How to Choose a Selling Agent in Australia (2026)

Why agent choice matters

A great selling agent will get you a higher price, faster, with less stress. A mediocre one will list at the wrong price, market lazily, and condition you to accept a result well below market. The fee difference between agents is small; the price difference can be five to ten times the fee.

Treat this like hiring a contractor for a major renovation. You wouldn't pick the first quote without comparison, and you wouldn't pick purely on price. Same logic applies here.

How to shortlist agents

Before any interviews, build a shortlist of 4 to 6 candidates:

• Search recent sold listings in your suburb on realestate.com.au and domain.com.au (last 6 months). Note which agents appear frequently, especially for properties similar to yours.
• Look at their photos and copy. Are the listings well-presented? Hero photos, full floor plans, considered video? Sloppy listings suggest sloppy campaigns.
• Check their sale-vs-quote performance. Many listings show the original price guide and the actual sale price. An agent consistently selling above quote is a positive signal; well below suggests either a soft market or over-quoting on intake.
• Ask neighbours. Who sold their house? Were they happy? In a tight network, anecdotal feedback is gold.
• Avoid franchise pressure. The brand on the signboard matters less than the individual agent. Shortlist by person, not office.

From the shortlist, invite three or four to provide an appraisal and listing pitch.

What to ask in the interview

The interview/appraisal is a one-hour meeting at the property. You're evaluating them as much as they're evaluating the property. Specific questions to ask:

Local market

• What three properties most recently sold in this suburb that are most comparable to mine? Show me.
• What's the days-on-market trend in this suburb over the last quarter?
• What's your auction clearance rate over the last 6 months? (If they recommend auction)
• What types of buyers are active in this suburb right now?

Appraisal and pricing

• What's your appraisal price, and exactly which comparable sales support it?
• Where would you set the price guide if listed for private treaty? For auction reserve?
• What's the most likely sale price range, in your honest assessment?
• If we don't get our target price, what would you recommend, drop the price, change the strategy, or wait?

Marketing and process

• What marketing package do you recommend, and what's the spend?
• What's your campaign timeline (open homes, auction date, etc.)?
• How many opens per week, and for how many weeks?
• Will you be the lead agent on inspections or will it be passed to a junior?
• How do you handle pre-auction offers?

Fees and agreement

• What's your commission rate, and is it negotiable?
• What's the exclusive agency period in your standard agreement?
• What's the tail clause length, and how is "introduced" defined?
• Are there any fees beyond commission and marketing?
• What happens if I'm not happy and want to terminate the agreement early?

Watch how they answer. Specific, evidence-based, and willing to push back on assumptions = good signal. Vague, defensive, or bristling at being challenged = move on.

The appraisal-price trap

The most common way sellers get hurt: an agent quotes an inflated appraisal to win the listing, then progressively conditions the seller down once committed.

How it plays out:

1. You interview three agents. Two appraise at $1.4M to $1.5M based on comparable sales. One quotes $1.6M, "we have buyers waiting".
2. You sign with the high quote, hoping to capture the upside.
3. First two weeks of opens, agent reports "good interest but no firm offers at this level".
4. Week 4 they suggest "the market's giving us feedback at $1.45M, what would you do at that level?"
5. Sale settles at $1.42M. Less than the honest agents would have got you, after a longer, more stressful campaign.

How to avoid it:

• Demand specific comparable sales for any appraisal. Last 90 days, same suburb, similar property. If they can't show you 3 to 5 supporting sales, the number is fiction.
• Get a second opinion from a buyer's agent or independent valuer if the appraisals diverge significantly.
• Pay attention to the spread. If one agent quotes 10%+ above the others without supporting sales, treat it as a sales tactic.

Commission and fees

Commission is typically 1.5% to 3% of the final sale price, plus GST. The range is wide, with major variation by region:

• Sydney metro: 1.5% to 2.2% on most sales. Higher-value properties (above $2M) often negotiate to 1.5% or below.
• Melbourne metro: Similar, 1.5% to 2.2%.
• Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide metro: 2% to 2.8% common.
• Regional areas: 2.5% to 3% common, sometimes higher in low-volume markets.

See our Agent Fees guide for the full state-by-state breakdown.

