Once an offer has been accepted, many sellers assume the hard part is over. In reality, this is often when the estate agent’s job becomes trickiest, and when both sides are most likely to feel like the agent has switched allegiance.
It’s a common feeling once negotiations begin in earnest. Requests start coming in from the buyer’s side: access for a surveyor, a second viewing to take measurements, a query about what’s included in the sale, a push to bring the price down after a survey flags up some work needed. Every request that lands on your doorstep can feel like the agent is now working for the buyer rather than you.
The truth is usually more mundane. An agent’s job at this stage is to keep the sale moving, which means passing on requests from both sides, even the awkward ones, and helping find a way through the sticking points before they become deal-breakers. Refusing reasonable access, or digging in on every point, is often what causes sales to collapse, not the requests themselves.
Here’s something worth remembering: buyers going through the same process often feel just as frustrated with the same agent.
They may feel sellers are dragging their feet over access, being difficult about what’s included, or unwilling to budge an inch after a survey. If you’re finding the back-and-forth stressful and so is the other side, that’s often a sign the agent is doing their job properly, holding a fair middle ground rather than simply telling either party what they want to hear.
Compromise at this stage rarely feels good in the moment. Agreeing to a small price reduction, or letting a surveyor in at short notice, can feel like giving ground. But a good agent is usually weighing up the bigger picture: keeping a willing buyer at the table, avoiding the sale falling through, and getting you to completion with the fewest possible delays.
If the requests start to feel unreasonable or you’re unsure what’s fair to agree to, it’s worth asking your agent directly why they think it’s a sensible compromise. A good agent should be able to explain their reasoning, not just relay a message.
A friend once told me she wasn’t pleased with her divorce settlement. Her lawyer said she hoped her ex wasn’t either, and qualified by saying: it’s the right settlement if neither side are happy. And maybe that same sentiment is worth remembering with any stressful process where two sides are involved.