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Do French Estate Agents Know How to Take a Photo?


EdF
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[quote user="Deimos"][quote user="Will"]

... all stemming from an original desire not to be too specific or make a house too easy to identify, and it will take a lot to change things.

[/quote]

I agree about the "limitations" of French Estate agents - though my personal experience is quite a few years out of date now.  I also notice that most of the work they do seems related to protecting their commission.  However, why do I see Estate Agent's "For Sale" boards up outside houses.  If I were a buyer and given the commission they charge I would drive around my selected area looking for boards on suitable houses and knock on the door, thus saving myself a significant sum should I find a suitable place.  for people living in an area and wanting to move locally I would expect they would notice the boards in their normal to'ing and fro'ing and the agent you never be contacted.

After all, as the agents (used to) take you to the house, there is no need for a board to help you identify the correct front door as you are always accompanied.

Ian
[/quote]

I'm not sure about the situation in France, but if you directly approach a vendor based on an agent's sign and who subsequently sells to you, is the agent not due his fee as his advertising prompted the sale?

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[quote user="Eos"][quote user="Deimos"][quote user="Will"]

... all stemming from an original desire not to be too specific or make a house too easy to identify, and it will take a lot to change things.

[/quote]

I agree about the "limitations" of French Estate agents - though my personal experience is quite a few years out of date now.  I also notice that most of the work they do seems related to protecting their commission.  However, why do I see Estate Agent's "For Sale" boards up outside houses.  If I were a buyer and given the commission they charge I would drive around my selected area looking for boards on suitable houses and knock on the door, thus saving myself a significant sum should I find a suitable place.  for people living in an area and wanting to move locally I would expect they would notice the boards in their normal to'ing and fro'ing and the agent you never be contacted.

After all, as the agents (used to) take you to the house, there is no need for a board to help you identify the correct front door as you are always accompanied.

Ian

[/quote]

I'm not sure about the situation in France, but if you directly approach a vendor based on an agent's sign and who subsequently sells to you, is the agent not due his fee as his advertising prompted the sale?

[/quote]

In France before the agent will take you to a property you have to sign a "bonne visite" (or something like that) - one for each property.  That confirms (contractually) that it was that agent who introduced you to the property and that if you subsequently buy it, they get the commission.  If you buy through another agent they can/will sue you for their commission using the "bonne visite" thingy as their proof.  All part of the added work they have to do (to protect their commission - not to actually sell the place).

Trying to prove that it was their sign that made you go and buy the property would probably be a step too far for even a French Estate Agent.

From memory, exclusive agents are not the norm. and most people selling use every agent they can think of.  Thus, if there are signs there are probably several signs (maybe they will club together to sue you for going direct having seen their signs.

Maybe these days agents lower their commission for exclusivity.  However, unless they have changed their "working practices" massively (e.g. started doing some work rather than waiting for the property to sell itself) then an exclusive agent would just limit the chances of a sale even more.

No idea how many sales are through Notaire litings these days.

Ian

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[quote user="P-D de Rouffignac"]

Having re-read (and contributed to) this thread I am starting to ask myself why potential buyers are so hung-up about photographs of properties. I have dealt a lot in apartments, mainly on the Mediterranean coast and port areas near where I live, and frankly an empty or sparsely furnished conrete cube does not look good, however artistically presented. I have seen some real horrors transformed by their new owners who had the wit and imagination to visualise what could be done. (I have recently bought a wreck and done it up, as readers of French Property News will know). I am always dismayed when the camera is produced by the potential buyer and realise at this point there is no sale going to be made today.

There are other more important points to note - aspect, absence/presence of sun, sound/thermal insulation, safety, access, parking, neighbours, year-round or fulltime occupancy of the building (for 9 months of the year I am virtually alone in my apartment block of 80 dwellings - some people might find that scary) and so on. There is absolutely no substitute for local knowledge and advice, and a personal visit. No amount of photographs can tell you what you really need to know.

[/quote]

 

Comprehensive written description would help !

In France most agents property adverts are pathetic!

- analogy  -

London 3 beds garden 65m, hut.

 

 

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[quote user="P-D de Rouffignac"]

Having re-read (and contributed to) this thread I am starting to ask myself why potential buyers are so hung-up about photographs of properties. I have dealt a lot in apartments, mainly on the Mediterranean coast and port areas near where I live, and frankly an empty or sparsely furnished conrete cube does not look good, however artistically presented. I have seen some real horrors transformed by their new owners who had the wit and imagination to visualise what could be done. (I have recently bought a wreck and done it up, as readers of French Property News will know). I am always dismayed when the camera is produced by the potential buyer and realise at this point there is no sale going to be made today.

There are other more important points to note - aspect, absence/presence of sun, sound/thermal insulation, safety, access, parking, neighbours, year-round or fulltime occupancy of the building (for 9 months of the year I am virtually alone in my apartment block of 80 dwellings - some people might find that scary) and so on. There is absolutely no substitute for local knowledge and advice, and a personal visit. No amount of photographs can tell you what you really need to know.

P-D de Rouffignac

[/quote]

Of course they can't but you need something to base going for an initial inspection on. Some decent photographs and a proper description would help. Clearly they won't tell you the full story but on the basis you aren't going to physically inspect every property an agent has on their books within your price range you have to base your decision on something. As far as the quality of many of the French photos I guess now it just raises a smile but really it's pretty pathetic.

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