Tiered commission structures

Some agents propose tiered commission: e.g. 1.5% on sale price up to $1M, then 5% on every dollar above $1M. The intent is to align the agent's incentive to push for a higher price. The risk is that the tier kicks in at a price that's already a stretch, and you end up paying more for a marginal uplift.

If a tiered structure is offered, push back on where the kicker sits. Set it above the realistic appraisal range so it only triggers on genuine outperformance.

What's not in commission

Commission usually doesn't include:

• Marketing costs ($3K to $10K typical, paid separately)
• Auctioneer fee if going to auction ($500 to $1,500)
• Conveyancing on the sell side ($1K to $2K)
• Some agencies charge admin/file fees ($300 to $800), worth challenging

Marketing budget and strategy

A standard residential marketing campaign includes:

• Professional photography (10 to 20 shots), $400 to $800
• Floor plan, $200 to $400
• Online listing on realestate.com.au and domain.com.au, $1,500 to $4,000+ depending on tier (highlight, premier, etc.)
• Signboard, $200 to $500
• Printed brochures and flyer drop, $300 to $1,000
• Optional: video tour ($500 to $1,500), drone footage ($300 to $700), styling/staging ($2,000 to $8,000)

Total typical spend: $3,000 to $10,000 for an unstaged campaign, $5,000 to $15,000 with staging.

The realestate.com.au listing tier is usually the biggest line item and the one with the most ROI debate. "Premier" or "Highlight" listings get top placement and more views, but cost a lot more than standard. For a $1M+ property in a competitive area, the upgraded listing is usually justified. For a $500K property in a soft market, it may be over-spend.

Ask the agent specifically: which line items in this marketing budget are most likely to move the sale price? A good agent will have a clear, evidence-based answer.

The listing agreement

Read the agreement carefully before signing. Critical clauses:

Exclusive period

How long is the agency exclusive? 60 days is typical for a campaign; 90 days is on the long side. Avoid anything beyond 90 days for an established home.

Tail clause

After the exclusive period ends, for how long is the agent still owed commission if a "buyer they introduced" purchases? 60 to 90 days is typical; some agreements have 180+ day tails. The wording of "introduced" matters, push for a tight definition (e.g. "made a written offer" or "attended an inspection during the agency period").

Marketing commitment

The agreement should specify exactly what marketing will be delivered and at what cost. Avoid open-ended marketing budgets, you should know the cap upfront.

Termination

What's the termination process if you're not happy? Can you switch agents during the exclusive period for serious cause (lack of opens, no offers, lack of communication)? Negotiate a clear termination right upfront.

Sole vs general agency

Almost always go with sole agency, it aligns the agent's incentive to actually market the property. General agency tends to result in less effort from any individual agent.

Checking references

Ask the agent for 2 or 3 sellers from their last 6 months. Call them (don't just email) and ask:

• Did the final sale price match the original appraisal?
• How was communication during the campaign? Weekly updates? Returned calls?
• Did the agent push back on your expectations or just tell you what you wanted to hear?
• Were there any surprises in the final invoice?
• Would you use them again?
• Would you recommend them?

Treat any reluctance to provide references as a red flag. Reputable agents will have a list of recent sellers happy to speak.

Red flags

Walk away if:

• The appraisal price is significantly above the others without supporting comparable sales
• The agent dismisses your questions, deflects, or gets defensive when challenged
• They push hard on a marketing package without explaining how each line moves the sale price
• The proposed listing agreement has long tail clauses (180+ days) or vague termination terms
• They can't provide recent comparable sales they personally negotiated
• References are reluctantly provided, vague, or unable to be reached
• They promise specific buyers ("I have 5 buyers waiting") without naming them or explaining how they'll be brought through

Making the decision

After three or four interviews, you'll usually have a clear front-runner. It's typically the agent who:

1. Quoted a realistic appraisal supported by genuine comparable sales
2. Showed deep, current knowledge of your specific suburb
3. Was direct and honest in the interview, including pushback on your assumptions
4. Has a clear, specific marketing strategy with line-item rationale
5. Provided strong references from recent sellers
6. Offered a reasonable listing agreement (60 to 90 day exclusive, tight tail clause, clear termination)

Once you've picked, negotiate the agreement before signing. The most common negotiation points: commission rate (especially on higher-value properties), marketing package, exclusive period length, and tail clause definition.