One fee quote changed—how do I compare the service behind it?

G

gate.strong

Real estate agent
Established
The lower fee is tempting, but the fuller package may be cheaper once every add-on is counted. I now have three proposals for selling a Singapore country home valued at about S$1,434,000, and one quote changed after I asked what happens beyond launch.

I’m going to put each proposal on the same fee basis, including photography, negotiation and later charges. What else would you use to separate them: evidence from comparable sales, speed of replies, checks on prospective buyers, handling of competing offers, or support if a deal collapses? I also want to know who takes over once an agreement is reached. If the total costs end up close, I’m inclined to choose the team with the clearer named contact and process; if the gap remains large, I’ll need proof that the extra service affects the result.
 
Put every proposal into the same cost table first. Ask whether the fee is fixed or percentage-based, exactly what photography includes, which later charges are optional, and whether tax is included in each figure. Then give all three agents the same hypothetical: two offers arrive on Friday evening, one higher but less certain. Who responds, how are the buyers qualified, and how are both offers presented?
 
Who is the named contact after you sign? A strong presentation from a senior agent means less if viewings, calls and the post-agreement file are handed to someone you have never met. I’d also ask for expected response times and what happens if that contact is unavailable.
 
I wouldn’t automatically pay more for an inclusive package. Photography is visible and easy to price, but it may not be where the meaningful difference lies. Negotiation, buyer qualification and support after an agreement are harder to assess from a service list.

Ask each agent to explain a recent comparable campaign without requesting confidential details: how competing offers were handled, what nearly caused the deal to fall through, and what the agent did. Also ask them to disclose any potential conflict when representing or introducing a buyer.
 
One caveat: reported fall-through rates may not be comparable if each agent defines or records them differently. I’d request written clarification of exclusions, cancellation terms and extra charges, then score the proposals on total likely cost, named contact, response time and offer-handling process. If two remain close, the quality of their answers to the same scenario is probably more useful than the longest service list.
 
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