I am acting on the sale of a property for a relative who is selling the property on behalf of his father – it is very sad circumstances.
It is always interesting to hear what happens in the lives of those selling or buying in relation to the transaction as there are things that we don’t know about. What has been interesting in this matter – and I believe that it is the same for all transactions – is the volume of marketing that is sent to the property, and I think it is incumbent on those sending the marketing material to take a position on this. When the property was first put on the market, there were letters and brochures from cleaning companies and gardeners, asking if the house needed cleaning or the garden needed tidying.
When the property did not sell within the first eight weeks, then marketing from other agents started to arrive – some of it was quite defamatory about the agent selling the house. Why had that agent not sold the property? Was it overpriced? Statements that they should change agents as because the house had not sold, it must be the agent’s fault.
The house then sold. Then another type of marketing started. Removal firms. Clearance companies.
I understand that the sale of a property is a business transaction. I understand that there are businesses that want to make money out the sale of a property. I appreciate that companies want to promote their services.
But what my relative found upsetting is that there was no understanding or appreciation of the circumstances of the sale. The sale process has been very difficult and very upsetting at times. Receiving unsolicited post has been difficult for him to handle to the point where he was just handing me the envelopes and asking me to open the letters as he could no longer cope with it. He knew that he had to open the letters just in case there was something he needed to know about, but the volume of advertising mail was quite staggering.
I don’t know if there is an answer to this – but it has made me realise that sellers (and possible buyers as well) receive a large volume of unsolicited mail and perhaps we should mention to clients that this may happen and prepare them. We can’t stop it happening, but it makes me think about mentioning to the client that it could happen. And that there are circumstances where it could be upsetting.
One Response
Hi there
Yes it’s a good point you mention . It’s a situation where the family can realise just how much junk mail the deceased received in any event . Writing
Return to sender – owner deceased or even remove name from your list can cut it down considerably . Also of course there can be emails as email box needs to be closed down n text messages as phone needs cancelling
Before now I’ve rung estate agents and others and told them to stop dropping in their calling cards . As u say sometimes they don’t get it – because their greed to jump on any financial opportunity is greater . Best to not divulge the property is empty of course for obvious reasons