The Education Gap That’s Costing Sellers Thousands

Why Your Home Isn’t Selling (and Why It Has Nothing to Do with the Asking Price)

Featuring Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, The Able Agent®

By John Savage | Zero BS Estate Agency

In the latest episode of my Zero BS Estate Agency Podcast, I interviewed Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, founder of The Able Agent® — and one of the very few people in this industry who not only knows what she’s talking about, but has spent years training agents how to stop blagging it and start acting like professionals.

I asked her a simple question:

“What is the one thing that truly maximises the value of someone’s home when they go to sell their property?”

And without hesitation, Charlotte said:

“It’s education and knowledge… because unless you understand the market you’re operating in, unless you understand your local market — not just the national market — then that’s always going to get the best price.”

That should stop you in your tracks if you’re thinking about selling.

Because what she’s saying is this:

Most sellers are relying on the wrong information.

And most agents aren’t correcting them — they’re encouraging it, because it gets them the listing.

📉 100 Days on the Market? It’s Not the Market’s Fault

I mentioned to Charlotte that in my area alone, there were 178 homes that had been on the market more than 30 days, and 141 that had sat there for over 100 days — with no offers.

So I asked her the question that most sellers should be asking their agent:

“Why does that happen?”

And here’s what she said:

“One: taking on sales from unmotivated sellers. If your seller is not actually motivated to sell, then it’s a business decision — whether you take that on or not.”

She’s spot on.

If you’re not serious about selling, you shouldn’t be on the market.

And if your agent didn’t dig into that with you, then they’re not serious either. They’re just banking your listing to make themselves look busy.

⚠️ Overvaluing: The Industry’s Favourite Excuse

Let me be straight with you — I don’t agree with Charlotte on this one.

And that’s okay. Respect doesn’t mean blind agreement.

Charlotte said:

“I’ve got no problem with overvaluing — which people may argue with me about. But at the end of the day, if I was selling, I’d want to feel really sure I’d done my best to get my best price.”

I get where she’s coming from. She’s seen enough sellers burned by going too low, too soon.

But here’s where I draw the line:

Overvaluing is the number one way bad agents trap good people.

They throw out a figure that sounds dreamy, win the instruction, then ghost you when reality kicks in.

Charlotte does make a valid point here:

“As long as it’s done with a very, very strict and focused process… that we know we’ve got to test at this price, and if nothing happens, we’ve got to adjust it.”

But here’s the catch — and it’s the bit no one wants to say out loud:

Most agents don’t have a process. They just have a pitch.

They overpromise, underdeliver, and call it a “marketing strategy.”

Let me be crystal clear:

🛑 If your agent suggests going in high without:

• a review date
• a clear reason why this figure is justifiable
• a backup plan if you get radio silence

…then they’re not testing the market.

They’re using your home to advertise their face in your postcode.

And by the way — there’s no such thing as going to market “too low.”

What there is, is not knowing how to qualify buyers well enough to create real competition.

A skilled agent can take sensible pricing and turn it into a bidding war.

An average one will leave you with “we’ve had a few viewings but no offers yet…”

🤐 “Listings are vanity. Sales are sanity.”

That’s a direct quote from Charlotte. She heard it from one of her old bosses, and it sums up the entire problem in this industry.

Agents chase listings like it’s a scoreboard.

They don’t care if it sells. They care if it makes their branch window look busy.

And that’s why homes sit there unsold for months.

Because no one took the time to be honest with you.

❓ The Real Reason You Shouldn’t Trust Sales Patter

Here’s what Charlotte said — word for word:

“I hate clever methods of sale… because no one’s ever going to sell me anything with a clever method of sale.”

She’s not just making a point about herself — she’s calling out the entire industry for relying on scripts, techniques, and “presentations” that sound impressive but mean nothing.

Real professionals don’t rely on patter.

They rely on process, questioning, and strategy.

She went further:

“We’ve lost the art of questioning… I don’t really care about training people to sell. I don’t want to train salespeople at Able Agent. That’s not my job.”

“What I need to train people to do at Able Agent is to be proper experts at what they do.”

And that’s the big difference.

Not between agents — but between results and regret.

If your agent isn’t asking you detailed questions about your move, your goals, your pressure points, your must-haves… they’re not building a plan. They’re just hoping to get lucky.

🧠 Do You Actually Understand the Market?

Let’s go back to Charlotte’s opening statement — because this is where it all starts:

“Loads of sellers think they understand the market because they read the national news.”

And this is the bit that gets people into trouble.

The market is not the same across the UK.

It’s not even the same across your postcode.

Charlotte said it plainly:

“If you don’t truly understand [your local market], that’s what ends up in [you] believing the overvaluing hype.”

It’s that simple.

You want the best result?

Start by understanding your competition, your buyers, and the true value of your home in this market, right now.

🧱 What Should Your Agent Be Giving You?

Not fluff. Not banter. Not “let’s try it and see.”

They should give you this:

• A breakdown of your local competition
• A plan for your price and position
• A process for what happens if the phone doesn’t ring
• A promise to educate you so you can make decisions with clarity

If you’re not getting that, you’re not getting value.

And if your agent can’t explain the entire launch and sale process with confidence and clarity?

They don’t deserve your instruction.

🧨 Final Word: Sellers Deserve Better

If you’re thinking of selling — or already on the market with zero traction — this is your wake-up call.

Go back to your agent and ask them:

• What happens if we don’t get an offer in the first three weeks?
• What competition are we up against today?
• What’s your strategy if we need to reposition?

And if their answers feel vague, passive, or like a shrug of the shoulders?

You already know what to do.

Because like Charlotte said:

“If we want to be classed as professionals, we have to dig our heels in and offer advice.”

And if they’re not doing that?

They’re not professionals.

📍 Want a proper plan for your sale?

No hype. No fluff. Just clarity, questions, and results.

Download my ebook, No More Sh*t Estate Agents — the brutally honest guide to choosing the right agent, controlling your sale, and banking the most profit without the drama.

👉 Grab your copy at nomoreshitestateagents.com

Don’t say you weren’t told.