Comparing agent fees and service scope for a C$1,627,000 Montreal villa

[ames.march]

After putting the proposals side by side, I am less certain that the fee difference is the important part. This is for a Montreal villa expected to sell around C$1,627,000, and the packages vary considerably in what they cover.

What should I ask each agent to define in measurable terms? I want to compare the named person handling the file, photography deliverables, buyer screening, response times, negotiation procedures and support if an accepted offer falls through. Recent genuinely comparable sales and disclosure of conflicts also seem more useful than a broad promise of full service. Is there a good way to test whether the more expensive package would deliver anything I would otherwise have to arrange separately?

 

[FastRadar]

Ask each agent to price the exclusions as well as describe them. “Photography included” could mean very different deliverables, and “closing coordination” needs a clear start and end point. I’d request a written workflow showing the named contact at each stage, expected response time, how buyers are qualified, how competing offers are presented, and what happens if an accepted offer collapses. Are all proposals calculating the fee on the same basis?

 

[BoldRoom]

I wouldn’t give much weight to a claimed fall-through rate without context; one difficult file could distort it, and the reasons matter more than the number. Anna’s workflow idea is stronger. Give every candidate the same hypothetical—two offers arrive, one higher but with more conditions—and ask how they would handle it and disclose any conflict. Then compare the answers alongside recent genuinely comparable Montreal sales and the total fee, including excluded work.