# Real estate agents



## Nick Mason (Aug 10, 2020)

I have just had the most horrendous experience dealing with an Estate Agent in the Algarve.

Should I be surprised?


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

How people do business here is a personal thing so different agents do things differently and there seems to be no logic compared to how some other nations do things. It's not you but just how things get done (or not done) here. Unfortunately you have to accept this but if you feel what happened is unethical then you can ask for their official complaints book - they must legally have one and give you access - and make a complaint. You'll find a different Estate agent would do things differently and I've met some really nice and helpful one here (and a couple of real ar***ho***).
Apart from that - I've just ordered a copy of "the saucer full of secrets " and I hope your tour goes well even though you seem to have no gigs in Portugal.


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## John and Cecil (Dec 22, 2019)

You should try California.  The day my listing expired my phone rang off the hook starting at 7am with realtors trying to get me to list with them even though it was illegal to do so as my phone number was registered on the federal do not call list. I had over 100 call me in 3 days. I even had one who after being told that he was being reported for an ethics violation he bombarded me with hang up calls. The first thing out of my mouth is what is your name and company and about 1/3 of them would just hang up (they know they are breaking the law and being reported, which shows *intent*). As Strontium said there is some good and some bad, but with realtors I tend to expect the worst. In California I use Redfin because they pay their agents a salary and not a commission, and the salary is based on a customer service satisfaction survey sent to their clients. They are not perfect either, but they are better than most. I am not sure if there are any real estate businesses here that do something similar. 

The real estate market is very different here as it is in the US though. I see several real estate firms here listing the same property and they all refuse to show an address. I do not think they have any sort of contract with the purchaser barring someone from finding the property on their own and contacting the owner directly (by mail).


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## Nick Mason (Aug 10, 2020)

John and Cecil said:


> You should try California.  The day my listing expired my phone rang off the hook starting at 7am with realtors trying to get me to list with them even though it was illegal to do so as my phone number was registered on the federal do not call list. I had over 100 call me in 3 days. I even had one who after being told that he was being reported for an ethics violation he bombarded me with hang up calls. The first thing out of my mouth is what is your name and company and about 1/3 of them would just hang up (they know they are breaking the law and being reported, which shows *intent*). As Strontium said there is some good and some bad, but with realtors I tend to expect the worst. In California I use Redfin because they pay their agents a salary and not a commission, and the salary is based on a customer service satisfaction survey sent to their clients. They are not perfect either, but they are better than most. I am not sure if there are any real estate businesses here that do something similar.
> 
> The real estate market is very different here as it is in the US though. I see several real estate firms here listing the same property and they all refuse to show an address. I do not think they have any sort of contract with the purchaser barring someone from finding the property on their own and contacting the owner directly (by mail).


John, Strontium, thanks for your feedback. I do appreciate that different countries operate in different ways and "vive la differance". My gripe was the sheer ineptitude of the agents I selected. They are a "Global Brand" stating that they operate in several hundred countries yet behaved in such an arrogant way I was left breathless. 
They "posted" my property details without even seeking my approval......that it contained so many errors even I could not recognise it as my property. Over the space of 48 hours I pointed out the errors and expected a rapid correction.....instead they simply said "we cannot work with you" and threw their toys (and a €90k commission) out of the pram. A complete waste of my time and effort "dressing my property" for photos, reviewing the details and then having to repeat the entire process.

If any one is looking for a real estate agent contact me directly and I will advise who NOT to choose!


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## John and Cecil (Dec 22, 2019)

Nick Mason said:


> John, Strontium, thanks for your feedback. I do appreciate that different countries operate in different ways and "vive la differance". My gripe was the sheer ineptitude of the agents I selected. They are a "Global Brand" stating that they operate in several hundred countries yet behaved in such an arrogant way I was left breathless.
> They "posted" my property details without even seeking my approval......that it contained so many errors even I could not recognise it as my property. Over the space of 48 hours I pointed out the errors and expected a rapid correction.....instead they simply said "we cannot work with you" and threw their toys (and a €90k commission) out of the pram. A complete waste of my time and effort "dressing my property" for photos, reviewing the details and then having to repeat the entire process.
> 
> If any one is looking for a real estate agent contact me directly and I will advise who NOT to choose!


You really need to find the right agent to list your house for sale, the company is only part of it. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. Perhaps you should contact the broker of the company directly and see what he/she will do to make it right. If they won't make it right then you know the entire company is garbage. I do most of the work myself so I usually go with a company that charges less commission. It is important to hire a good photographer though, especially now with covid as quality pictures and 3d walkthroughs are even more important. This service really does not cost that much, in California Redfin includes this for 1% commission (the buyer's agent for my house got 2.5%). It is probably good that you found out early though, especially before you started contract negotiations as that is where you really need a good agent. Redfin operates with a team, they have agents specifically for showings/inspections, negotiations, closings, etc. Most firms have one agent do everything, and if that is the case then that person really needs to know what they are doing. I really liked this one guy (David) from Redfin and he wasn't even the main agent,but he did so many things professionally and with integrity. When the appraisal was done for my sale on my previous home he stayed with the appraiser the entire time and spoke with him about the work done there and the appraisal came in at only $500 over the sale price. 

Good luck with your search.


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