Comparing agent fees when the service lists are completely different — 79 days later

W

WrenNorth

Buyer
I’m still weighing this 79 days later. I have three proposals for selling a duplex in Lyon, but the headline fees are almost impossible to compare. One includes photography, negotiation and support after an offer is accepted; another starts cheaper but charges separately for nearly everything once the listing is live.

Which questions best reveal the real value: recent comparable results, buyer qualification, availability, offer handling, fall-through support, response times, the named person managing the file, or conflicts with potential buyers? I’d also like to keep anything legally required in France separate from personal preferences about risk and service.
 
Ask each agent to reprice the proposal against the same hypothetical sale. Include photography, listing changes, viewings, negotiation and support through completion, then compare the resulting total rather than the advertised percentage.

For photography, clarify exactly what is delivered and whether editing or a return visit costs extra. “Included” can still describe very different scopes.
 
Before that comparison, what is each fee based on: a fixed amount or a percentage, and does the basis change with the final price? Also ask when any separate charges become payable, especially if the property does not sell.

I’d request written conflict disclosure too. If the agent represents or has another relationship with an interested buyer, you should know how that affects negotiations.
 
I wouldn’t automatically treat the proposal with add-ons as worse. If the extras are genuinely optional, a lower basic fee could suit a seller who needs little hand-holding. The problem is ambiguity, not necessarily the pricing model.

The named contact matters more to me than a broad promise of “full service.” Ask who answers buyer questions, who qualifies viewers, who presents competing offers, expected response times, and who takes over after agreement. If those answers involve several unnamed people, price that coordination risk into your decision.
 
A useful test is to give all three the same awkward scenario: two offers arrive together, one buyer appears stronger but offers less, and the preferred deal later starts to wobble. Ask what information they obtain from each buyer, how they communicate the offers, and what they do next if the first transaction falls through. That exposes more than a polished service list.
 
I’d turn the answers into two columns: items the agent says are required for a French sale, and optional services you are choosing for convenience or risk reduction. Have them identify the basis for anything they call mandatory, then confirm uncertain legal points with the appropriate France-based professional rather than relying on sales language.

For the commercial decision, score only a few things: realistic total fee, named contact, response commitment, buyer qualification, offer process and post-agreement support. That should make the three proposals comparable without pretending their service lists are identical.
 
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