Real Estate Agents.

[Pia]

Having tried to sell a property , I contacted several estate agents on the island.Talk about non qualified , arrogant, unprofessional bunch. Never met anyone like them, do not return calls, not keep appointments.

In most countries you have to qualify to become one, here don't make me laugh.

From the biggest names on the island to the small ones all the same & they ask for stupid commissions.

Would understand justifying the commission if they qualified prospective customers or had knowledge of the house they are selling. These people are just cowboys.

Sad bunch of people.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Pia

[sunlife2000]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

[steelerian]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

[Tropicalevo]

On the whole, I think that you are correct.

I have dealt with hundreds of agents over the years that I have been here, although on the rental side only. Not the selling/buying side.

However, keep trying. There are some good ones out there. Also - bear in mind that it's a cut-throat business and so staff change quite often.

If it helps - I am happy to share the contact details of the ones that I use from choice. PM me if you want them.

Good luck

[sunlife2000]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

Sorry i should have said what country do you have to be qualified? as far as i know you do not have to be qualified in the UK.

[starcandle]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

Sound,,,, I'm off to open a pharmacy.

[doingok]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

Sound,,,, I'm off to open a pharmacy.

me to make mint of off body builders pmsl

[BookMan]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

And all those risks I've been taking out on the street..up to now

[samuijimmy]

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

In Thailand you dont. I think thats part of the OP's point.

But its the same with a Pharmacy. Here anyone can open a Pharmacy and sell "drugs".

Well first the topic, I am not sure about Thailand or UK and needing a license to sell real estate, in Canada you certainly do.... so that surprises me about UK, as rules / laws generally seem to follow each other... (I guess you call that copy cat laws.... )

But most of the agents I hear about here, are pretty useless.... as OP says never follow up etc... I had an agent tell me she showed a house for a friend of mine, away at the time .... Well that was a lie, cos she did not know where the key was!

As for Pharmacies here, it is my understanding that to sell certain drugs a special level of license is required, even some doctors cannot sell some drugs as they don't have the "right license".... That's why you can find some drugs at some pharmacies and not others... (also depends on which supplier they use) .....

[gamini]

I would agree. But many of the "Farang" real estate dealers are absolute crooks. One of them in Chiangmai sold our property and we never got paid. My advice would be to only deal with well known interantional real esate companies with a branch here.

[Boater]

my 2 cents on the situation

I would agree. But many of the "Farang" real estate dealers are absolute crooks. One of them in Chiangmai sold our property and we never got paid. My advice would be to only deal with well known interantional real esate companies with a branch here.

there are no ' International ' real estate agents on samui ... both Savills and CBRE failed to conclude any sales, so had to shut down .... i think you should look at companies that have been established for many years, and are ' Internationally Accredited '

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

No you dont, but some agents are accredited and qualified by RICS, REBA , AIPP and CIPS

Having tried to sell a property , I contacted several estate agents on the island.Talk about non qualified , arrogant, unprofessional bunch. Never met anyone like them, do not return calls, not keep appointments.

Have you look at the situation in a reverse view? , agents are contacted day in / day out with property for sale !, now the demand at the moment is for undervalue bargains, people are not going to pay above market value for a property, and alot of people who want to list their properties are so unrealistic with the price , it just wouldn’t sell !, now to go list the property, upload ect is a cost of time/petrol ect to the agent !, and if it isnt going to sell, what is the point? If you have a property that has demand from the market to purchase, the agent will defiantly be calling back and listing your property, i think you maybe just unrealistic with the price, or the location of your property

These people are just cowboys.

or maybe you are just over speculating on the true value of your property, and agents can’t see it viable to list? , as they also then become discredited by putting up overpriced property?

[Tropicalevo]

Well, there is always a first time.

I have just had to explain to a renter that he has to pay the rent again this month. The agent that he was paying the rent to has done a runner with it. (5 months into a nine month contract.)

He is not happy at having to pay rent twice this month. (I told him to pay it direct to me. Oh well.)

By the way - this agent was not one of my preferred/recommended ones. If you want the details - PM me.

[Boater]

Well, there is always a first time.

I have just had to explain to a renter that he has to pay the rent again this month. The agent that he was paying the rent to has done a runner with it. (5 months into a nine month contract.)

He is not happy at having to pay rent twice this month. (I told him to pay it direct to me. Oh well.)

By the way - this agent was not one of my preferred/recommended ones. If you want the details - PM me.

This is a very unfortunate event, and i have rarely seen this happen on Samui, due to safty guards in place..

quick few questions...

1) Was the agent office based, and registered as a Thai Company? , or just someone who ' Refers ' clients?

2) Why was the contract stated he paid the agent first and not your self? , as most agents will just act as introducers and paid off the back of that?

3) Do you know why the agent did a runner?

4) was he and the agent by any chance russian?

There does appear to be an influx of ' Cowboy ' Russian agents, who unless they are registered, i would strongly advise against dealing with, as they are nothing but trouble in the long run ... similar to the cowboy ' English ' agents that once occupied the island but are no more or less gone !

If you do own property in Samui, and do wish to rent it out, always use REGISTERED thai company rental agency , they may cost a bit more in commission , but they offer at least that bit more of a safty guard, as the have a reputation to hold, as well as a business ...

