.html)

You are dead right about estate agents danny they pull all sorts of stunts. I think thats why we'll see more and more private sellers emerging.

I've seen 2roost mentioned earlier and theres also a new one at http://www.soldbyowner.co.uk which is really good because they advertise their site along side estate agents in the local property papers.

We should all start using them and maybe estate agents will start to listen.

read my post-know your rights,caron 2roost

Yep ive seen your post caron. I used an estate agent to try sell my property last year (in the end we didn't sell as we couldn't find anything to move into).

My house was valued at £300,000 and the estate agents opening shot was that he wanted 2% + Vat !!! in his dreams. In the end I got hime down to 0.5% inc ads but i insisted I wouldnt sign a sole agency agreement because I knew I might want to advertise on the net. Also, if I sold to a friend of a friend there was no way I was paying the estate agent when I'd found the buyer.

Anyway, I looked into it further and you need to watch out for 'sole selling rights' too, thats the nasty one they creep in there.

My major beef tho' was why their fees are percentage based? Why should I pay twice as much as someone with a house half the value? We all get the same stuff, 1 x sale board, a few brochures, ads etc. They try to justify it by saying a larger house takes longer to sell so it costs them more....I think thats bull.

Interestingly enough, when we rang them to take our house off the market they said '...we cant take it off until you've told us if you're going to another estate agent!..." Ha ha, who do they think they are?

I know, it makes me so mad, I make it my mission to get people to know their rights as it is apparent most people get taken advantage of, especially in the north- a sole agents contract means you are only able to use one estate agent, this does not mean you cant still sell your house privately, it means you can not use more than one estate agent, thats why we set up 2roost as we are property brokers not estate agents and it is classed as advertising your house privately, cant wait until the day comes when everyone understands this, we are not out to make lots of money, as anyone who has used us knows, we just want to give people the knowledge and an alternative, i hear horror stories every day, but still people are afraid to stand up for themselves, the day will come when all this changes, and i will be there waiting.:)

ps I forgot to say, I am so pleased there is another new company like ours just launched in this area,I wish them success the more the merrier, at long last we will get the message accross, people from South Yorkshire sit up and listen-stop and think the next time you are thinking of selling.

congrats to 2roost.com and others - the more there is the wider the market will become so more for everyone when the word gets around.

until then, when buying I will use a more direct approach, knock on the vendors door and hand them a note asking them to call me after 8pm - you wouldnt beleive how well it works, and not everyone sees it in a bad light, as they are there to sell.

Mod: Please lay off the advertising folks. :thumbsup:

sorry Tony just trying to help people :) Caron

I understand that CaronP but you can do it without contantly mentioning your business - others manage. :thumbsup:

Could anyone on the forum recommend a decent ,honest firm of Estate Agents in Sheffield to deal with.

Are you buying or selling?

When we sold our old house, we used Archers Estate Agent, they don't sell too many houses but they take extra care of the ones they do sell and have more time on their hands to help you look for and sell you house.
Good Luck!

dont use an estate agent :)

When we sold and moved last year, we used Halifax in Hillsborough (office on Middlewood Road). They were attrocious. They got everything wrong, never listened to a word you said and got a large fee for doing b***er all. I wrote and complained to their Head Office but got nowhere.

I've dealt with Haybrooks, Blundells and Winkworths among others. They are all what I would call decent and honest. They either sold my house or helped me buy a house. The service may have been a little poor compared with what I would expect but at the end of the day everything was honest and above board.

PS Bad experience with Halifax. We had an offer accepted by a vendor on one property and when we rang for an update a couple of weeks later the reply was Oh, sorry, they've decided not to sell, which was nice.

Originally posted by Caronp
dont use an estate agent :)
Why not Caronp? They provide a very useful service and low cost for people in coordinating house sales purchases and moves.

Originally posted by Tony
Why not Caronp? They provide a very useful service and low cost for people in coordinating house sales purchases and moves.

