Comparing agent fees and service scope for a ₹76,820,000 Mumbai duplex

The fee percentages are easy to compare; the work behind them is not. My concern is paying more for an impressive service list that is handed to junior staff once the Mumbai duplex is listed.

The expected price is about ₹76,820,000. I want each agent to explain the calculation basis, outside expenses and what happens if the sale does not complete. Which measures best test the extra value—completed comparable sales, enquiry response, buyer checks, written offer handling or support after acceptance? I also plan to confirm who will actually run the file and whether the firm has any relationship with a prospective buyer.

Ask each agent to price the same three scenarios: sale at the expected figure, sale below it and no completed sale. For each, have them state when the fee becomes payable and which expenses sit outside it. Then score the service separately. A cheap percentage is not cheap if photography, viewings or closing coordination are later added.

Are the proposals exclusive, and are they all calculated on the achieved price rather than the asking price? Also ask what happens if a buyer introduced during the appointment returns later. Without those details, the headline fees may not be directly comparable.

I would not give fall-through rate much weight on its own. Agents may define a “deal” at different points, and a small number of unusual duplex transactions can distort the answer. Ask for two or three genuinely comparable completed sales and have them explain the initial pricing, offers received, agreed price and where delays arose. The explanation is more revealing than a bare percentage.

The named contact matters more than the pitch meeting. Put these questions in writing: Who answers buyer enquiries? Who conducts viewings? Who qualifies the buyer? Who presents offers and negotiates? Who follows up after acceptance? What response time do they commit to?

I’d also ask whether they represent, receive fees from or have another relationship with any prospective buyer, and how that would be disclosed.

Don’t accept “professional photography” as a complete description. Clarify the number of edited images, whether floor plans or staging are included, who approves the listing, and whether you can replace weak material before publication.

For offers, request a consistent written format showing price, payment position, proposed timing and conditions. That makes competing offers easier to compare without relying on a verbal summary.

A common questionnaire makes sense, but I would hesitate to choose the winner by simply counting promised services. Photography and quick responses are useful; clear responsibility when an offer develops problems may matter more.

I would use the written answers to create a shortlist, then ask those agents to work through the same hypothetical failed sale. They should identify the named handler at each stage, what gets reported to the seller, which costs remain payable and how a conflict would be disclosed. That tests the proposal as a sequence of actions rather than a polished list.