Do Estate Agents ever answer emails?

iguana

I'm giving some thought to buying a house next year and so occasionally look through Daft/Myhome/etc to see what's out there. A couple of weeks ago I was browsing while feeding my son to sleep and I decided to email queries about a few different houses I saw. I emailed three different agents asking my question and leaving my number and email address and none of them got back to me. I'm looking in county Limerick, an area with a huge amount of supply and pretty limited demand, especially as the mess the councils have made of regeneration has made a lot of people very reluctant to buy anywhere at present.

The lack of professionalism has really put me off. I bought my last house in London during the height of the boom there and any enquiries I made by email were swiftly followed up on, despite it being an extreme sellers market. I'm a serious buyer, in a position to buy the type of house I'm looking at in cash but really feeling like the process of buying a house in this country, even in what is (regardless of what may or may not be happening in Dublin) undeniably a buyers market, will be head-bangingly frustrating.

Valentine1

My own experience is that most agents get tonnes of emails on a daily basis and as they are rarely in the office many get missed. Unless the agent is expecting your email it is not likely to get a response.

Mousewar

You could certainly criticise them for not answering emails but seriously, just ring em. I've never emailed an estate agent in my life and can't imagine ever doing so.

partyguinness

In my line of work I have a lot of daily interaction with Estate Agents both in Ireland and the UK.

I know in my line of work I have a policy of replying to emails within 24 hours simply because if I reply back too soon then the client/customer expects that type of quick reponse all the time and then start calling about emails sent 2 hours previous.

But I am very surprised about the lack of even a telephone call. Having worked in Ireland up to 3 years ago and now the UK, the main difference in business I have found is the very heavy use of email in the UK, far more than in Ireland. In fact, email is favoured over post.

I think, shall I say, more laid back regions iare not as committed to emails especially outside large urban areas.

Valentine1

Seriously, in Ireland estate agents generally just hate email because it isn't very compatible with their work day. They love doing business on the phone though, its the best way to contact them.

partyguinness

It will also depend on the age profile of the place. A lot of rural EAs elderly and part time ie. doubling up as local councillors/farmers/general wheeler dealers.

Pawwed Rig

Judging by some of the extremely suspect 'advice' I have received from EA in the past it is probably best that they not write too much down where they can be quoted.
I would say OP that EA have a bad reputation where it comes to replying to potential purchasers/renters. There are countless threads here that express frustration with them.

Valentine1 wrote: »

it isn't very compatible with their work day.

But why?

odds_on

In my experience over the last year or so, if I got a 10% reply rate that was the best I could expect.

The result - I am now buying direct from the vendor!! Hopefully contracts next week.

handlemaster

If they are looking for money no problem in getting a reply.

ScottStorm

Valentine1 wrote: »

Seriously, in Ireland estate agents generally just hate email because it isn't very compatible with their work day. They love doing business on the phone though, its the best way to contact them.

In this day and age, everybody particularly those that spend time outside the office get their emails directly to their phone, therefor it is entirely compatible with their work day to send and receive emails.

as another poster implied it is easier to get away with lying over the phone and I suspect that coupled with laziness is why emails to estate agents over the past year have netted me a grand total of 1 reply that amounted to if the vendor decides to have a viewing we'll let you know.

I really hate estate agents.

odds_on

Valentine1 wrote: »

Seriously, in Ireland estate agents generally just hate email because it isn't very compatible with their work day. They love doing business on the phone though, its the best way to contact them.

Only if you phone their office and they can't avoid dealing with you. Again, in my recent experience, they don't return phone calls nor if they are running late with a viewing do they contact you.

An utter disgrace to the Irish business community.

iguana

Valentine1 wrote: »

My own experience is that most agents get tonnes of emails on a daily basis and as they are rarely in the office many get missed. Unless the agent is expecting your email it is not likely to get a response.

Do you think that an estate agent dealing with the commuter towns to city of 50k people get more emails and are in the office less than estate agents in zones 2&3 of London?

I'll probably start making calls this week but I have a fairly big list of houses I'm interested in. I'm not going to be able to call about all of them, my husband works in the UK and I am alone with a 12 month old, but it's easy to email about all of them and would be easy to read all the emails as this could be done at night when my son is sleeping. The same is true for people with full-time jobs, they can make a few phone calls during their work they but can send and read as many emails as they want in the evenings and at weekends.

I suspect that lots of houses on buyer's 'long-lists' are being bypassed because of agents ignoring emails.

odds_on

iguana wrote: »

Do you think that an estate agent dealing with the commuter towns to city of 50k people get more emails and are in the office less than estate agents in zones 2&3 of London?

I'll probably start making calls this week but I have a fairly big list of houses I'm interested in. I'm not going to be able to call about all of them, my husband works in the UK and I am alone with a 12 month old, but it's easy to email about all of them and would be easy to read all the emails as this could be done at night when my son is sleeping. The same is true for people with full-time jobs, they can make a few phone calls during their work they but can send and read as many emails as they want in the evenings and at weekends.

I suspect that lots of houses on buyer's 'long-lists' are being bypassed because of agents ignoring emails.

The Ea may consider the house to be overpriced is it is not worth replying to an email.
However, if the EAs put sufficient info on the websites about the properties they are trying to sell, they potential buyers would not have to waste time enquiring about a property that is unsuitable for them. Some of the adverts are really appalling in their lack of descriptions and photos.

I refuse point black to even consider a property that does not have at least one exterior shot and at least one each of the living room, kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom - that's a minimum of 5 photos to get an idea of the property and its condition.

moxin

Some agents do have open viewings and do update their ads regularly. When you turn up to the open viewing, the agent will ask your name and contact number. As time goes on you'll get experience with agents, you'll know which ones are good and which ones are atrocious in your area.

Valentine1

Obviously EAs get emails direct to their phone but its difficult to manage a full inbox from an iPhone, particularly when you are either in your car or showing a property, its hardly email time. I'm not an EA not an apologist for them but its an over statement to call them all a "disgrace to the irish business community" and if a person hates EAs they'll find fault no matter what.

I haven't had the problems others her seem to. I've met a couple of diabolical ones but in the past my calls have been returned and I have always been able to view houses I want to see. People want EAs to do everything from work out of hours to drive them around different properties. They are estate agents, not concierges who work on a commission basis.

MouseTail

The age profile of EAs in rural areas and regional towns would be much older than those in London, or even Dublin. What's left after the shakeup tends to be old established or family practices. They will not be as hot on technology as their younger counterparts.
If you are serious about househunting, you are going to have to find time to make the phone calls.

Markx

From my experience with EAs I would expect that they would prefer not to leave a written record of what they say, as they often contradict their own concocted........ stories.

Woodville56

While I would have expressed opinions in this forum occasionally about the conduct of EA's and lack of common courtesy in not replying to messages etc, I have to admit that in recent days I have communicated with an EA Firm and have had replies within 30 minutes of sending email - it appears that they work a lot from their iPhones ! Oh that all EA's would be in tune with 21st century technology !!!
I've heard that some dont even use/read email, despite having email addresses !!
Never though I'd say it but I have to acknowledge professionalism where it exists, but it's a rare commodity among them !

L1011

EA I bought from would phone you as soon as he received the email. Never, ever, ever responded himself although his office manager did - but only after we'd gone sale agreed.

Same happened with other agencies I'd dealt with, with one single exception who did reply to an email because the property had been sold and they'd "forgotten" to take it off Daft.

ArraMusha

Not much time for EA's, sucking the life blood from ordinary descent people trying to make the most important purchase of their life.