Comparing agent fees when the service lists are completely different [villa]

B

brick.amber

Seller
The lowest fee is tempting, but the more inclusive proposal may be easier to control. I have three quotes for selling a Copenhagen villa, and each defines the job differently enough that the headline prices tell me very little.

One proposal includes photography and negotiation. Others separate out services once marketing starts, so I want to establish the likely total cost and what happens if the sale stalls or an agreed offer falls through. I’m also comparing recent results, buyer qualification, availability and the way offers are handled.

What should I ask each agent to expose exclusions or weak service? In particular, I want to know the exact photography package, who will be my named contact after instruction, and whether that same person will manage viewings, negotiations and the file through to completion.
 
Make each agent price the same hypothetical sale from start to finish. Include photography, listing changes, viewings, negotiation, document handling and what happens if an agreed deal falls through. Also ask whether the fee is fixed, percentage-based or conditional, and which expenses remain payable if you withdraw or the villa does not sell. The cheapest headline can become the least predictable total.
 
One more question: is the person presenting the proposal also your day-to-day contact? If not, ask for the name of the person handling viewings and offers, their normal response time, and who covers absences. A strong pitch from one person is less valuable if the file is then passed around without clear responsibility.
 
I would not put too much weight on a quoted fall-through rate by itself. Without comparable property types, periods and definitions, it may tell you very little. Ask them to walk through the process instead: how buyers are qualified, when financing uncertainty is raised, how competing offers are recorded and communicated, and what they actually do after a buyer starts hesitating.
 
Photography also needs unpacking. “Included” could still leave open the number of images, floor-plan work, retakes, seasonal updates and whether a new campaign costs extra. Rather than comparing service labels, create a table with three columns for included, extra charge and not offered. Send it back to each agent so they can correct misunderstandings in writing.
 
I’d add conflict disclosure to that table. Ask how they handle a buyer they already know or represent in another context, and whether anyone involved receives a separate payment connected with the transaction. The answer may be straightforward, but asking the same question of all three shows how clearly each explains incentives and competing interests.
 
There is also a trade-off between response promises and actual accountability. “Always available” is vague; a named contact, backup person and stated method for acknowledging offers are more useful. I’d give each agent one final scenario: two offers arrive near a deadline, one higher but less certain. Ask who calls you, what information they seek from both buyers, what they recommend, and what costs apply if neither completes. Their answers should expose more than another fee negotiation.
 
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