16 Eastbourne Road: How Wigwam succeeded as the 2nd Agent
At Wigwam, we celebrated a successful completion recently. But looking back at the client’s journey, we couldn’t help but feel it perfectly illustrates the single biggest problem Sellers are facing:
The hidden costs of being told what you want to hear rather than what you need to hear.
The tale of two valuations
In May 2025, the Seller invited two agencies to value their property. The discrepancy was staggering:
Agent A valuation: £80,000
Wigwam valuation: £55,000
Understandably, the Seller chose Agent A.
On paper, it looked like a £25,000 gain. In reality, it was the start of a five-month cycle of frustration.
Agent A’s track record:
Here is how the following months unfolded for the Seller while listed with Agent A:
The Wigwam difference
After 126 days of chasing the market down with Agent A, the property went live with Wigwam in October at the price the data suggested: £55,000.
Viewings: 6
Offers: 2
Sale agreed: December 2025
Price achieved: £55,000
Days on market with Wigwam: 49
The issue with “Testing the market”
The strategy used by many agents - "List high, take less" - is a tactic designed to win the instruction, not the buyer. It’s easy to tempt a seller with the promise of a record-breaking figure in their living room, but in the digital marketplace, that flattery becomes expensive.
The reality of the scroll: In the world of online portals, your competition is literally a swipe away. If we "test the market" rather than trust the data, your property sits "high and dry" while buyers move on.
The cost of waiting: It gets worse: by the time the price is corrected to its actual value, the initial "new listing" buzz has vanished. Serious buyers have already bypassed you. In fact, data suggests new listings experience a 50% drop in online traffic after the first 14 days. You don’t just lose time; you lose your best chance at a premium price.
Getting it right the first time
In today’s market, transparency is more valuable than flattery. A realistic valuation isn't a lack of ambition; it’s a strategic move to generate maximum momentum from day one. The data doesn't lie.
In actual fact, date from Rightmove suggests that properties that have been reduced sell for between 4-7% less than the price they were reduced to.
Give the Wigwam Team a call to discuss how to make sure your property creates a market, and sells for the best possible price: 01482 505152