With all respect Tony, they can't force people to do what they don't want to do. For example if you buy a house and the vendor can't move for 4 months because they have nowhere what can the agent do? Their co-ordination might be better founded in their own offices to start with!

In that case discussions between you and the vendor are best without the use of the agent (who isn't working for you anyway as the buyer). They DO however have an interest in getting the house sold to earn their commission, but I would recommend having a good Solicitor on your side to help, and always keeping the vendor informed yourself and doing everything in writing.

PS. just to add I am not affiliated with 2Roost, or any other agent!
I just see the leg work being done by the client most times anyway.

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
With all respect Tony, they can't force people to do what they don't want to do. For example if you buy a house and the vendor can't move for 4 months because they have nowhere what can the agent do? Their co-ordination might be better founded in their own offices to start with!

In that case discussions between you and the vendor are best without the use of the agent (who isn't working for you anyway as the buyer). They DO however have an interest in getting the house sold to earn their commission, but I would recommend having a good Solicitor on your side to help, and always keeping the vendor informed yourself and doing everything in writing.

PS. just to add I am not affiliated with 2Roost, or any other agent!
I just see the leg work being done by the client most times anyway.
If they can't move for 4 months then you can't do nothing anyway..estate agent or not. The vendor would only tell you the same.
As for trying to sell the house to earn commision..well course they do. They have to make money to be a viable business. Why are we so suprised they want to make as much money as they can??
Personally if you weren't going to use an estate agent I don't see what you are going to gain from using another style company. You may as well go the whole hog and advertise yourself and totally cut out the middle man altogether.

I have yet to come across a decent and honest estate agent! Good luck with it all, cos u gona need it!!

Exactly Wibbles thats what we do :)

Thing is Advertising in Property guide would cost a lot for an individual because it's really a one off (or maybe two issue advert).
Estate agents get it a whole lot cheaper because they advertise in bulk. Do companies such as 2roost.com advertise the properties they market in the Property Guide? Is this an Extra cost for a customer?

Originally posted by wibbles
If they can't move for 4 months then you can't do nothing anyway..estate agent or not. The vendor would only tell you the same.
As for trying to sell the house to earn commision..well course they do. They have to make money to be a viable business. Why are we so suprised they want to make as much money as they can??
Personally if you weren't going to use an estate agent I don't see what you are going to gain from using another style company. You may as well go the whole hog and advertise yourself and totally cut out the middle man altogether. #


Yes, have you tried getting them to own up to something like that in advance? If its about your agent lubricating your home buying or selling process, sorry mate but thats b*llocks.

its up to you, the vendor and your solicitors, thats the top and bottom of it.

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
#


Yes, have you tried getting them to own up to something like that in advance? If its about your agent lubricating your home buying or selling process, sorry mate but thats b*llocks.

its up to you, the vendor and your solicitors, thats the top and bottom of it.
I never said they would or wouldn't own up to it.
I happen to have had excellent experiences with estate agents who have dealt with me in a fair, competent and speedy way and that is what I'm basing my own experiences on but I also know they can improve but at the same time understand they have a business to run and profits to make
Just because you pay less to another company isn't neccesarily going to make them more forthcoming on information.
I don't think it's isolated to estage agents..its a fact of life now with most companies. Poor customer service. How many times do you have to ring up to find out what time your car is going to be ready when you would expect them to tell you. I can think of countless situations where as a customer we have to do the majority of chasing up.

Originally posted by wibbles
I never said they would or wouldn't own up to it.
I happen to have had excellent experiences with estate agents who have dealt with me in a fair, competent and speedy way and that is what I'm basing my own experiences on but I also know they can improve but at the same time understand they have a business to run and profits to make
Just because you pay less to another company isn't neccesarily going to make them more forthcoming on information.
I don't think it's isolated to estage agents..its a fact of life now with most companies. Poor customer service. How many times do you have to ring up to find out what time your car is going to be ready when you would expect them to tell you. I can think of countless situations where as a customer we have to do the majority of chasing up.

