Generally we were happy with the outcome of this transaction, with the result in middle of the range of our expectations. With 4 people involved from our end I believe Andrew handled the communication side of things / personalities exceptionally well. Things handled well: * Communication / follow up was great, including phone calls soon after each OFI and mid-term report with well presented website stats, buyers comments, etc. * Marketing of the property well presented. * Andrew is a good negotiator / salesman. Room for improvement: * Personally I was irritated by the "conditioning" process of being fed subtle negatives throughout the marketing period - subtle seeds of doubt regularly planted in order to temper expectations on price - and thus manage price expectations below the lower end of similar sales in the area. I know most (all?) agents do this, but I found this psychological mind game annoying. I asked Andrew not to do this from the outset but it still happened. There was an underlying clash of personalities on this issue, as I think Andrew soon realised I was onto his tactics, but ultimately we met our reserve, so all good in the end. * Marketing fees were expensive and not negotiable. These fees were considerably more than I've paid to previous agents, and given the haste with which the sales agreement was presented and quickly signed.... subsequently not negotiable. My advice to prospective vendors is to ask for few days to consider / weigh up options before appointing an agent. Sleep on this important decision before signing. * Also keep in mind you are paying marketing fees not just to promote your property, but to promote the agent's brand. * Jellis Craig employed cleaners on our behalf who were sub-par. The vetting and subsequent selection of suppliers needs improvement. All in all though we were happy with the outcome - a price within expectations - which, despite few negative comments above, is what matters in the end.
Andrew Keleher
