Hi,

We’re thinking of selling our house, but it’s not on the market yet. We got a canvassing leaflet from an estate agent saying they had someone interested in our type of house. It had the person’s name and I think we’ve found their phone number.

Obviously we have no contract with this agent, so would we be ok to contact the person directly?

Anyone got experience/knowledge as to what the other person’s agreement with the estate agent would be?

Cheers,

kbsa.

if its not through your contracted Estate Agent – none, AFAIK.

Phone em and find out 😉

I suspect they are bullshitting – we had similar aaages ago, someone wanted to buy our house for £250k, had a name and everything. They never even came to see the place when it went on the market though, funny enough (ended up selling for £200k… which hurt a lot)

its a scam

Scammier than a Nigerian inheritance spent on a new Dave Hinde frame from IWH…

This how a friend of mine chose his next house so its worth an ask

Yes, but did your mate do it through an agent?

mlc you make me howl. 🙂

Mugboo – could you ask your friend if he had any kind of contract with the agents when they sent out the letters?

Thanks for the warnings everyone, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a scam, the agent is a respectable regional one, and I think they offered us the same service when we were looking years ago!

was the name Mr J. Smith? If the estate agent really has someone interested I think they’d play their cards a little closer to their chest. Otherwise you might be able to find the interested party’s number and contact them direct. 😯

Call the agent direct, or get a friend to, asking for a bit more info.
If it seems legit, contact the ‘buyers’. You might find it’s just the an estate agent posing as a potential buyer, just to get you hookedin & interested! 😆

midlifecrashes – Member

Scammier than a Nigerian inheritance spent on a new Dave Hinde frame from IWH…

Made me chuckle.

Well agents do charge a humungous amount of cash for taking zero risk and merely have to introduce you to a buyer. The marketing details are not beyond anyone moderatey computer literate. They are supposed to handle negotiations and ongoing communications, but would you trust this to a firm that has their own agenda? Sorry, I just cannot see their “value add” and the pricing is way way “out of the zone”.

I’d definitely opt for a private sale, but check any agent’s contract small print to which you might have agreed to.