Selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make, yet most homeowners only navigate the process a handful of times.
Knowing how to choose a good real estate agent can be difficult when you are faced with polished presentations, price promises and expensive marketing packages.
For Bayside homeowners, the right agent should be chosen based on proven results, local expertise and strategy, not simply who promises the highest price.
An independent vendor advocate can help you make that decision with confidence.
What is the Best Way to Pick a Real Estate Agent?
The best way to choose a real estate agent is to interview several agents, assess their recent results and compare their proposed selling strategies.
Start by looking at agents who actively sell properties in your suburb, as local knowledge matters. An agent who regularly sells in Brighton or Sandringham, for example, is likely to have a much deeper understanding of local buyer demand, school zones, lifestyle drivers, comparable sales and the buyers currently looking in the area.
Ask each agent for evidence of their recent sales, rather than relying solely on their reputation or sales pitch.
Look at:
- Recent sales in your suburb and price bracket
- How long comparable properties spent on the market
- The difference between initial price expectations and final sale prices
- Their proposed sales campaign
- Their communication process
- Commission and marketing costs
- Who will actually manage the campaign and negotiate with buyers
Most importantly, compare the strategy, not just the price estimate.
An agent who promises the highest sale price is not necessarily the agent most likely to achieve it.
The High Cost of Choosing the Wrong Agent
One of the biggest mistakes a real estate agent can make is overpricing a property simply to secure the listing. This is sometimes referred to as “buying the listing”.
It can sound appealing to hear that your property could achieve a significantly higher price than you expected. But if that figure is not supported by comparable sales and current buyer demand, it can create problems once the property hits the market.
An overpriced property can sit on the market, lose momentum and become perceived by buyers as stale. You may then find yourself reducing the asking price after weeks of limited interest, potentially weakening your negotiating position.
Another major issue is poor communication. Selling a property involves constant decisions, buyer feedback and negotiations. Your agent should be able to clearly explain what is happening, what buyers are saying and what the next step should be.
The goal is not simply to find someone who can sell your property. It is to find someone who can manage the entire selling process strategically.
What Questions Should I Ask When Interviewing a Selling Agent?
When interviewing agents, don’t be afraid to ask direct questions. You’re choosing someone to represent what may be your largest financial asset.
Here are some questions worth asking:
1. What are your actual average days on market compared with the suburb average?
This gives you a better indication of how efficiently the agent is selling comparable properties.
2. How exactly did you arrive at your price estimate?
Ask them to show you the comparable sales supporting their valuation. Be wary if the price is based primarily on what you want to hear rather than evidence.
3. What is your exact commission structure?
Real estate agent commission in Victoria is negotiable. Ask for the exact percentage, whether there are different commission tiers and whether any additional fees apply.
4. What marketing do you recommend and why?
Ask the agent to explain every component of the proposed campaign. You should understand how each expense is intended to attract buyers and contribute to the sale.
5. Who will personally handle the open inspections and buyer negotiations?
The person presenting to you during the appraisal is not always the person who will be managing your campaign. Find out who will actually be dealing with buyers.
6. What is your strategy if the property does not attract the expected level of interest?
A good agent should have a clear plan for responding to market feedback rather than simply recommending a price reduction.
What Not to Say to a Real Estate Agent
While your agent needs to understand your circumstances, there are certain things you should be careful about revealing too early.
Avoid telling an agent your absolute bottom-line price before you have established their strategy and assessed the market evidence.
You should also be cautious about emphasising how urgently you need to sell.
If an agent knows you are under significant time pressure or that you would accept a particular price, that information can affect your negotiating position. Even when an agent is acting professionally, their priority is ultimately to facilitate a transaction.
Download the Guide
The strategies Melbourne’s most prepared buyers use to secure property at the right price.
As the vendor, you need to retain control over your minimum acceptable outcome and your motivation to sell.
An independent vendor advocate can act as a valuable buffer here, helping manage negotiations and keeping discussions focused on your objectives rather than pressure from buyers or agents.
Real Estate Agent Commission in Victoria
What is the average real estate agent commission in Victoria?
There is no fixed commission rate that all Victorian real estate agents must charge. Commission is negotiable between the vendor and the agent.
In metropolitan Melbourne, commission rates commonly sit around 1.6% to 2.5%, although the rate can vary depending on the property, agency and services being provided.
The cheapest commission is not necessarily the best deal.
For example, saving a small amount on commission may mean very little if the chosen agent achieves a lower sale price. The more important calculation is your overall net result after the sale price, commission and marketing costs have been considered.
This is why commission should be negotiated alongside the agent’s strategy, experience and expected performance.
Do I Have to Pay for Marketing Upfront When Selling?
Many vendors are surprised by the cost of marketing a property.
Vendor Paid Advertising, commonly referred to as VPA, can include photography, floorplans, online advertising, brochures, signage, social media promotion and premium property listings.
While some marketing is essential, not every proposed expense will necessarily deliver the same value to your campaign.
It is also worth asking whether certain marketing activities are primarily designed to promote your property or the real estate agency’s brand.
Marketing costs can be negotiated. Depending on the agency and campaign, you may be able to negotiate the overall package, defer payment until settlement or remove unnecessary items.
Don’t simply accept a marketing schedule because an agent presents it as standard. Ask what each item does, why it is recommended and whether it is genuinely necessary to reach your target buyers.
How Does a Vendor Advocate Help Me Sell My House?
This is where an independent vendor advocate can take much of the guesswork and pressure out of the process.
Rather than choosing a selling agent yourself, a vendor advocate can independently assess the available agents and recommend the most suitable option for your property and circumstances.
At Bayside Real Estate Advocates, the process can include:
- Reviewing suitable local selling agents
- Comparing their recent performance and sales results
- Assessing proposed pricing strategies
- Interviewing and managing agent relationships
- Negotiating commission
- Reviewing and negotiating marketing costs
- Helping establish the selling strategy
- Providing an independent perspective throughout the campaign
- Supporting you through negotiations and the sale process
- The benefit is that you have an experienced professional representing your interests while the selling agent focuses on finding the buyer.
Real estate negotiations are inherently unbalanced for most homeowners. Agents negotiate property transactions every week. Most vendors do not.
Having an independent professional in your corner helps level that playing field.
You Don’t Have to Choose Your Agent Alone
Knowing how to choose a real estate agent in Melbourne is about more than finding the agent who promises the highest price or charges the lowest commission.
It is about understanding the evidence behind their valuation, assessing their track record, questioning their strategy and making sure you have a clear understanding of every cost involved.
For Bayside homeowners, local knowledge is particularly important. The right agent should understand the nuances of your specific suburb, the buyers who are active in the area and what is actually happening in the local market.
And you don’t have to navigate that decision alone.
Bayside Real Estate Advocates’ Vendor Advocacy services provides independent support through the process of selecting, negotiating with and managing your selling agent, helping you make decisions based on evidence rather than sales pressure.
If you are preparing to sell and planning your next move, you may also find our guide on whether to buy or sell your house first helpful.
For a confidential conversation about your property, current market conditions and which local selling agents may be best suited to your circumstances, get in touch with Bayside Real Estate Advocates.
