marvin 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2009 I met up with 2 agents from KTA. (Presumably a new agency with not more than 5 agents). After our 2nd viewing at the lobby, we were asked to make an offer. We like the flat, and knows the asking is 10k abv COV. We made an offer of 5k COV. 1 woman, who presumably entering menopause turned crazy and said rudely "Sorry bye". Worst, when turning and walk away, she said loudly to her partner "Waste time, why u ask someone here to waste our time". Crazy agents, instead of advicing and giving counter offer to convince us more........ Such agents simply cannot make it. Pity the seller. Actually I feels like writing to the seller directly to tell them about their agents. But in any case, I saw and bought another unit already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Durian pudding 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2009 I met up with 2 agents from KTA. (Presumably a new agency with not more than 5 agents). After our 2nd viewing at the lobby, we were asked to make an offer. We like the flat, and knows the asking is 10k abv COV. We made an offer of 5k COV. 1 woman, who presumably entering menopause turned crazy and said rudely "Sorry bye". Worst, when turning and walk away, she said loudly to her partner "Waste time, why u ask someone here to waste our time". Crazy agents, instead of advicing and giving counter offer to convince us more........ Such agents simply cannot make it. Pity the seller. Actually I feels like writing to the seller directly to tell them about their agents. But in any case, I saw and bought another unit already. No wonder so many ppl dun like property agent.....bad egg in the basket Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pulpy 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2009 this is very bad!!! so rude!! i think u should just tell the seller about it coz they may be turning away good potential buyers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gracesmith 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2009 Actually, it bottoms down to individuals, not the company. This also happens virtually to every company. There's sure bound to have the black sheep around. Even lecturers & lawyers can commit crimes too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stagger 0 Report post Posted April 1, 2009 This type of agent is unacceptable, they ought to consult the seller before making any decision. Some of these agents tend to use same type of selling techniques..claiming that someone made some offer which in fact no one did and hoping that the potential buyer would offer higher. They think that buyers are stupid into believing them. Worst, it will turn them off and end up not buying. No matter how, these agents ought to be more honest, those gimmicks are for the old days where people are less educated and easily convinced..modern day buyers do analyse and not easily convinced by just words.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Potluck 0 Report post Posted May 8, 2009 Yes i met a few unprofessional agents. The sellers agent did not convey our offer to the seller and told us there no problem with offer. When we made our 2nd visit to put down deposit, only then the agent call the seller to get rejected by the seller!!! Wasted our bloody time. They just want to buy time and wait for a bigger fish. One of the agent a newbie from this reputable com P not only bad attitude but behave like a gangster ah beng agent. He said we pressure him to get a answer from seller. I told him offer was made the next day we view the house. We gave him 2 days to convey to seller..if price is right confirm, price is not right is ok to reject, we all have an expectation and moreover, we have shortlist another flat, if he can't give an answer then I have no choice to go for my 2nd choice. Really rubbish answer, buying property is all about timing. After the heated arguement of nearly going down to place our deposit he told us anyway the seller is not in a hurry to sell!!! Then why waste our bloody time!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Babyblue 0 Report post Posted May 8, 2009 there r juz agents out there wanted to close a deal fast without much effort.... met a few during my unit search: 1) keep delaying saying the market will go down, better to view later. This agent is even my hubby colleague's wife. later found out that her co is doing those new condo sales more than resale. basket.... 2) bring us view for the 1st time but non interest us. asked her if there r any other, NO she said. i hv to choose one fm what i've viewed. crazy.... non is up to our requirements, expect us to buy. we actually contacted her via email a few mths later asking for her service but she totally never reply. such bad service. 3) contacted via a forum. keep smsing saying she got a unit for me. asked her to provide me details but never did. there was once she even reply my sms asking who am i! i was like.... she as an agent hv no idea what's going on even after so many sms??? give up... i juz reply her in a sarcastic way at the end met a great agent who never give up searching for us. found our unit via him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lotus 0 Report post Posted May 8, 2009 There's god and bad agent, good agent seems tough to find, bad agent plenty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dean 5 Report post Posted May 9, 2009 (edited) there's got good agent, can help u find 1 day can view 4-5 flat, also help u neg COV. i can recommend to you a good agent. he does his homework to call 5 out of 20 owner can neg COV or $0 COV. I got HLE letter on 23 apr 09, view 4 flat on 27 apr 09, purchase on 27 apr 09. Now waiting for 1st appointment on jun 09. Edited May 9, 2009 by dean Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burgoos 0 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 This type of agent is unacceptable, they ought to consult the seller before making any decision. Some of these agents tend to use same type of selling techniques..claiming that someone made some offer which in fact no one did and hoping that the potential buyer would offer higher. They think that buyers are stupid into believing them. Worst, it will turn them off and end up not buying. No matter how, these agents ought to be more honest, those gimmicks are for the old days where people are less educated and easily convinced..modern day buyers do analyse and not easily convinced by just words.. If you are represented by your agent (buyers' agent), and after viewing a property marketed by another agent (sellers' agent), decides to make an offer for the property viewed, there is always a very high chance that you will hear the sellers' agent telling you that your offer is lower than his/her previous offer(s). Sellers' agent will use this technique either to set you for