PeaceSeekingMissile

So a few weeks ago I replied to a few listings on leboncoin [in French] and a couple on rightmove.

Basicaly I would like/ask for some directions or exact location so I can see the satellite fotos, streetview etc. I understand why agents are hesitant to share but even from private vendors, it's a blood from stone exercise.

One very big national agent to whom I enquired about two houses sent a reply from some main office suggesting they set up a nice tour for me and said they would forward the specific enquiries to the local agencys. One replied it had gone [except it's remained some weeks more on Rightmove], the other made no reply.

Since I live in the UK and will be taking a few trips just to see houses, it makes no sense to waste time viewing stuff unless you've seen the house on a satellite foto, wherever the nearest streetview is and generally know it's situation with respect to towns/villages, roads and neighbours.

So I'm wondering will calling them all make this easier? Do other people just accept whatever an agent wants to show them? Or spend huge amounts of time looking at houses where it's clear you have no interest and could have known that in 10 seconds at home by looking at the arial foto?

The one exception to this issue seems to be notaires. They are very prompt in supplying info but of course their listings are limited.

Tweedpipe

On LBCoin, private sellers and also agents put in the ad just underneath the title the nearest siginificant town to where the property is located.
As an example I just did a random search for any property in Haute Garonne. This threw up some 88 pages (screens) of available properties in that department, and alongside the description is the name of the nearest significant town, Montberon, Mondonville, Toulouse etc....From that you can easily due a virtual fly-past, and even a virtual walk up the high street.
For additional details, give the seller a call if their number is indicated in the orange box on the right of the ad (below the seller's forum name), or send them a mail via LBCoin by clicking on the blue box).
It's normal procedure to ask as many questions as possible when purchasing this way.
I use LBCoin frequently in my search for vintage Mac computers, and always contact the seller, first by mail asking for additional detailed photos to show the condition, and finally to confirm a deal I usually call the seller to get a feel if he/she sounds genuine or not.
If you ask for additional photos/details of a property and the seller seems reluctant to satisfy your request, pass immediately.
The same procedure must surely apply to agents, although I guess many would prefer you to visit their office, than be bothered to answer e-mails, send out additional photos etc. My past experience here - when it was a seller's market - showed them to be a rather lazy lot, and now that it's a buyers market I doubt whether many agents have changed their ways.

I can partially understand if a seller is reluctant to disclose the precise address of the property for security reasons. If I was a seller and was asked this, I would give an approximation of the location in relation to the city or town centre.

scrubbedexpat056

I'm in a similar situation. I have sent emails to three agents and one private seller concerning houses in Carcassonne. Houses listed there can be as much as 30km away so I asked for at least the area the house was in. The private seller sent me the name of the road, two of the agents never replied and the third ignored my question and sent me details of a house in another town. Having just sold a house in UK the difference in the attitudes of agents there and here is extreme. The Brits never leave you alone. I'm still getting texts concerning a flat I rented out in November.
The only realistic answer seems to be to go where you want to live and look around yourself. I know this can be difficult for some people, but unless you are extremely lucky I doubt there is another way. We are in the position of having a boat to live on in the canals while we house hunt. Many people on this forum have been advised to rent first for different reasons, but that may well be the best plan for those aiming to buy as well.

PeaceSeekingMissile

I know the reason already.

Buyers pay the commission mostly [although there are more and more listings which say seller pays] and I'm told the French make it a national sport to steal listings and/or avoid paying the agency and deal with the owner direct.

Unsurprising given the amount and the level of service offerred.

I think I'm going to try calling and asking for exact location. My bad French will assure any agents that I'm not another agent trying to get their listing. I can regard it as French language practice. Probably the best policy is to slowly try extracting a verbal explanation of where exactly it is and see if they just suggest emailing the address to end the torture. Have to be in the right freindly jolly chatty mood

tooboocoo

Tweedpipe,

How does one do a "virtual flypast"? I can't seem to find such a feature on Google Maps.

EuroTrash

I would be very surprised if any estate agent will give you sufficient information over the phone to enable you to identify and potentially view the property. They're not so much bothered about other agents "stealing" their listings, as of seller and buyer making contact with each other and agreeing a sale, cutting the estate agent out of the loop. Hence he gets no commission even though it was his advertising that led you to the house.

When you view a property through an estate agent, they always always always check your ID and get you to sign a form. Then if the house is sold but not through them, they can check the name of the buyer, and if that buyer signed a viewing slip they are legally entitled to claim their commission. They're not going to release details to anyone who hasn't signed a viewing slip

Tweedpipe

Must confess I've not used Google Maps for some time now but last time I did, I made a virtual flight from my home here down to the Pyrenees with Toulouse as a waypoint.
I'd be surprised if that feature of GMaps has been removed, believe it was called flythrough or something similar.
There are plenty of YTube demos of this, Google, 'flying between two points using GoogleEarth' for more info.

Novocastrian

I think you're thinking of Google Earth, not maps.

Novocastrian

You're overthinking this. Tweedpipe has already told you to use leboncoin.fr and to limit you're search to A vendre particulieres.

petitefrancaise

that's how we sold our house in France. The agents were worse than useless. FWIW you can put your house for sale anywhere you like and in as many places as you like. So everyone I know who sold their house puts it on leboncoin, pap.fr and with agents.

Tweedpipe

An error slipped in...... Of course, Google Earth.

tooboocoo

Re the virtual flypast... thanks, TP and NC.

I can now fly!
:-)