Three Manchester villa agent proposals: how do I compare the real cost?

[bakesAndView]

I want an agent who will manage the Manchester villa sale properly from launch through to completion, but the three proposals make that difficult to judge. Their fees differ materially, and the scope behind each figure is inconsistent. Photography and negotiation appear bundled in one proposal, while other tasks are priced as extras elsewhere.

Should I first ask all three agents for an itemised total based on the same assumed sale price? Beyond the cost, I want to compare recent relevant results, buyer checks, viewing feedback, offer handling and support if a buyer withdraws.

The named contact also matters to me. I do not want to choose someone based on the person giving the valuation only to have the file passed to an unknown team after an offer is accepted. What would you ask about photography scope, availability and responsibility for progressing the sale?

 

[liv.pike]

Compare the likely total, not the headline percentage. Ask each agent to rewrite the proposal as one itemised example using the same assumed sale price. Include photography, floor plans if offered, marketing, accompanied viewings, negotiation and every withdrawal or extra-service charge. Also confirm whether the figures shown include VAT. You should then be able to see whether the cheaper proposal is genuinely cheaper.

 

[NimblePlan]

What does “photography included” actually mean in the first proposal? Number of images, editing, exterior shots, and whether they will return if weather or presentation is poor can all affect the result. I’d also ask who conducts viewings and how quickly viewing feedback reaches you. A long service list is not much use if delivery is vague.

 

[NimblePlan]

One more missing detail is buyer qualification. Ask what information they seek before arranging a viewing and what they verify before recommending that you accept an offer. The answer should be specific enough to distinguish a real process from “we spoke to the buyer.” That also links directly to your concern about fall-throughs.

 

[liv.pike]

I’d put less weight on inclusions than the previous replies suggest. Photography and feedback processes are easy to describe in a proposal; evidence of handling similar Manchester properties is harder to bluff. Ask about recent comparable instructions, what happened between launch and agreement, and why any deals failed. Also establish whether the person pitching will remain your named contact or disappear after signing.

 

[yuki_keel]

Recent results matter, but fall-through support happens after the impressive part of the pitch. Ask who keeps in contact with the buyer, both sides’ conveyancers and anyone else in the chain after agreement. How often will you receive an update, and who steps in when progress stalls? An agent can negotiate a good offer and still leave the sale drifting.

 

[readTheEcho]

I wouldn’t treat included photography as automatically valuable. Request examples commissioned under the same package, not simply the agency’s best-looking listings. Then ask whether those images can be reused if you later change agent, whether a new shoot costs extra, and whether the package limits revisions. The answers may explain some of the fee gap.

 

[miro_ash]

Add response time and conflicts to the questions. Who answers when the named contact is unavailable? Is there a shared record of conversations and offers? Also ask them to disclose whether they may provide services to a buyer and how they keep your instructions separate if that happens. You’re looking for a clear operational answer, not just reassurance.

 

[NimblePlan]

Ivan’s point about the named contact is important, but I’d combine it with a written breakdown of offer handling. Will every offer be passed on with the buyer’s position, or only a figure? Who discusses counteroffers, and are evening or weekend responses realistic? For the fee itself, confirm whether it is fixed or percentage-based, what sale amount it is calculated on, and exactly when it becomes payable.

 

[readTheEcho]

At this point I’d make a one-page comparison with five rows: realistic total fee, quality of presentation, buyer qualification, negotiation, and post-offer support. Put the named person beside each row rather than just the agency name. Then send each agent the same two or three unresolved questions and note how promptly and precisely they answer. That response is useful evidence of the availability you may get once instructed.