On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 21:20:41 +0100, "sid" wrote:



: It's so the vendor can quote some ridiculously low price, thereby
seducing buyers into his web, banking on the fact that buyers will put
in silly (i.e. exaggerated) offers so that the chance of getting *far
more* than the property is actually worth is greatly increased.
MM

Dear me. We are all very naive and trusting are we not. Can I interest you
in my property. Offers over £1.

See the response I gave to Andy earlier, with a quote from The
Scotsman. It looks like even the Office of Fair Trading is concerned,
so you might just pause for a moment and ask why they are getting
involved if the system is as fair as you imply.

If you don't know what a house should be worth then you are not in a proper
position to make an offer. A two minute chat with another estate agent will
soon sort any confusion about a house price. In any event, you are not
compelled to make an offer on any property. Its a free country (I think)

Look, if properties in England and Wales are priced at a fixed asking
price, as they largely are, then buyers have the choice of choosing to
go for this or that property purely from comparing the particulars.
That is competition working. Where is the competition in Scotland? If
we're all agreed that Scottish OO figures are just playing silly
buggers with the true valuation, it's as if everyone is driving blind
down a foggy motorway in the wrong direction.

MM