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Post by Broker team on Aug 13, 2004 17:39:25 GMT 1
I saw only guests (without names and adress), if somebody has problem with us, write name, adress and some of our corespodence.
We are ready to answer to all your questions.
We have concritly aprow for anything what we have said.
Some of you give wrong information to British buyers, and that is very dangerous for them.
We have enough work, we do not need advertising, only want to help.
I will give you many reasons why it is better working with croatian people.
Broker team
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Post by yeslehc on Aug 15, 2004 14:39:37 GMT 1
Give us the reasons then!!!
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Post by Broker team on Aug 15, 2004 16:41:24 GMT 1
1/we have in our offer more than 2000 properties which we have been collecting during last 10 years, and it is always better for the buyers to see more properties to be able to make comparrison.
2/we know croatian laws, and we put first starnger in court book 1995
3/we are the member of Croatian Chambers of Economy, and Croatian assotiation of Real Estate Agents, and we signed the document to protect our clients
4/We only work for the comission, and never make differences of price
5/we have more experience in negotiations
6/non croatian agents do not know how dangerous it is to sell land, because laws change often
7/Our agents have better contacts with the owners
8/we have more experience in buying proces
9/many foreign agents offer to us cooperation on base of different price,
and many more
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Post by elsanddee on Aug 15, 2004 17:37:53 GMT 1
Dear broker team, after reading many of these threads, my personal opinion is that no one should be calling you dishonest. I just feel that comminication should and could be improved, and thats it. I agree that many agents are pretty elusive, but i also think there are many curious English people wasting agents time. We found it also imposible to get time with agents even though we had made the journey to Croatia and had the money sitting in the bank. My advice to prospective buyers is to state your case in an email before you go, say what specifically you are looking for and how much money you have in the bank. We tried this approach and had good results, ie good communication back.  |
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Post by Broker team on Aug 16, 2004 8:24:41 GMT 1
I'm glad you understand that, the way you suggested is realy the way how we do it.
It is true we take a small amounth of money 50-100 Eur for viewing, but this is the way we try to do a selection of serious buyers. It's also true that in case of purchase through our agency, these expenses are reimbursed.
Our intention is to inform British buyers about the property market situation, which unnamed guests tried to introduce without any contact details, except for mr B. Haywood, who had to come to our office and organise a viewing there, and who has not done so.
Best regards
Broker team
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Post by bheywood on Aug 20, 2004 15:23:13 GMT 1
How interesting! Zlatko, we met several great agents out in Split. I can name two (but not here) who were terrific, helpful, and bona fide with a capital BF. We are buying through one of them! My post and others are concerned only with Broker. Trgostan, incidentally, I can't comment on; we didn't book any viewings through them.
Lara Vekic's reply above doesn't answer the fundamental questions about Broker's practices, which have been longer debated than Greek athletes involed in motorcycle accidents. Following the email exchange Lara has been kind enough to reproduce, we had several phone calls whereby Broker refused to show us an ADVERTISED house we were stood outside, even for an agreed fee for an "overnight" stay we knew to be a scam (there were two return ferry options from Vis that week!). They demanded we go back to Split and then back to Vis again and even told us we were acting illegally by looking at the outside of the house without them. Haddock, anyone?
As John Major once whimpered, it's time to put up or shut up - Broker, Lara, I challenge you to pick ANY of the properties on your website (s) and prove they are for sale at the prices indicated. In fact, can you offer up any fully satisfied customers for whom you have completed a real estate purchase? I asked some time ago, does anyone even KNOW of anyone who has bought through Broker?
Life's too short, people. If you're really interested in buying a place on the islands, I can point you in the right direction for reputable agents we came across. Broker/Croestate or whatever other names they like to call themselves are interested only in taking your money and messing you about. I've no agenda here, just calling it how I see it.
Here endeth the lesson...and thank you for support!
