Why Us ? - Goarealestates.com

The main aim of Goarealestates.com has been to be the the forefront information provider for properties and real estates in Goa. The range of goan properties include flats,bungalows,old Portuguese houses, plots, beach houses etc. Our team is more than ready to be of any help to anyone interested in buying or renting a property or has intentions of investing into real-estate in Goa.

It also maintains  a directory listing of all major Architects,Contractors,Agents, Builders and the associating industries related to Construction Industry in the state of Goa.

Having an Outdoor advertising arm which has Billboards/Hoardings all over Goa, it has generated strong presence among the people of goa and is a trusted site. It has also presently opened up it's presence in the UK to promote and boost the property market boom which is hitting the shores of Goa.
 
Common Problems with Estate Agents and what you need to watch out for

Last year Estate Agents received over Rs.1,000,000,000, YES Rs.1000 Million! in commission from sellers and landlords, and in many cases by simply doing very little. The average seller paid them over Rs.100,000 in commission .They are the number one profession people love to hate.

10 of the most common complaints are listed below. Have you, your friends or people you know experienced any of the following?
 

1. Unfair contracts
The use of a ‘Sole selling right’ clause which results in you even paying commission even if you sell or let to a friend! How unfair is that? Do not confuse this with a 'Sole Agent' contract where you can sell or let yourself and NOT pay the commission . If you have a 'Sole selling rights' clause in your contract, ask your agent to remove it immediately and quote the 'unfair contracts act'.

 
2. Agents refusing to perform viewings
Excuses such as they are too busy! The reason to you use an Agent is for them to sell or let your home.

3. Staff with no experience
Sending the office junior to present your home, who has no experience in negotiating or knowledge of your property - how effective is this? (YES NO )

4. No feedback after viewings
So you have no idea what you need to do to improve your property. Leading to a frustrated relationship and wasted time. We can show you how to employ a house doctor to help you prepare your property.

5. Forcing customers to use their mortgages brokers and solicitors
So they can earn even more commission from you. Extreme cases include agents not putting forward an offer to you because the buyer has not used the Agents mortgage broker.

6. Agents not managing tenants
Until you find out too late and the rent is unpaid.

7. Misuse of display boards
Displaying 'for sale' and 'to let' boards at properties not on their books, and even taking down competitor’s boards is very common. A board outside a property is still one of the most effective tools to drive buyers and tenants into an agency. Next time you down a main road with a large block of flats count how many boards are outside. We can show you how to get your own board with your own number.

8. Not advertising your property properly
or infrequently in local papers and wasting valuable time. Many Agents have still not realised the power of new media such as the internet where 70% of home seekers now search.

9. Overvaluing your property.
Many agents will overvalue your property in order for you to sign a contract with them. Later, when no interest has been shown, you will be forced to lower the price and you can't leave the Agent because you have signed a contract. That's why you can't rely on asking prices in Estate Agents windows as they are inflated. We can show you how to find out what properties really sold for, helping you price your property correctly so you can sell or let faster.

10. Failure to inform you of ALL offers
Trick question, as you probably won't know. There are many cases of Agents promoting lower offers. Their motivation is always money. Many Agents not only sell or let property but also get paid finders fees from buyers and tenants. These Agents may not tell you of a better offer in order to make more money. This is illegal, as an agent must tell you of ALL offers.

and the list goes on and on.
Frightening isn't it! The newspapers are full of stories of rogue Agents, and finding the good ones is increasingly difficult. Other countries such as the United States demand Estate Agents pass an exam and hold a license, but this is not the case in the UK, anyone can set up shop and reap the commission.

The Myths Estate Agents Promote About Private Selling and Letting

In the past, sellers and landlords had no choice but to but to bear and grin and employ an agent. Traditionally you would have to employ an Estate Agent because:

1. Advertising was very expensive and not cost effective to private individuals. Agents would mainly find buyers and tenants by advertising in newspapers and their shop windows. They could then split this cost over 100s of properties and return a profit. As you will find out a new, more effective form of advertising has replaced this, and is available to everyone.

2. Unable to reach buyers and tenants not in the area without advertising in national newspapers. Again Agents can split the costs over 100s of properties.

3. Displaying a 'For Sale' or 'To let' board would cost a lot. Agents can buy 100s of boards at a time and pay very little for each board, plus agents can re-use their boards again and again, lowering their costs further.

4. There was no other way! New forms of advertising such as the internet were not yet established. The chance of you meeting someone who would want to buy or let your property was small.

5. Fears of security and letting strangers into your home with the comfort that agents screen viewers. Most agents don’t check, when was the last time you were asked for an ID by an agent when viewing a property.

6. Don't have the time to perform viewings so you employ an Agent to perform this task. But how many times have you actually performed the viewing yourself because the Agent said they were too busy? Too many probably.

7. Led to believe you legally had to use an Agent? This is not true. Agents perform no legal duty even though they earn more money than professional solicitors.

8. Already with a Sole Agent and have been told you can't sell or let your property yourself! - This is not true and any agent restricting you is breaking the law. Simply threaten to report them to trading standards under the 'Unfair contracts act'. Some may try to enter a 'Sole selling rights' clause, simply tell them to remove it immediately. You can sell or let your home yourselves and NOT pay the commission even with a Sole Agent.

9. Agents can give accurate property values. Not true, agents are not qualified valuers, that's the job of a surveyor. All agents do is set a reasonable asking price, something anyone can do by looking on any property website or local paper.

All this has now changed !! The need for Estate Agents is minimal. You can sell or let your property faster and save 1000s in commission. Estate Agents now sell most of their properties via the internet.