Just one last point, have you reported this to the Tourist Police? , as if you have all the contracts in Place, they will take this very seriously and will go after the agent for the money !, i have seen them act before on a simliar story, and they do act !

[Tropicalevo]

Well, there is always a first time.

I have just had to explain to a renter that he has to pay the rent again this month. The agent that he was paying the rent to has done a runner with it. (5 months into a nine month contract.)

He is not happy at having to pay rent twice this month. (I told him to pay it direct to me. Oh well.)

By the way - this agent was not one of my preferred/recommended ones. If you want the details - PM me.

A result. A quick post on thaivisa.com and......

I have just had an email. "They forgot to pay me - the money is in the bank".

Hmmm 3 SMS's, a number of phone calls and emails. Pretty bad memory.

Well done TV

[beninthailand]

Actually, yes there are plenty of countries where one has to qualify to act in such a capacity, as an agent for property, where unscrupulous practices could mean those trusting the said unscrupulous "fidicuiary" would be, to use the technical term, "screwed". WOW figure that out. This is the case in the United States, for example where such fiduciaries are regulated and must be qualified on a state by state basis, like lawyers who are also fiduciaries. This is case in many other places but there few if any "real" real estate agents here...as the lack of any awareness of what I am telling you highlights. And this will eventually, sooner the better, come to Thailand too. In fact, Sinapore enacted such measures a few years ago...the rest of Asia will follow.

So called "accrediteding" associations...TOTALLY worthless as they have absolutely no teeth and just want to make money by getting those who are members to join and stay. Do you think entities care if you get screwed by one of their members here in Thailand?

Thailand needs to regulate them soon and that would go A LONG way to getting rid of the cowboys. No disrespect but the comments about using a "Thai company agent" ...also totally worthless. That says absolutely nothing about them and does NOT protect you at all.

Note, I do know Samui, I lived there for several years and dealt with those in the business and to be frank they (mostly are all gone now due to the economy) are pretty much ALL without ANY professional qualifications, let alone education and yes COWBOYS...i.e. ALL of them including perhaps especially even the ones stil around today!

Good luck! and PM if you want any specific information about the various agents still floating there today.

[maccaroni man]

my 2 cents on the situation

I would agree. But many of the "Farang" real estate dealers are absolute crooks. One of them in Chiangmai sold our property and we never got paid. My advice would be to only deal with well known interantional real esate companies with a branch here.

there are no ' International ' real estate agents on samui ... both Savills and CBRE failed to conclude any sales, so had to shut down .... i think you should look at companies that have been established for many years, and are ' Internationally Accredited '

I didn't know you had to be qualified to be a estate agent.

No you dont, but some agents are accredited and qualified by RICS, REBA , AIPP and CIPS

Having tried to sell a property , I contacted several estate agents on the island.Talk about non qualified , arrogant, unprofessional bunch. Never met anyone like them, do not return calls, not keep appointments.

Have you look at the situation in a reverse view? , agents are contacted day in / day out with property for sale !, now the demand at the moment is for undervalue bargains, people are not going to pay above market value for a property, and alot of people who want to list their properties are so unrealistic with the price , it just wouldn’t sell !, now to go list the property, upload ect is a cost of time/petrol ect to the agent !, and if it isnt going to sell, what is the point? If you have a property that has demand from the market to purchase, the agent will defiantly be calling back and listing your property, i think you maybe just unrealistic with the price, or the location of your property

These people are just cowboys.

or maybe you are just over speculating on the true value of your property, and agents can’t see it viable to list? , as they also then become discredited by putting up overpriced property?

well that explains it all for me; if the house is easy to sell the agent will work if it requires a bit of work they will sit on their hands and wait for an easy way out. #1 real estate agents are not sales people #2 they are not closer #3they are not worth anything more than a finders fee. try a time share closer and watch what happens.

[maccaroni man]

Well, there is always a first time.

I have just had to explain to a renter that he has to pay the rent again this month. The agent that he was paying the rent to has done a runner with it. (5 months into a nine month contract.)

He is not happy at having to pay rent twice this month. (I told him to pay it direct to me. Oh well.)

By the way - this agent was not one of my preferred/recommended ones. If you want the details - PM me.

This is a very unfortunate event, and i have rarely seen this happen on Samui, due to safty guards in place..

quick few questions...

1) Was the agent office based, and registered as a Thai Company? , or just someone who ' Refers ' clients?

2) Why was the contract stated he paid the agent first and not your self? , as most agents will just act as introducers and paid off the back of that?

3) Do you know why the agent did a runner?

4) was he and the agent by any chance russian?

There does appear to be an influx of ' Cowboy ' Russian agents, who unless they are registered, i would strongly advise against dealing with, as they are nothing but trouble in the long run ... similar to the cowboy ' English ' agents that once occupied the island but are no more or less gone !

If you do own property in Samui, and do wish to rent it out, always use REGISTERED thai company rental agency , they may cost a bit more in commission , but they offer at least that bit more of a safty guard, as the have a reputation to hold, as well as a business ...

Just one last point, have you reported this to the Tourist Police? , as if you have all the contracts in Place, they will take this very seriously and will go after the agent for the money !, i have seen them act before on a simliar story, and they do act !

TBH most fo the wanks i have met have been from the western block.