I don't know why they don't just make the system down here the same way it is in Scotland, all done through one lawyer, an estate agent is only paid a small fee for advertising the property based on sale price, they have absolutely nothing to do with a house sale.
All bids are sealed and opened on same day by lawyer who only gets paid a single fee as well no matter what price the house goes for.
Its very easy all above board and you can not get guzumped as its illegal.
It will soon be law as well in Scotland that the seller has to get a full structural survey done, that is then guaranteed for x years and all sellers have privy to this information, so no multiple surveys carried out by the interested parties, which is a con.
There is also no such thing as a chain, and you also own the land your house sits on unlike these strange multiple year lease things they have in England.
the whoe system needs shaken up as to many people are creaming money off the present system