From: "dan" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Selling house without estate agent
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 23:55:48 +0100

Thanks for all the interesting replies. Lots for me to mull over here.

I have used estate agents before, both to buy and sell and my experience of
them has never been that good.

On one occasion they continually sent me time wasters and people who simply
wanted to while away a Sunday afternoon and who had no intention of buying
ANY property let alone mine.

I have had experience of them not passing on offers - I even put an offer
thru one vendor's door in the end.

I am not anti estate agent despite all this and realise they have a valuable
part to play but I am mistrustful. I've had 5 valuations on my house and
they all vary wildly which doesn't help. Aldo, despite much advice I have
read previously in the press about make sure you negotiate your fees - none
of the 5 wanted to. It was a take it or leave it attitude and something like
a 6 week contract.

As I'm not in a hurry to sell - I am going to give the DIY route a go -
nothing ventured and all that.

I have looked at some of the websites mentioned in this thread and none of
them seem to tell you how long a place has been on the market - nor why they
are still advertising places with SOLD stamped across them.

Thanks again

dan