Publisher's Synopsis
Estate agents are often seen as unscrupulous, arrogant and manipulative. But why are they so universally disliked by the general public and is their poor image justified?;In 1990 the authors set out to try and discover the truth behind the world of estate agency. The resulting book looks at what estate agents do, how the profession is regulated and the constraints, pressures, outlook and aspirations which characterize their work. Estate agents, because of the very nature of their work, are both offering a service to customers and at the same time acting as "sales people". This conflict of interests is ofetn complicated still further by the fact thatas the estate agent is acting for both the vendor and the prospective purchaser and, of course, for him/herself as well. The authors argue throughout the book that this fundamental ambiguity is at the heart of the public's view of estate agents as slippery customers.;The authors also look at how estate agents view their customers, however, and find that an equally negative stereotype exists on the other side of the fence. Like the public, estate agents have a host of cautionary tales to tell about gazumping, so-called "cash buyers" and the Sunday afternoon time waster who has no real intention of moving at all.;Professor McConville was the author of "The Case for the Prosecution" and "Watching Police: Watching Communities", Michael Clarke wrote " Business Crime: its Nature and Control" and "Mortgage Fraud" and Dr David Smith was the author of "The Railway and its Passengers: a Social History".
