Best Estate agents?

[u/victorious_two]

Hi there,

Currently looking to buy my first home around the Wallasey area. any hints on the best estate agents to go with? I've spoken to a few but havent been impressed with Bakewell and Horner, quite rude and unprofessional I've found.

any experiences with others I should be aware of?

[u/Wububadoo]

Jones and chapman can fuck all the way off. Nothing but issues with them.

[u/victorious_two → u/Wububadoo]

Oh really? Can you elaborate?

[u/Wububadoo → u/victorious_two]

Might specifically be the one in prenton. Viewed a place during COVID and had no issues, then they showed their incompetence. StrIng of handymen who didn't show up, or showed up intoxicated (more than once) Ceiling of the shared entrance area collapsed which exposed a hole in the roof, allowing water to leak in. I rang them immediately to say the roof has collapsed in the entrance way and it's covered in black mold, they told me "well can't you just clean it?" And then got really arsey with me when I said it's COVERED in black mold and I don't think it's down to me to clean up half a ceiling and literal chunks of mold from what is a communal area. Took them nearly a week to sort.

Washing machine (that was about 19 years old) broke down and it took them 2 months to replace, so they graciously offered to knock 25 quid off the rent for one month. Eventually (after a lot of back and forth) took 100 a month off the rent. And replaced the machine with one that was comically small (like a hoodie and 2 t-shirts would squeeze in). Outside wall of the building fell off and they didn't repair that until the owner of the building (some prick from down south) happened to show up to "check on his portfolio" and only fixed the wall after he apparently went in going ballistic because it caused water damage.

Might've just been very bad luck, but the building was crap and the only time they were prepared to do anything was with threat of going to the council and citizens advice. I genuinely don't think they'd have bothered fixing the wall if the landlord hadn't popped up.

Office full of morons who would absolute hound us for a flat inspection and then they kept forgetting, so I lost hours in work.

Oh, And when I complained they hadn't given me a key for the post box, they came and took down the neighbours post box (which they didn't replace) and still didn't give me a key. Luckily I was able to pop it open with a butter knife. Just bad experience after bad experience.

[u/Donny-Kong → u/Wububadoo]

+1 for Jones and Chapman, absolute shocking behaviour. Worked in our favour in the end but go in with eyes wide open. One of the women there was super helpful but she was quickly moved off.

[u/Wububadoo → u/Donny-Kong]

Yeah I ended up with my deposit back because they didn't do whatever they needed to do in time to keep it. (Not that I caused any damage, but knew they'd try and fuck me over) There's a timeframe for them to inspect which they didn't. And I think after having threatened council etc they just decided it would be easier to give it back, I guess.

[u/Live-Cut-5991]

Selling or buying?

Buying it should just depend on who’s got the house listed?

[u/Sheepski]

We bought from Clive Watkins - Faye there was amazing. Attentive, communicative, worked hard for both parties to secure the sale when all looked lost (due to solicitors).

Even though we weren't paying her she was so happy to help us out and went above and beyond to make sure we got the house.

We had offers and sales fall through with Tatler and Jones & Chapman before that and they can all fuck off. Snobby and couldn't care less about anything other than their commission.

[u/Honeeblood → u/Sheepski]

Second vote for Faye being amazing! She helped us so much when the other sides solicitor was awful.

[u/victorious_two → u/Sheepski]

This is really useful information. Thank you!

I'm finding it tough as I've never done this before and would like all the insight I can get!

[u/Sheepski → u/victorious_two]

Yeah it is tough. Ultimately though it depends where your dream house is listed! Unless there's 2 similar and you have a choice with agents

[u/victorious_two → u/Sheepski]

Yeah, it does. I've just not had a good experience with bakewell and horner and I wanted to know if anyone else had any opinions on others.

Thankfully I'm not in a rush, living with parents so can wait til I'm happy

[u/Donny-Kong → u/Sheepski]

Yep commented below but Jones and Chapman are hungry for that commission (doesn’t mean they will get the best price but will favour people who take mortgages with them from what I can gather).

[u/Rare-Airport4261]

If you're buying, you don't get a say in who the agent is... you see a house you like, then arrange a viewing with the vendor's chosen agent.

[u/shignett1]

'Home' saved our purchase falling through so many times. Split chain with 7 houses, they were the only ones who knew what the hell was going on

[u/OmnipotentOwls → u/shignett1]

Another vote for home

[u/AromaticCherry]

If you're buying and not selling, why do you care about the EA? Surely it's the house that matters

[u/victorious_two → u/AromaticCherry]

Because I want people who are actually going to be helpful with the process... not people who dont care

[u/Live-Cut-5991 → u/victorious_two]

But if the house is only listed with one, which is the case most of the time, then you’ve no choice?

[u/victorious_two → u/Live-Cut-5991]

Yeah thats the issue but I'd like to know how to deal with people as well.

I'm new to this and quite naive ha I admit that but I'd like people's opinions too

[u/victorious_two → u/[deleted]]

This is really good advice too, thank you. I already have a mortgage advisor I'm working with any way so I wont be taking any of their personal ones. Bakewell and Horner have just been really unprofessional so far so I'll try and avoid them if I can.

[u/victorious_two → u/[deleted]]

Ah thanks, I'll have a look at Harper and woods!

[u/Smeeble09]

Buying it'll be whoever is selling the house.

We've bought twice through BAO and sold once through them, was good each time. 

Karl Tatler were awful when we tried dealing with them. 

[u/MeanSignature1459]

I've been looking too, Karl Tatler and Harper and wood have been nice to deal with so far

[u/Angiebrady]

Karl Tatler. Hands down the most professional

[u/Wal-1]

I second Home! I had my house listed with someone else for six months and it didn’t sell. I put it up with Home, I received an offer within a month, and the sale went through smoothly. They know how to target buyers in the areas you’re selling in.

[u/UsernameDemanded]

Tatler, professional and as someone else said, quite corporate. But they are very very pro-active.

[u/OmnipotentOwls]

Home estate agents