Comparing agent fees and service scope for a Dublin mixed-use sale

R

rhea.cole

Buyer
The difficult part is comparing like with like when each proposal draws the service boundary differently. The property is a mixed-use building in Dublin with an expected sale price of about €271,400, and the quotes range from a fairly limited listing service to much broader support through closing.

Which questions would make the difference measurable rather than subjective? I am considering relevant completed sales, a stated response time, the method used to qualify buyers, how offers are recorded, and who takes responsibility if an agreed sale collapses. I also want any connection to a buyer or recommended service provider disclosed clearly. How would you adjust the fee comparison for work that is omitted from one quote but bundled into another?
 
Put every proposal into the same table before comparing the headline fee. Ask whether the fee is fixed or price-based, when it becomes payable, exactly what photography includes, and which excluded tasks would cost extra.

For service, get the named contact, expected response time, how buyer qualification is defined, who communicates offers, and what happens if an agreed sale falls through. Also ask them to disclose any conflicts involving prospective buyers or related services.
 
The missing fact is the building’s use and occupancy mix. A mixed-use property may need a different marketing and qualification process from a straightforward residential listing, so “recent comparable sales” only help if they are genuinely comparable.

I’d ask each agent to explain who they expect the likely buyers to be and what information they require before treating someone as qualified. A confident answer matters more than a long list of vaguely similar sales.
 
I’d still insist on comparable examples, even if exact matches are scarce. Otherwise “mixed-use is different” can become a way to avoid showing relevant experience.

I wouldn’t put much weight on a bare fall-through rate or promised response time, though; both can be defined selectively. Scenario questions are harder to dodge: if a buyer withdraws after an offer is accepted, who contacts the other interested parties, who coordinates the next steps, and is that work included in the original fee?
 
Fair point. The practical approach is to send every agent the same short questionnaire, then score the written answers rather than the presentation. I’d weight the named contact and offer-to-closing responsibilities heavily, since clean handoffs are the priority here.

Any vague answer should become a proposed written clarification: included photography, qualification steps, offer communication, fall-through work, extra charges and conflict disclosure. That should make the fee difference much easier to judge.
 
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