As a buyer or tenant, do you actually know – or care – who is showing you round a property?
The insight gained by listening to many different agents over the last few weeks has been fantastic and I feel honoured to have had the chance to talk to such a variety of people – it’s exhausting but exhilarating and I’m still just scratching the surface.
Several have mentioned to me that if you go to see a property, particularly an expensive one, the chances are that the actual viewing will be done by someone who isn’t a negotiator for the agency – indeed, many have these viewing staff on full-time contracts.
Some will employ staff to sit in their offices over the weekend so that the negotiators can get out and do viewings. Others will employ weekend staff to do the viewings, keeping one employee sitting in increasingly empty offices.
Others will struggle to do what they want with what they can afford, missing out in the process.
Some have mentioned to me that employing good staff is becoming increasingly difficult because they don’t want to work the type of hours that buyers and tenants have free to see properties, i.e. evenings and weekends.
Another friend has been trying to see a property down in the West Country and has now been cancelled, at the last minute, three times by the agent.
These conundrums aren’t new and are the same as they’ve always been – but are we right to accept the status quo?
The reason I was confident of leaving my business to do what I’m doing now is that it shouldn’t only be the bigger or richer companies that have this sort of extra coverage. Many service sectors are adapting to provide low-cost solutions to age-old problems, and why should agency be any different?
For most of us it’s all about staying in business and making money, but those reading this who still put service on top of the agenda often find themselves losing out, given the cost of providing it.
Competing against increasing numbers of low-cost or well-funded agents means thinking outside the box, and I’ve been hugely impressed with how some agents are meeting that challenge.
Indeed, I can report that the future of agency is looking good, which is something I wouldn’t have been able to see a few weeks ago, and some of the solutions coming are the result of well-established companies taking huge risks.
I wrote last week about how the smaller agents are often the last to benefit from change, but a lot of what’s coming down the line doesn’t cost the earth, but does require two things that are very difficult to quantify or value – an open mind and an objective view.
* Ed Mead is now a director of outsourced viewing service www.Viewber.co.uk and an independent property consultant / commentator: ed-mead.com
Where do buyers buy? Not on the internet, not on the phone ….but on the viewing…buying is often an emotional decision that needs to be engaged and nurtured. I truly believe that viewings are one of the most important roles an agent does…and the people that do them should be experienced, understanding and good with people.
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I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a “locum” or weekender showing buyers around unless that person had previous estate agency experience as a full time negotiator and preferably in the area. My reasoning is simple. buyers want information on the property and the area. They may want to know how the vendor intends to move forward. A weekender may not have all this information to hand leaving doubts in the buyers mind. The longer those doubts remain the less likely they will buy.
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When we were tenants, we set-a-side one Saturday to do viewings (with about 3 days notice), about half the properties on our short list were with agents that did not care, and hence would do let us view when we wish. We decided on the next day where to live, and completed on the paperwork for reference checks etc on the Monday.
The other agents never even know they have lost out……
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Pity he didn’t mention the absurd so called on-liners full service claims! All I hear from Ed is sound bites of what goes on and is already known by all? And his recommendation for a situation we all know about is what? I see no relevance for this article.
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You will be glad to know that he has the answer to your question Woodentop…he has set up a business to provide locum viewers and local property experts!!!! Non execs always come up with ideas when they are at the end of their careers which are not necessarily what made them great in the first place. He is now an outsourcer and consultant.
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Back to basics on this – Potential sellers view properties, so a viewing appointment is a prime opportunity to get to know these people and show them why they should sell through you. I for one wouldn’t want a part timer or hired key turner representing my company on such an important meet.
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^This^
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