In recognition of the Halloween weekend we reveal how a local family
endured the nightmare experience that no one wants when selling their
home.
To Begin
The Jones family were like many you know in the local area, mum, dad, two young children and Lucky the black cat.
The
family were heavily involved within the community and very popular with
the neighbours, so you can imagine the disappointment when folks found
out that the Jones’s were relocating due to a job change.
In
order to get a sales valuation of their home the Jones’s called in three
estate agents. Two of the agents were both likeable, presentable,
knowledgeable and their valuations were similar give or take £2000.
The Charmer
The Jones’s felt all was going as expected until they met Agent 3.
Due
to meet at 3 pm they rang to say that they wouldn’t be able to get to
the property until later in the evening. At 8 pm the door-bell rang and
Mr Jones went to the door. The agent, let’s call him Damian, stepped out
of the shadows into the light, and the reflection from his pearly white
teeth and shiny shoes momentarily stunned Mr J.
The following
30 minutes were a blur. Damian with the dazzling pearly whites was
devilishly charming and talked in an almost hypnotic way.
Presenting
the family with a valuation of £20,000 more than the other agents, he
lowered his voice and then said, ‘I have dozens of people looking for a
home like yours, it’ll be sold in no time at all.’
The Jones’s signed a long contract there and then instructing Damian’s agency to sell the property.
On reflection, Mrs Jones said she had felt blinded by the smile, the shoes, and the promised sales price.
As
Damian walked down the path whistling softly, a Black crow landed on
the family car and stared soullessly at the Jones’s. Was this an omen?
The Haunting
‘Something
doesn’t feel right’ said Mr Jones a day after the visit. ‘I know what
you mean dad’ said Lucy the couple’s 7-year-old. ‘That weird man didn’t
have a shadow when he stood by our lamp.’
Dad ignored Lucy’s comment as the workings of a child’s wild imagination, but then things began to get scary.
Damian was never seen again.
When seeking an update the office always said he was unavailable.
But
that wasn’t all that was missing: as a result of Damian’s higher price
the property was sat in the wrong price band for a property of its type,
buyers were scared off and the family home attracted very little
interest.
Coupled with poor communication from the agency and the
lack of viewings was becoming a nightmare for the family as their move
became ever closer.
Because they couldn’t sell, they couldn’t buy, this caused a horrendous amount of stress for mum and dad.
The
moral of this family story is be very wary of smooth-talking agents,
who promise the earth and conjure up mesmerising market values for your
home that make little sense.
A happy ending?
You may be asking why we are referring to the Jones’s in the past tense?
Well,
thankfully Whitegates Keighley were on hand, accurately valued their
home, and created an effective marketing plan for their property’s sale
resulting in a successful move.
And the mysterious agent?
Legend
has it that he can still be found around the local area, still casting
no shadow but leaving a trail of homeowner horror stories in their wake.
The black crow is still believed to follow them.
If this story sounds familiar why not give us a call on 01535 669588 and let us get you moving.
PS: The names have been changed to protect the innocent……. And the guilty……. HAPPY HALLOWEE