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Post by Broker team on Aug 21, 2004 16:02:20 GMT 1
Comment of "Broker Co." real estate agency,
Ben Heywood the man who has been persistently telling lies about our agency
tried to doublecross us by contacting the owner of a house on
the island of Vis by himself. He found the photos on our web sites
which show our offer. He managed to find the house, but it was
closed. Only then did he decided to phone us and tried to get any
information which would help him to find the owner and enter
the house. Naturally, we did not want to give those information
to him for it was obvious that he wanted to avoid the commission-fee
payment to us in case the property was purchased.
The fact that the above mentioned gentleman is telling bad things
about us wherever and whoever he can is actually the proof
of our value and position on the real estate market.
There are so many reputable clients that are constantly coming back
to us and who are worthy of our efforts.
Fortunately, he is one of the rare people that leave us indifferent.
Lara Vekic, "Broker Co."
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Post by bheywood on Aug 23, 2004 10:15:06 GMT 1
OK, I've no wish to continue this mutual slagging off session, but...
"Ben Heywood the man who has been persistently telling lies about our agency tried to doublecross us by contacting the owner of a house on the island of Vis by himself."
Lara, if I wanted to cut you out of the deal, why on earth would I call you up to ask you to show us the house?? I did leave a hopeful note for the owner after your refusal - to ask them to contact us, but only because their agent of choice seemed oddly reluctant to try and actually sell their house...
"He found the photos on our web sites which show our offer. He managed to find the house, but it was
closed. Only then did he decided to phone us and tried to get any information which would help him to find the owner and enter the house."
I phone up to ask to be shown the house, and Broker refuse unless I return to Split first and pay €150 for an "overnight" stay that was not necessary (there being plenty of return ferries from the island is question). I agree to pay €100 for their viewing costs to smooth the waters - and they refuse again, and become angry that I had gone to the island without them. I suppose they might well be edgy if a house they advertise isn't really for sale. Imagine if I bumped into the owner. How embarrassing that might have been...
"Naturally, we did not want to give those information to him for it was obvious that he wanted to avoid the commission-fee payment to us in case the property was purchased."
I didn't fancy paying Broker €100 to show me a house I couldn't buy, but had Broker been genuine I'd have happily paid 3-5%. Broker seemed rather less enthusiastic about collecting any possible commission, odd considering that's how agents make their money. Maybe Broker are a non-profit making organisation that can afford to choose who to sell to and who not sell to? I suspect that the house was not actually for sale and that this why Broker panicked and didn't want to show it to me...
"The fact that the above mentioned gentleman is telling bad things about us wherever and whoever he can is actually the proof of our value and position on the real estate market."
I honestly could not have put if better myself!
Ben
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Post by Broker team on Aug 23, 2004 19:20:31 GMT 1
We will answer one more time and then we don't have anymore time for the games you are playing.
1. Since our office is in Split and if you want to see the proprety through our agency, than it is normal and usual that a potential buyer comes first to the office of the broker who offered the property in the first place.
2. The day when you informed us from Vis was a Saturday, our agency was ready to show you and others the property in question on Sunday (during the weekend) in order to properly assist you and we would have charged you only 100EUR for our expenses, which would have also guaranteed us that you are a potential Buyer and not just some tourist who needed somebody to tour him through available properties. Also, these expenses would be deducted from our commission in case of purchase by you
3. You were angry, because you couldn't see the house inside, because the key was in our agency, and nobody else could help you.
We do not plan to give any more explanations or answer any futher questions regarding this issue. Our plan was to assist British customers in their search for property, but we don't have the time to play any games – because there is serious clients who really need our assistance.
