Comparing an agent’s fee with the actual service included in Dubai

[cleo_lark]

The difficult part is comparing like with like when each agent bundles the work differently. I’m reviewing proposals for a Dubai duplex expected to be around AED 935,800 after 107 days, and the cheapest headline fee excludes several tasks that another proposal covers.

Before choosing, I want each agent to price the same route from marketing to completion. My checklist currently asks who takes the photographs, who qualifies buyers, how offers are recorded and negotiated, and what happens if a deal falls through. I also want one named contact, clear response expectations, recent comparable results and disclosure of any conflicts.

What evidence would you request for those points, rather than accepting a general claim that everything is covered?

 

[daily_porch]

Ask each agent to price the same scenario from listing through completion. Is the fee calculated on the agreed sale price, and what could be charged separately? Then request one named contact and written confirmation of who handles viewings, offers, negotiation and closing coordination. A cheap headline fee is meaningless if you have to assemble the rest yourself.

 

[romy_escrow]

Were the exclusions clear when you first appointed the agent, or are these new proposals because the duplex has already been marketed for 107 days? That changes the diagnosis. If it has been listed throughout, I’d ask what happened during that period: enquiries, qualified buyers, viewings, written offers and reasons offers did not proceed.

 

[romy_escrow]

For comparable sales, I would also ask how recent and genuinely comparable they are. Same broad area is not enough for a duplex if size, condition or building differ. You don’t need a long presentation; you need the agent to explain how the evidence supports the expected AED 935,800 figure.

 

[romy_escrow]

I’m less convinced that a fall-through rate by itself tells you much. A small number can look excellent or terrible depending on volume and why deals failed. Better questions are when qualification happens, what information is confirmed before an offer is treated as serious, and what the agent does if the buyer withdraws.

 

[knitsAndAtlas]

“Photography included” also needs unpacking. Ask what is actually delivered, who approves the images and whether a replacement shoot costs extra if the presentation is weak. The useful comparison is not included versus excluded, but whether the scope is sufficient to market this particular duplex without another bill appearing later.

 

[MaeDale]

Buyer qualification should be described as a process, not a slogan. Ask what the agent establishes before arranging a viewing and before presenting an offer, while recognising there may be privacy limits on what can be shared with you. I’d also want a short feedback routine after viewings; otherwise 107 days can pass without learning whether price, presentation or buyer quality is the problem.

 

[corner.grounded]

Don’t overlook conflict disclosure. Ask whether the same firm or individual may also deal with the buyer, how that would be disclosed, and whether any referral arrangement could affect recommendations. The exact obligations depend on the Dubai arrangement, so get the answer in writing rather than relying on assumptions about what “representation” means.

 

[nova_lending]

I wouldn’t automatically reject the cheapest proposal. It could be sensible if the excluded tasks are optional, clearly priced and things you are willing to coordinate. Compare the likely total cost under a normal sale and under a failed first deal. That exposes whether the low fee is genuinely lean or merely incomplete.

 

[daily_porch]

Since 107 days have already elapsed, response time can be measured from the existing record rather than promised for the future. Look at how long it took to acknowledge enquiries, arrange viewings, deliver feedback and pass on offers. Also confirm who covered when the named contact was unavailable. Fast initial replies matter less if negotiation or paperwork then stalls.

 

[honest_glass]

I’d make a one-page comparison with rows for fee basis, extra charges, photography, qualification, viewing feedback, offer presentation, negotiation, failed-deal support, closing coordination, response expectations, named contact and conflicts. Have each agent correct or confirm their column in writing. Then choose based on the total responsibility you want transferred, not simply the highest or lowest fee.