Three Tokyo selling proposals: lower fee or fuller service after 57 days?

[EarlyGlass]

The lowest fee among the three proposals is tempting, but after 57 days I am still uneasy about choosing on price when the work included differs so much. This is for a new-build flat in Tokyo. One proposal covers presentation and negotiation; another has a low headline figure but adds charges as the sale progresses.

I want to reduce the choice to something concrete. If the named contact handles offers, qualifies buyers and supports the file after agreement, I could accept a leaner package. If those jobs pass to unknown staff or attract extra fees, I would favour the fuller service. Besides the fee basis, recent results and conflict disclosure, what written detail would most affect your decision?

 

[EarlyGlass]

One clarification: I’m not automatically looking for the cheapest percentage. My concern is agreeing to a low headline fee and then discovering that photography, viewings, negotiation or post-agreement work either costs extra or falls to someone I have never spoken with. I’m thinking of asking each firm for one written, itemised scenario from listing through completion.

 

[jae_bell]

That itemised scenario is the right approach. Also ask whether the fee is calculated on the sale price and whether tax or separate charges sit on top of the quoted amount. For photography, pin down what “included” means rather than accepting the label.

The question I’d prioritise is: who answers and acts when an offer arrives outside your main contact’s availability? A good presentation is wasted if an interested buyer waits too long or receives inconsistent information.

 

[PracticalSignal]

Speed alone is a weak measure. My concern is what the agent actually does during that quick response.

The missing fact is each firm’s process when a serious offer arrives: who checks that the buyer can proceed, who informs competing bidders, and who follows up if the selected buyer stops moving. A prompt acknowledgement from an assistant is not the same as effective handling. Ask each firm to name the primary contact and backup in the proposal, explain their authority, and disclose any connection to the buyer or another party. That answer may distinguish the working team from the sales pitch.

 

[writesAndAtlas]

Put the three proposals into the same table: fee basis, every extra charge, photography deliverables, buyer qualification, offer process, named contact and backup, expected response time, conflict disclosure, and support if the deal falls through. Then send each agent the blanks and ask for written answers.

One more useful question: which parts are firm commitments and which are merely typical practice? That should make the price difference much easier to judge without assuming the largest service list is automatically the best.