We wish you good luck in your bussines,
Broker team
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Post by bheywood on Aug 27, 2004 10:49:36 GMT 1
I promised my wife I wouldn't reply again, as she thinks I'm beginning to sound a little like Alsdoubles. I confess that this ongoing dispute might make me sound a tad obsessed, so regardless of comeback this will be my last post on the topic (sighs of relief all round, I know). www.broker.hr/nekretnine/0277.htmHave a look. This is the house Broker didn't want us to see, still being advertised for a ludicrously low price. It's a three storey town house, small, but perfectly formed. It's about 20m from the harbour front, 2nd row from the sea, on the "Luka" side of Vis Town. Great location. Great value, no? As of 10:45am on Friday 27th August this house is still being offered "for sale". Leaving aside the fact that a Vis property that cheap should never still be unsold after 6 months, I'd like to challenge someone to try and view it at the advertised price! Let me know how you get on, and while you're on Broker.hr, do have look at all the other lovely houses that you won't be able to buy! On another thread somewhere in this forum was a guy who defended Broker by saying that he paid c€100 to see a house, the agent was lovely to him and his family, was thoroughly professional and it was a shame that the house he paid to see turned out to be unavailable. I think that might say it all. Sir, if you are out there, I think you'll find that you have been rather expertly turned over. I'm a serious buyer, not a time waster - I am buying a house on Vis as we speak. Contrary to the email above I telephoned Broker on a Tuesday. We only arrived on Vis on Sunday 6th June, and left on Friday 11th June. They know this, and also know the telephone conversations that followed, so I'm not going to embarrass them further (they're doing fine by themselves) by revealing further examples of their economy with the truth. I've posted on this subject simply because I want people to be careful. It is "caveat emptor" at the end of the day; the potential purchaser must do their utmost to ensure they do not get led down the garden path, and that means research. There are some terrific people and agents in Croatia, and I would hate for them to be tarred with the same brush as Broker. This forum is for those who want, or want to offer, help or advice. If there is criticism of a company on this forum, there's usually a very good reason for it. Broker, I wish you luck in your future endeavours. Judging by the response you've had on these pages, you're probably going to need it. Best Wishes Ben |
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Post by Tom 8 on Aug 27, 2004 15:15:13 GMT 1
Ben, you have support of all people on this forum!
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Post by Christine on Aug 27, 2004 15:44:31 GMT 1
Ben, I support you as well!   |
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Post by englishbloke on Aug 31, 2004 20:17:20 GMT 1
... On another thread somewhere in this forum was a guy who defended Broker by saying that he paid c€100 to see a house, the agent was lovely to him and his family, was thoroughly professional and it was a shame that the house he paid to see turned out to be unavailable. I think that might say it all. Sir, if you are out there, I think you'll find that you have been rather expertly turned over ... Is your obsession getting the better of you? It was €50 and one of 5-6 properties. Three others we would have gone inside, but we had already visited them with other agents and (as is the way) told them not to bother showing us round. I don't know about "your bad experience" but please don't put words into my mouth. By the way, if you and your partner would put in an hour's office time, drive us four around for 5 hours and buy us drinks and only charge 30 quid ... I've got a villa you can build for me. |
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Post by Debbie on Aug 31, 2004 21:12:46 GMT 1
Is your obsession getting the better of you? It was €50 and one of 5-6 properties. Three others we would have gone inside, but we had already visited them with other agents and (as is the way) told them not to bother showing us round. I don't know about "your bad experience" but please don't put words into my mouth. By the way, if you and your partner would put in an hour's office time, drive us four around for 5 hours and buy us drinks and only charge 30 quid ... I've got a villa you can build for me. englishbloke you are being silly and a little naive! What Ben is doing is providing another point of view! Don't take things personally, we all know about that agency, you may have a good experience with them but so what if they buy you some drinks! |
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Post by englishbloke on Aug 31, 2004 22:14:16 GMT 1
... you may have a good experience with them ... Yawn ... Er yes, and that is the point of a balanced discussion. The trouble with such one-sided forum threads is that comments such as I made months ago get, albeit inadvertantly, repeated and distorted in the general thrust of things. Ben: Maybe we'll catch up out there for a beer some time, all going well. |
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