Its not about paying less, I think the point is being missed here. Where you are taking around 0.8 - 1.5% of most peoples most valuable possession you expect good service all the time.

In most cases as a customer yes you do the asking and calling, but in actual fact there should come a point where dealing with more important issues like selling your house, as opposed to servicing your Honda have clearly defined boundaries in comparison.

We are victims of our own greed in many ways, the prices have been shooting up people are desperate to get on the property ladder and will virtually take anything the agents throw at them.
Now I'm not saying they are ALL like that I think its just a massive influx of staff in the business who are clearly not well trained enough to handle property transactions. I have spoken to a number of agents whose front line staff (those asnwering the calls) sound like they have been on the booze the night before.

Just a small example of what type of things can happen with an estate agent:

A friend of mine was selling his house using one of the reputable estate agents in the area, but became suspicious after a few months and only one viewing.
So he decides to get a friend to ring up the estate agents and ask for a viewing only to be told they are no longer taking any!
Turns out, that 'one' viewing was a member of the staff at the estate agents and they were holding the house at rock bottom price for him! Brilliant!

I used Haybrook in Hillsborough when I relocated to Sheffield and was very pleased with the service.

I tried to deal with Halifax in Hillsborough but they were appallingly inefficient. I wanted information posted to my work address but they "couldn't possibly do that". Their computer system had to hold the company name as the recipient rather than mine, and they couldn't accept that letters sent to me with no name on might possibly get lost (several hundred people work in my building).

Their daftest suggestion was that I should go back when I had a permanent address and then they would put me on their mailing list for house details. I gave up at that point. Like eviljock I complained to their Head Office but they weren't interested.

Hope I am going to get the price I want for a lovely 4 bed semi in Meersbrook on tree lined Road.

Still undecide re agent!!!

I am wanting house toio buy in either Ranmoor or Broomhill

Hi There, did you sell your house yet, who did you decide to use in the end?

Do you think most house sellers are aware of the meaning of the contracts that they sign with their estate agents?and their rights?
I have found out that most people are not sure what kind of contract they have with their agent and what it means and are shocked to see that they have signed a "sole selling " contract meaning they have to pay the agents commission even if they found a buyer privately.
How can this be fair on the seller?

Just put in an offer for a 2 bedroom terraced being sold through the Halifax, and the woman who I dealt with was incredibly rude, saying that my offer was "an insult to the couple selling the house". I havent heard back from her since about whether or not they were interested in my offer.
It really wasnt that low an offer - and, infact, for a two bedroom terraced with hardly any garden, I thought it was pretty competitive, but they have been nothing but rude and snooty with me. :(

No Way that is totally rude, how dare they?

Sometimes, it is not always the agent that is th eproblem with purchasing a house, it is the vendor!!

I am still waiting a decision on an offer I put forward 2 weeks ago.

have you spoke to the vendor direct?

No, not spoke to her.
I was told that I would have a decision by Thursday last week.
It is now Wednesday and no contact from either agent or Vendor.
My estate agent thinks that by me contacting them that gives a message that I am really interested and they will then think I will put in full asking.
I will not.
I am now pursuing another property at Broomhill.
I will probably have the same problem here.
My experience of trying to buy a house in the desirable areas( Ranmoor, Broomhill, top part of Crookes) for the school( King Edwards) is not a good one.
We have seen 3 houses that we like and would be willing to buy.
1 has 1 offer, the others have no offers but thevendors all have ideas that their houses are worth so much more than they actually are.
I watched Location last night and the houses in Surrey were the same price as these houses that we have seen.It is the vendors that need to her real, not necessarily the agents.

Well thats the question, some agents give higher valuations to get the sellers to think they will get that price, then the seller is left not selling! I see it all the time, like i said in another post one agent valued a property £30k higher than another, and guess what the seller went for the higher one and hasnt had any viewers yet.

