[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" text_font_size="14" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"]Below is an interesting article from a traditional high street Estate Agent who is basically saying that online Estate Agents are so bad he has to do their job also, so wants to be paid for it! Luckily on the NP post code area online Estate Agents don't offer huge savings so we don't come up agains this - worth a read though, courtesy of propertyindustryeye.com:

High street agent slams onliners for work caused by their lack of sales progression

A high street agent has spoken of his anger and frustration at the lack of progression work done by online agents.He says that he is essentially doing all the work for them and their vendors, and for free.He is now suggesting that agents should charge those customers for the many hours of work involved.Glenn Jackson said that in his experience buyers who have sold their homes through online agents are usually completely in the dark as to how their own sales are progressing, after they have paid upfront simply for their property to be listed.He said that if his own firm did not do the progression work for buyers selling via online agents, then deals would fall through.Jackson said he is now considering contractually charging a fee to any buyer who has used an online agent to sell their home, in the knowledge that he will have to chase up their own transactions. He said: “As an independent agent I am just sick to death with doing the sales progression for all these online agents.“I have endured many a buyer who has sold through online agents who frequently tell me that if it weren’t for the updates from us they would never know what’s going on.“I would therefore like fellow independent agents to cast their opinion on joining me in charging these buyers a fee.”Jackson says he essentially wants to tell such purchasers: “If you want to buy a property through me, then fine.“But with the additional work I have to do and the recommendations I have to make to my vendor before agreeing any deal being critical, then agree to pay me.“You will stand a better chance of getting that property if we are fully in the know and have more key information to help make that decision.“How can I make recommendations without the full information?“I know I’ll be spending hour after hour chasing lawyers and doing other agents’ work.”Jackson told EYE: “At the moment, agents who care do it for our clients and include the cost as part of the fee we charge them, but why shouldn’t we shift the charge to the other side?“Almost 100% of our clients will go with our advice. If we don’t think the buyer is right my advice is always to wait for another.“Anyone can take photos of a house and stick them on the internet, but the art in our industry is in negotiation and sales progression.“That is where we differ: we will fight to achieve the higher price and ensure communication levels during the sales process are top of the agenda.“At this stage clients are spending money not only with us but with their lawyer (if using a proper one) and need to know exactly what’s going on.“The difference in fees charged by agents like us and online shops might run into hundreds or even thousands, but the cost of good or bad negotiation or sales management will cost vendors far more.“The public who use these online agents need to know it will jeopardise the chances of not only securing an onward purchase but the likelihood of a successful transaction going through.“We all know that 25% of all UK sales will fall through for any one reason. I strongly believe that if a sale is set up and managed correctly, the chances of a successful transaction are far greater.”Jackson, who says his own firm has a sales success rate of 88%, has now taken advice from the NAEA Lawline.He said: “They tell me we are well within our rights to start charging a fee to certain buyers.“We must however have written instructions from our clients that we can do so, but as it’s always going to be in their best interests they won’t be objecting.“We can then get the buyers to sign to pay upfront too.“After all, sellers pay some of these online agents upfront, so pay us too.”In a direct message to EYE readers, Jackson said: “I would very much like to know what my fellow agents think, and whether we can be united on this issue.”Jackson added: “I took a house on the market that had been marketed with a certain online agent for two months to no avail. I put it on and have two asking price offers within 48 hours.“While that online agent still got their fee, they had left it available on Rightmove all during our sale and even for two weeks following completion.“Not once did they call our seller or even realise the sale was going though.”Here is a link to the actual article and comments made:http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/high-street-agent-slams-onliners-for-lack-of-sales-progression/[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]