It shouldn't happen to an estate agent

In between viewing beautiful houses on glorious sunny days there are days when an estate agent wonders ‘why me?’.

Of course there are plenty of days when it all goes swimmingly but there are also days when you wonder why you ever chose estate agency as a career. Most of us wouldn’t change it for the world and there’s always a steady stream of good stories that make great conversation over dinner.

Is that the Eiffel Tower?

We spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting for buyers to arrive for a viewing. Or prospective vendors to appear. And notaries to set a completion date.
So it was with huge relief that we were all gathered on the big day; agent, notaire, elderly sellers. It’s a nice time, completion. Seeing people move on with their lives in one direction or another.
On the day in question, after a sales dossier that beggared belief (E-Coli in the well, the threat of a dam burst, concussion and a missing central heating system...) we were assembled at the appointed time at the notaire’s office. I say all of us….
With five minutes to go, there was no sign of the buyer.
To complete the scene setting you need to know that this was happening 6 hours south of Paris.
We got him on the phone.
‘I’m nearly there! I’ll be a few minutes late’
‘A few minutes?’
‘Yes. Hang on…...blimey (or words to that effect)! Is that the Eiffel Tower….?’
Indeed it was. We reconvened the next day, completed the formalities, and five years later I am pleased to report that the new owner is blissfully happy with his ‘trouble-free purchase’.