Yes, but at the end of the day, it is the vendor who has the final decision on what offer to accept.
The agent is suggesting that offers should be accepted but she is declining.
House prices in the better areas of Sheffield are a joke at the moment, comparable to some down south.
The dilema is that you have to live in a decent area to get a decent school.
The prices where the decent schools are are mainly unafordable, although both me and my husband both work full time and have well paid jobs.
The recent interest rate rises have had an impact but as yet, the vendors appear not to be reading newspapaers or listening to the news.
Sometimes a vendor has to have a house on the market for months and months before the reality hits that their house is not worth now what it was in July.
The houses that are still on the market are ones that are either overpriced or want so much work doing that it will take another 20k to do them up.(husband is in building trade but even so,money is an issue)
The result is that families like mine are unable to find a decent family home in an area with a good school

Originally posted by espadrille
The result is that families like mine are unable to find a decent family home in an area with a good school

Umm, isn't that the reason why they are expensive? High demand, high desirability, high value.

I can't afford that yacht with the on-board helicopter pad just yet, so I won't be berthing in Cannes in one this year. Life's just like that.

I dont live in the south of Sheffield and my boys go to excellent schools, i live in a great house on near to a beautiful country park and excellent local village,you do not have to live in the South of sheffield there are loads of other great areas at much more affordable prices .

You're absolutely right CaronP. :thumbsup:

I live in the SW now, but I'm most definately from North Sheffield.

[
The result is that families like mine are unable to find a decent family home in an area with a good school [/B][/QUOTE


One main problem is that families are targetting 'popular' areas
so it is they who are pushing the prices up. So much so that in one or two prime areas some children living in the school catchment can't get in because it is so oversubscribed, resulting in those living on the edge of the catchment not getting in!
I teach in one of these popular schools but I really believe that many other schools deliver just as good an education even though they are not as sort after. Also, you can get a much nicer house for the same money - areas such as Worral, Loxley, Wadsley, Lower Walkley, Malin Bridge. I don't know the more southern parts of the city so I can't comment on those.

Thanks Tony!
Me and you agree on somethings then , thank god:)

Originally posted by espadrille
Sometimes, it is not always the agent that is th eproblem with purchasing a house, it is the vendor!!

I am still waiting a decision on an offer I put forward 2 weeks ago.

There are a lot of misguided vendors out there who plump for the highest valuation given and stubbornly hold out for it which is ridiculous as a property is in reality only worth what those interested in it are prepared to pay.

Me and my other half are being very sensible/realistic with our sale because we've found a property we would like to buy however although its only been a week we haven't had any genuine viewers.So far people have wanted things like a dining room which we don't have and I'm not sure you can get at the price we've put it on at. If we had a realistic offer we'd respond asap to the viewer, it's only fair.

So, what is the alternative?
Stay in the area where the school is that bad that kids who would normally get a good pass at GCSE are not even achieving a pass, due to class being ruled by mobs,where they are not brought up to know that education is a privelige.?
I know kids who were doing really well at the junior school and then moved to the secondary school and have seen their results fall drastically, after a year of being at the school.
Of course parents want the best for their children,dont you?
The alternative is to stay in the area, and pay for extra private lessons at 18 pounds an hour just so your child can pass a GCSE!
I dont think so.
I have 2 kids, aged 14 and 8 and, on principle, I would not pay to do that,why should I?.Ipay enough in community charges as it is.
The council should make provision for all schools to be managed properly,wherever the kids come from.

Originally posted by Tony
Umm, isn't that the reason why they are expensive? High demand, high desirability, high value.

I can't afford that yacht with the on-board helicopter pad just yet, so I won't be berthing in Cannes in one this year. Life's just like that.

Sorry, Tony, but I disagree with the fundamental assumption underlying this. I feel strongly that you are comparing apples and rivets here. I can't afford the yacht in Cannes either, and I doubt many of us would expect to. However, I think many of us would expect to get a decent education for our children without having to pay for it. School should not be a choice tied up with lifestyle choices and constrained by relative affluence.

