Hi,
I have a question for you re: using estate agents to buy property in France. At the moment we are having some difficulty with the agent who represents the property we're interested in. As we also met the owner of the property by accident while we were visiting it (alone... minus agent... though we signed a visit form for them) we have an insight into what is happening from both agent and seller.

Basically we made an offer through the agent for the amount requested.

We didn't hear anything back and felt very put off by his tone over the phone which suggested we werent' serious.

We then rang the owner of the property and she told us that the agent had rang her and more or less told her that there were others interested in buying (though we had made an offer). She seems bemused and we are annoyed with the agent.

My question is this; since we feel he hasn't done us any favours and has tried to put us off buying... would we be sued if we went behind his back and bought direct from the owner?

How are we fixed legally to bypass?

thanks for your time!

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Hello
It is standard practice for agents to get you to sign this agreement although there are a few who do not insist and even fewer who agree with me that it is a dishonest and bad thing.

Basically you are stuck with paying the agent a commission if you buy this property, even though you found it yourself after signing the form.

The action of the agent seems typical and of hundreds I have had experience of in France I have only found one I consider honest (and they are English).

It sounds (not unusual) also that the owner is not getting a fair deal - my advice is to go, with the owners, to a Notaire, who is not a friend of the agent, and tell them the story - a few phone calls from the Notaire may sort this out and you can then buy through the Notaire (who also gets a commission)

Welcome to France

Tony