Keeping your local estate agent off the 'Most Hated' list

A recent 'Most Hated' survey of 1000 people by Online Opinions resulted in the rare absence of estate agents. In previous surveys, the shiny suits have been right up there with traffic wardens, Katie Price and the phrase 'blue sky thinking'.

But this year, we've got Manchester United, Ryanair, British Gas and all those w - sorry, bankers. Foxtons? No. Knight Frank? Not a trace. Reeds Rains? Nowhere to be seen on this year's 'Hate List'. All very odd. What happened? Have estate agents suddenly become the salt of the earth? Er, no. Man U, well, that's a matter of opinion. Ryanair had it coming, and nobody's going to be that popular dishing out bonuses like there's no tomorrow, especially just after we've had to bail them all out.

So does that mean estate agents are still universally loathed? But other segments of society are now seen to be loathed even more? In a word, at least at present, yes. Why do we hate the smarm - meisters so much, anyway? In another word: commissions. The Office of Fair Trading reckons high street estate agents average nearly 4,000 every time they sell a home. And what do they do to earn that four grand? Er ... can we get back to you on that one? And their reputation for dishonesty and unreliability doesn't do them much in the way of favours, either.

Can you imagine a world where estate agents are universally loved? Difficult, isn't it? Perhaps it would be easier if they didn't charge thousands of pounds to sell a house. Imagine, then, an estate agent who'd only charge you hundreds of pounds to sell your home, and not many hundreds at that. There - doesn't that bring a smile to your face? No, stop laughing - it can happen.

However, there actually is an estate agency with prices starting at a mere 99. And for that 99, they offer full representation on Rightmove, and all the other services a proper estate agent should offer. That'd be eMoov, the online estate agent. 99, you say? Impossible, you say? A miracle, you think? Ah, but miracles, as the saying goes, only take a little while. The impossible takes a bit longer. That's why - in readiness for next year's 'Most Hated' survey, eMoov have launched their 'Love Your Estate Agent' campaign, to keep estate agents off that hate list for good. It could take quite some time.

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