Sheffield allegedly has a *comprehensive* education system, one in which all pupils should receive the same standard of education no matter where they live in the city. This patently isn't the case - Sheffield's comprehensives range in terms of GCSE results from 85% down to about 20% or lower, and Ofsted reports vary wildly.

It's partly because of the way catchments are designed in cities. In a small town, the school will be at the hub and the catchment in a ring around it; everyone goes there whether they live in a council estate or a nice suburb. In a big city, the schools are in the suburbs and the catchments are like spokes or wedges radiating out from the centre. As soon as you have schools in different suburbs, you bring housing into it, and as soon as you bring housing into it you are, effectively, creating an experiment in social engineering which has nothing remotely comprehensive about it.

It's selection by mortgage. 11-plus selection and the grammar school/secondary modern system may not have been perfect, but it was fairer than this.

The only way to make Sheffield's school system *truly* comprehensive - and give the estate agents a heart attack in the process :) - would be to put all 11-year-olds into a "big hat" computer program and distribute them randomly throughout the city's 20-odd comprehensive schools. Of course, this is never going to happen (it would create transport nightmares, for one thing). Would be fun, though...

DannyBoy, what you say may be very laudable, but how on earth do you achieve this educational utopia?

I (like you) can't see it happening, so we get to keep the present system eh? Therefore areas with good schools, and parents who are interested in good education and a good environment and well behaved neighbours will continue to have higher house prices.

Therefore, it's as relevant as my yacht in Cannes.

That's life eh? :|

Yes, of course it's a utopia. It's not going to happen, and that's my point - I even said as much in my initial post.

I only focused on the schools issue above because espadrille and others were making the valid point that they are unable to afford houses in a decent school catchment.

Houses are valued higher than others for a number of reasons which make perfect sense: bigger, better preserved, more bedrooms, better transport links, nearer to countryside etc. I just don't think, that in the age of "comprehensive" education, there should be such a yawning achievement gap between (to take the two most extreme examples) Silverdale and Chaucer, or that estate agents should so blatantly take advantage of parents' desperation when it comes to schools.

This is my view: to pay more for an extra bedroom, for being near the Peak District etc. is reasonable and to be expected. To have to do so in order to get a decent school for your children is outrageous. It is - I'll say it again - selection by mortgage. If the system is allegedly comprehensive, housing and social background should not come into it, but it does.

I would point out here that my parents were not rich by any means but, thanks to Kent having retained its grammar schools, I was able to go to the best school in Kent - one which selected only by academic ability.

In Sheffield, I've bought into the system as much as anyone - moving my family from Hillsboro' to Loxley partly for better quality of life, but also so that my children should, in the course of time, be able to go to a half-decent school (Bradfield) rather than one where they are likely to get their heads kicked in (somewhere which shall remain nameless). I wouldn't swap our lovely new house for the world, but the fact that we had to do this still makes me feel a bit uneasy.

Ironically, it still hasn't worked out for the best, because we are having to appeal now to get my daughter into Loxley Primary.

The good thing about the Sheffield Forum is that we all have different ideas and opinions, but that we are able to voice them and we all take note.
If the world was run like the forum, we would all be livingin a better place and in peace!

I think that it is the Education system that is to blame,or wherever they get the money from.
Maybe if it was all managed a lot better, like you say, we would be sending our kids to the local school.
Things may eventually turn around in a few years but that is too late for my kids.
They need a good education now.

I have just 1 thing to say about estate agents.They should all adhere to the code of conduct of estate agents.
You really do have to question why, if they dont.