a higher offer (which is such an outdated sales technique) or he/she simply doesn't want to close your deal. Reason is simply because if you are represented by a buyers' agent, he/she does not make the 1% buyers' commission from you, as you will be paying the comm to your representing agent. After walking away from your offer, he/she will then market the property and hope for an offer from a direct buyer who will pay him the 1% buyers' comm. So what makes the sellers' agent forego the potential comm that he will receive from the seller if your offer is accepted and the transaction goes through. Clearly greed is the root of such unethical behavior. Another reason, such agents are usually the ones who can only negotiate for a 1% comm from the sellers, while most other experienced and professional ones are worth 2% sellers' comm. So they are less willing to close a deal if they are unable to make-up the 1% comm from the buyers. So if you really like the property after viewing, worked out your sums and made an offer, and incidents like the above happens, and your representing agent does not propose a solution, what should you do? My suggestion: Take out your cheque, issue one with an offer money that you are comfortable with, tell the the sellers' agent how much you are offering for the property and ask him/her to prepare the offer documents. If he/she rejects your offer claiming that your offer is lower than his/her previous highest offer, tell him/her that he/she is the sellers' rep, not the seller, so he/she should not verbally reject the offer on behalf of the seller. If he/she tells you that the seller rejects your offer after walking away, supposedly on the phone with the seller, tell him/her to come back with the rejected offer-to-purchase documents, duly signed and rejected by the sellers/owners. By doing so you are assured that your offer actually reaches the sellers and not jammed at the sellers' agent. The above is what I have experienced before many times. There are many unethical property agents out there. Sellers do not receive the best offer for their properties, and buyers missed out on their chance to own their ideal homes. Having said that, there are some cases, though very very few, where sellers fully authorise their agents to make the final call on offer prices. Agents are paid a decent comm for their work, so even if the seller is located in Jurong and the viewing and offer takes place in Pasir Ris, the agent must still travel to the seller to deliver the buyers' offer in the shortest time. Disclaimer: I hold nothing against property agents. I believe the majority of them are professional and ethical in their conducts and business transactions. Only a handful of bad apples tarnish the professional image of the industry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zirhk3355 1 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 My suggestion: Take out your cheque, issue one with an offer money that you are comfortable with, tell the the sellers' agent how much you are offering for the property and ask him/her to prepare the offer documents. If he/she rejects your offer claiming that your offer is lower than his/her previous highest offer, tell him/her that he/she is the sellers' rep, not the seller, so he/she should not verbally reject the offer on behalf of the seller. If he/she tells you that the seller rejects your offer after walking away, supposedly on the phone with the seller, tell him/her to come back with the rejected offer-to-purchase documents, duly signed and rejected by the sellers/owners. By doing so you are assured that your offer actually reaches the sellers and not jammed at the sellers' agent. Good advice! But you might want to check on the feasibility, eg is there a rejection column in HDB's OTP for seller to sign? Why would the seller want to sign? But you seemed to talking from experience? Mind sharing more details of your encounter...? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
looneygas 13 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 Agree with zirhk...As long as the seller is not present, it's basically up to the agent to spin any kinda tale to make your offer unfavorable. So I don't see how the agent will wana do extra work just to prove that offer was conveyed to seller. Besides, buyer has no way of checking if seller was informed. Or are we missing out some critical info here? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burgoos 0 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) Good advice! But you might want to check on the feasibility, eg is there a rejection column in HDB's OTP for seller to sign? Why would the seller want to sign? But you seemed to talking from experience? Mind sharing more details of your encounter...? There is no "Rejection Column" in HDB's OTP form. If you want to be very sure that sellers' agent present your offer to the owner, fill up the OTP, which is pretty simple to fill up and ask the sellers' agent to return the form crossed out "Null & Void" and counter-signed by the owner if they reject your offer price. This at least assures the genuine buyers that their offer price is not accepted by the sellers, not by their agents. This may be a little troublesome for the agent, but hey, do you as the buyer want to lose out a good buy or get the dream home at your calculated price. Many house hunters like some of the members who have contributed above missed out on their ideal home purchase simply because offers were not presented to sellers but upright shut out by the sellers' agent. Personal experience? Definitely. More vomit-blood experience in my year-long home search. Not all from agents but from owners as well. Coming soon... Edited May 14, 2009 by Burgoos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
looneygas 13 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 THis method still doesn't eliminate horseplay by agents who have the intent to do so simply because the agents aren't obliged to play by your rules when there are other bees out there waiting to sting. Only the ethical ones would do it. Correct me if im wrong. Yea the owners can be a pain too... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marvin 0 Report post Posted May 14, 2009 THis method still doesn't eliminate horseplay by agents who have the intent to do so simply because the agents aren't obliged to play by your rules when there are other bees out there waiting to sting. Only the ethical ones would do it. Correct me if im wrong. Yea the owners can be a pain too... Yar, I oso think these bad agents, if they come up with those silly tales, they will not bother to give u a rejection notice etc. Best is to write to the owner! Tell them your offer and ask them to call u if they are interested. In that way, they may really know the true colours of their agent! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
