Comparing agent fees and actual service levels for a Bogotá townhouse

B

bikesAndSlate

Seller
I’m comparing proposals to sell a Bogotá townhouse expected around COP 1,702,000,000, and the fee differences are making the decision harder rather than easier. The cheapest proposal excludes several transaction tasks; the highest includes photography, buyer qualification, negotiation and closing coordination.

What measurable questions would reveal the real difference? I’m considering recent comparable sales, response times, how offers are documented, support when a deal falls through, and whether the named contact actually manages the file after signing. I also want clarity on the fee basis and any conflicts involving prospective buyers. What would you ask each agent to put in writing?
 
Ask for a side-by-side list of deliverables, not just a percentage. For photography: who pays, what is included and whether the images can still be used if you change agents. For buyer qualification: ask what information they obtain before arranging a viewing. Most importantly, get the named day-to-day contact and expected reply time written into the proposal.
 
Recent sales only help if the properties are genuinely comparable and the agent explains their role in each transaction. I’d ask how many offers those listings received, how price changes were handled, and what happened between accepted offer and closing. A polished presentation can hide a weak follow-through process.
 
Choosing on the headline fall-through rate could leave you comparing figures that the agents calculate differently. One may omit informal offers, while another counts every agreement that later fails.

Give each candidate the same example instead: the buyer’s circumstances change after the offer is accepted. Ask who verifies the change, what is recorded, when the seller is contacted and how quickly marketing restarts. Their written answers should reveal more about buyer qualification and response time than the percentage alone.
 
Good point. The offer process may be easier to compare than headline success rates. Ask whether every offer is presented consistently, what information accompanies it, and who keeps the timeline moving. Also ask whether the agent or related party could represent or receive compensation from the buyer, and how that would be disclosed.
 
One caveat on response-time promises: “within two hours” means little if it only covers an acknowledgment. I would define separate expectations for viewing feedback, new offers, negotiation decisions and closing issues. It is also worth meeting the person who will actually handle those tasks, rather than relying solely on the person presenting the proposal.
 
Send each agent a short written questionnaire and score the answers against what matters to you. Include the fee calculation, exclusions and extra costs; photography deliverables; buyer-screening steps; named contact and backup; offer reporting; conflict disclosure; and support after an accepted offer or failed transaction. Then compare total scope, not simply cheapest versus highest. Any unclear answer should become a requested contract clarification before you sign.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top