The law , I thought protected the public from what has happened to me over the last 24 hours.
Only if you live in Scotland, apparently!
I am too upset to explain further at the moment

I've just had an email from Spencers estate agents in regards to me and my girlfriend looking for a house. They said we would have to view the property then a check on references would be done. Problem is were living in bloody Poland! How the hell do we do that when we're in another country? Is there anyway around this? We really want to have the house already when we arrive on the 29th April. Please help....

Have you tried telling Spencers that? I have always found Jim Spencer to be one of the better agents in the city.

Can they not still do a reference check by emailing the person.
Iknow that they have to see certain documentation like a utility bill and / or a passport.
Not sure if they accept a fax of one or if it has to be the original.
This was brought in due to money laundering and people using false identities when the money laundering began .
Contact the agent to see if they can help.

However desperate you are to find a property to let in Sheffield (I know how difficult it can be when you are starting work on a set date or have to vacate another rented property - especially if moving from out of the area), make sure you rent from an agent who is a member of a professional body such as ARLA. For example, Saxton Mee - an agent we believed to reputable when we moved into the area - is not a member of any such organisation.

Read your tenancy agreement very, very carefully! Check to see how soon after moving out your deposit will be returned. Do not accept the agent coming to perform a checkout. Insist that the landlord is present. Apparently when the agent checks you out and confirms that the property is in better condition than when let to you originally (ie 100% cleaner) this is no guarantee that your deposit will be returned.

Note that they are in no hurry to refund your deposit (why would they be?!?) and therefore you will have to chase them for the return of your money (note that the deposit is YOUR money).

The property that we rented was in a totally filthy state with chips left in the cooker (which was condemned on the day we moved in and not replaced for nearly a month). The bath was unusable according to the landlord - he told us this after we moved in. There was mould all over the bathroom tiles. Every kitchen cupboard was greasy, etc, etc. This is not the behaviour of a reputable and trustworthy agent. What exactly do they do apart from part you from your hard earned cash?

Welcome to the forum :thumbsup:

I guess that's why so many people choose to advertise on here now ;)

WHO HAS HAD RECENT DEALINGS WITH ANY SHEFFIELD ESTATE AGENTS ?

I AM INTERESTED IN GOOD & BAD.I CANT BELIEVE HOW SOME OF THEM TREAT PEOPLE.

There must be someone out there who has had some sort of dealings with Estate Agents, good or bad.

I am amazed at some of their behaviour just recently.

We definately need some regulations/guidelines in the Housing Market in this country.If only to cut down on the unnecessary stress it causes !

Have look at this thread here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7953)

Not that recent but I suspect little has changed

I suspect the lack of response here is due to burn out on this topic, Teabird.

Use the search facility and join the long list of rants against Sheffield agents there :thumbsup:

(I was flabbergasted by them too. I was accused of asking for too many details! I lived 100 miles away and didn't know the areas)

You would be better if this was posted in the section,Living In/Moving to Sheffield

There was a long thread specifically about Blundells if you look

THANX GUYS U CAN TELL IM A NOVICE.ALL SUGGESTIONS APPRECIATED.

:clap:

All estate agents are plainly wicked people. Shun them in the fish queue, jostle them in the street, and blackball them from all decent clubs and societies. They do not deserve the company of decent people. All are mendacious, weasily little cut-purses and whey-faced poltroons. Sell your house yourself, and put the whole wretched, oily, greasy lot out of business.

I have not heard about or had one good experience with an estate agent. They are evil, ignorant and have no idea what customer service means.

Especially Saxton Mee, who have a special circle of hell reserved just for them.

MOD: Threads merged

Reeds Rains at hillsbourgh are rubbish I tried to arrange a few viewings with them a few weeks ago and they never got back to me, not even after several calls. I bet the people who were selling through them are pretty miffed. in the end we just used the other estate agents . I wonder how many sales they have missed

Has your experience of estate / letting agents been:

1. excellent
2. good
3. average
4. poor
5. extremely poor

Were you buyer or seller / landlord or tenant?

Who was the agent? About when did you deal with them? What impressed or upset you?

This isn't research, just a means of satisfying my own curiosity!

