Seemed great at first, but it all went downhill

We felt disappointed with the sale of our home was handled. We only had two open homes when Paul contacted us to say there was very little interest. Both were held around holiday periods. We were told Buxton generally didn’t conduct open homes on holiday weekends, such as Easter and Labour Day, because there was apparently very little foot traffic. Paul initially told us he believed our asking price was reasonable. However, based on the limited interest after only two open homes, he suggested reducing the price bracket, saying this would attract more buyers and give us a better chance of achieving a price closer to what we wanted. We reluctantly agreed. I was shocked when Paul later called to tell me there was an offer of $701,000. I asked if he was joking. I questioned the offer and he said it was within the price bracket and we needed legally to consider it and we needed to put the price bracket back up, but this never happened. We were then presented with an offer of $715,000. When I indicated I didn’t want to accept it, I was told there was another seller nearby with an almost identical home and that, if we didn’t accept, the buyer could potentially be directed there instead. We had spent thousands on improvements, including landscaping, alfresco area and a shed. The other property was also sold for $720,000. Eventually, we reluctantly accepted $715,000. We were exhausted and simply wanted the process to be over. I felt like our interests weren’t being strongly represented and instead felt considerable pressure to accommodate the buyer. I understand an agent cannot control the market or guarantee a sale price. However, when selling your home, you expect open communication, confidence in the strategy and strong advocacy for your interests. We were left feeling disappointed, pressured and questioning whether we received the level of service and advocacy we expected. Later I was advised Paul had left Buxton and she would finish the contract.