Comparing agent fees when the service lists are completely different (2 bed)

[red_birch]

I have to choose between three Bengaluru agents soon. The lowest fee is attractive, but the proposals for selling my two-bedroom detached home are not priced on anything like the same basis.

Some services are bundled in one quote and itemised in another, so I want to compare the cost at completion as well as what remains payable if the sale falls through. Beyond photography and listing work, I am looking at response times, how buyers are qualified, negotiation, support after an agreement and whether the same person remains responsible throughout.

What evidence would you request rather than relying on the pitch—recent comparable sales, sample reporting, named points of contact, or typical response times? I also plan to ask each agent to rewrite the proposal against one common service list and state exactly how the fee is calculated.

 

[musicAndPebble]

First make them put every charge on the same basis. Ask what the fee is calculated on, when it becomes payable, and which items remain payable if the sale does not complete. Then create one list covering photos, listing work, viewings, negotiation and post-agreement support. Otherwise the cheapest proposal may simply be the least complete one.

 

[musicAndPebble]

Photography also needs unpacking. “Included” could mean very different scopes. Ask how many finished images are provided, whether the agent selects them, and what happens if you dislike the first set. I would also want to know whether any floor plan or listing edits sit inside that line item rather than assuming they do.

 

[musicAndPebble]

One missing fact: have all three agents suggested roughly the same asking price and selling approach? A low fee paired with an optimistic price can look attractive at appointment stage but tells you little about offer handling. Ask each one to explain the evidence behind the proposed price and what they would change if buyer interest is weak.

 

[sol.east]

I would put less weight on the photography difference than Nadia does. It matters, but the named contact and response time can matter more once enquiries and offers arrive. Ask who answers buyers, who conducts viewings, who negotiates, and who covers when that person is unavailable. “Our team handles it” is not as useful as a clear chain of responsibility.

 

[writesAndLedger]

Buyer qualification is another area where vague promises hide differences. Ask what information they seek before arranging a viewing and again before treating an offer as serious. Also ask how they present competing offers to you and whether they disclose any conflict if they are dealing with both sides or connected service providers. Their answers should be specific without revealing another client’s private details.

 

[red_birch]

This is helping. The proposed prices are close enough that valuation is not the main separator. I’m going back to all three with the same written scenario: two offers arrive near each other, the higher one looks less straightforward, and the preferred sale later starts to wobble. I’ll ask who calls whom, what support continues after agreement, what extra fees arise, and the expected response time at each stage.

 

[route.fresh]

That scenario should expose more than a general service list. I’d add two requests: examples of recent comparable Bengaluru sales they actually handled, and a plain explanation of what they count as a fall-through. Raw rates can be presented selectively, so the process after trouble starts is more revealing than a number alone. Before signing, compare the written answers against the agreement and clarify anything that appears only in the sales pitch.