Just finished a tenancy in a Castle Estates property.

They were awful. They didn't repair any of the the things that needed repair, such as the plumbing and the fridge.

Then to top it all off they took 3 weeks giving us our bond back even though they had inspected the house and said it was fine.

I GIVE THEM A BIG FAT 5

:) Hi i dont know if this is any help to anyone trying to sell a house or buy,but i am a director of five estate agencys in sheffield and am a member of the national estate agency ass. as i notice a lot of grumbles are about my proffesion and competitors... can i offer any help advice on line

would it be bairstow eves by chance

estate lady, learn to spell perhaps? :D

Originally posted by estatelady
:) Hi i dont know if this is any help to anyone trying to sell a house or buy,but i am a director of five estate agencys in sheffield and am a member of the national estate agency ass. as i notice a lot of grumbles are about my proffesion and competitors... can i offer any help advice on line

Perhaps you could explain what plans, if any, are afoot for establishing some sort of effective code of professional (note spelling) conduct or protection for people who get caught up in the process of buying, selling, letting, renting etc ... It seems that most of the complaints about members of your 'profession' / the national estate agency ass (!) have to do with unethical (and illegal) practices, blatant conflicts of interest, hard (/mis-) selling of mortgages and insurance, ineptitude and extraordinarily poor service, astonishing rudeness, etc which seemingly go on routinely without anyone ever facing disciplinary action, being struck off from practicing as an estate agent, etc. Indeed, is it in fact a prerequisite to working as an estate agent, or a code of honour or something, that they should leave no stone unturned in the quest to defraud people, abuse their trust, lie, condescend, employ unethical and illegal practices and generally shaft people?

If your 'profession' is going to crawl out from the foul stone under which it currently resides, it seems to me that it wont do so until there is some sort of framework for regulating the conduct of estate agents THAT WORKS - so before you point to the Estate Agents Act 1979 and suggest that it covers all the bases, clearly it doesn't as is evidenced by the number of outrageous incidents and practices still going on as experienced both by me personally and posted on the Forum by hundreds of others.

The recruitment industry has been pulled out of the 18th century with formation of the REC. Its not comulsory (yet) but gives people the choice when it comes to selecting a recruitment company. Estate agents need something similar, not just a ISO or BS, this just means you can administer the business...

Currently renting with Saxton Mee.

Let's see, it took them 5 weeks to even send someone out for a quote on problems I had and another 4 before someone actually fixed them....that's about a 1/3 of my tenancy!! Bit crap really.

Im a landlord and the best thing tenants can do is to keep the actual landlord informed on issues. Remember its us who select these letting agents in the first place and if our tenants arent happy they might not renew, and we dont want that! If an agency is letting a tenant down which ultimately affects the landlord, then the landlords can stop using the agency, and if enough landlords do that the agent has to change and buck up their ideas, or lose business!

Keep us informed!

;)

We moved to Sheffield 6 months ago - I have to commend Winkworths in Hillsborough - they were really helpful, listened to what we wanted, gave good advice, and kept us well informed about properties that met our criteria. The house we bought was priced realistically, so only people who wanted to buy in the price bracket would submit offers. No complaints about their service at all. All the staff I dealt with were keen to help, and had good knowledge of the area and the market at the time.

It is about time selling privately became easier and more popular, I can’t get over how much estate agents get away with charging. If you look on the net there are a lot of companies that make selling and buying easier. I’ve had a good look at a lot of them and I found the following one to be the best for value and offered the most:

triplepig.com

The best thing about it is everything is not automated so can just email or phone them and an actual person will get back to you

Have a look around and the best of luck!

Id beware of using any company recommended by a troll

In the US agents can earn around 7% commission, here people thing they are being ripped off at 1.5%. if you don't like agents at all why not just put the house on the Forum

Just finished a tenancy in a Castle Estates property.

They were awful. They didn't repair any of the the things that needed repair, such as the plumbing and the fridge.

