Comparing agent fees for an R$8,008,000 coastal home in Rio

[mara_dove]

The percentages are difficult to compare when each proposal covers different work. The property is a coastal home in Rio de Janeiro, with an expected sale price near R$8,008,000, so even a small fee difference is significant.

One agent offers a fairly limited service; another bundles in marketing, screening enquiries, negotiations and support through completion. I want to test whether that broader package has practical value rather than simply a better presentation.

What would you require in writing? I’m thinking of recent comparable sales, a definition of a qualified buyer, typical response times, the process for handling competing offers and who takes responsibility if a deal collapses. I also want to know who my day-to-day contact would be, how conflicts are disclosed, what photography is actually included and exactly which amount the fee is calculated on.

 

[LuckyCreek]

Ask all of them to complete the same written scope table before comparing percentages. For each task, record who does it, what triggers it, whether it costs extra and who updates you if the deal stalls.

I’d also ask how they define a “qualified” buyer and a “fall-through”—otherwise those claims are hard to compare. One caveat: the broadest package is not automatically the best. If work is handed off after listing, the named day-to-day contact and response commitment may matter more than the headline list of services.