Then to top it all off they took 3 weeks giving us our bond back even though they had inspected the house and said it was fine.

I GIVE THEM A BIG FAT 5

i totally agree with this, they were terrible with me! there were so many things wrong with my flat that they told me would be fixed, though i should really have made sure this was done before moving in, but it was my first rental. needless to say nothing ever got done, it was a health hazard... and i never even got my bond back!! awful

I moved earlier this year and sold through them, Its remarkable that other forum users have had similar experiences with them. I cant believe they recieved the 'Estate Agent & Letting Agent of the Year Awards 2006'.

They provided a insufficient and inadequate service, my home didnt appear on their website when I was told (The terms of the contract state this will happen as well as a helpful service) . The woman who was supposed to ring me and keep me updated would'nt even bother ringing me back when I left numerous messages . No joy from head office when I complained either.

I would never use a large Estate Agency chain to help sell my home ever again. Its overpriced for a rubbish service.


Initially when I was putting an offer in with Halifax for a property the woman said rudely 'the vendors not even going to consider that'!!.........
They do give you 'extra'.......extra stress!


On the other hand Bairstow Eves (Chesterfield Rd) in my opinion have been great!! Frequent updates and let you know exactly what is happening.

Looking to buy, sell or rent houses in Sheffield a colleague at work mentioned they found a place to rent on a new Sheffield focused website swelldweller-sheffield.co.uk

Looks like they are just starting out and offering free advertising.

Site looks impressive, not too much available at present, mainly student houses which they say is the first section to get underway with others to follow.

Worth keeping an eye on for folks wanting to live in Sheffield.

I wish I'd read this thread before I went to more viewings this weekend.. I'm relocating to Sheffield for my job in January and looking to buy, and discovered the absolutely insane system of bidding the hard way today! I arranged a viewing with Estate Agents at the beginning of last week for this weekend just gone and they knew I was travelling from out of town. They neglected to mention that the house I had arranged to view already had two offers on the table above the asking price! I got a rather rude awakening this morning when I called to make my own offer to learn of all of this and got a fairly terse response when I eventually informed the agent I was not prepared to go beyond the asking price.
Is this normal for Sheffield? Are properties really selling for over the asking prices? It's only a half step from some serious gazumping going on. I'm astounded that buyers are actively being encouraged into bidding wars.
What's the point even of putting an asking price out there if sellers aren't prepared to abide by it. If you want more, ask for more from the outset! It all seems very unfairly weighted against us buyers!

I wish I'd read this thread before I went to more viewings this weekend.. I'm relocating to Sheffield for my job in January and looking to buy, and discovered the absolutely insane system of bidding the hard way today! I arranged a viewing with Estate Agents at the beginning of last week for this weekend just gone and they knew I was travelling from out of town. They neglected to mention that the house I had arranged to view already had two offers on the table above the asking price! I got a rather rude awakening this morning when I called to make my own offer to learn of all of this and got a fairly terse response when I eventually informed the agent I was not prepared to go beyond the asking price.
Is this normal for Sheffield? Are properties really selling for over the asking prices? It's only a half step from some serious gazumping going on. I'm astounded that buyers are actively being encouraged into bidding wars.
What's the point even of putting an asking price out there if sellers aren't prepared to abide by it. If you want more, ask for more from the outset! It all seems very unfairly weighted against us buyers!

Hi there,

I guess a lot depends on the estate agent involved. It always pays to ask if there are any offers before arranging to view a property. As for the asking price, agents cover themselves by asking for offers around that price.

I've had my house on the market since June and it's still not sold, as many other sellers have found, the market is generally very quiet.

The only fair way to buy/sell a house is to agree a fixed price, register that price with the land registry/solicitor and to accept the first offer at that price. But I doubt that will ever happen in this money orientated society :(

Kev

PS, if your looking for a 4 bed detached, just 7 years old, let me know ;)