How to Choose the Right Estate Agent

The right estate agent should make the sale clearer, not more confusing. You are looking for someone who understands your local market, can defend their pricing advice, presents homes well and communicates consistently from listing to transfer.

Interview more than one agent and compare the substance of each proposal. The highest valuation and lowest commission can both be attractive, but neither tells you how well the agent will manage the sale.

Key Takeaway

Choose the agent with the most credible plan for your property, not the agent who makes the biggest promise in the first meeting.

What a good agent should bring to the sale

Relevant local experience

Property markets can change from one suburb, estate or street to the next. Ask how many similar homes the agent has recently listed or sold in your area, and what they learned from those transactions.

Useful experience is specific. An agent who mainly sells apartments at a different price point may not be the strongest fit for a family home, smallholding or luxury property.

A price supported by evidence

Ask the agent to show you the properties used to estimate your likely selling range. Good comparisons should be reasonably recent and similar in location, size, condition and features.

Discuss the difference between the recommended asking price and the expected selling range. The agent should also explain what buyer response would trigger a review of the strategy.

Marketing that matches the property

Review the agent's current listings before you sign. Look at the quality of the photography, descriptions, floor plans where relevant and accuracy of the property information.

Ask which property portals, databases, social channels and direct buyer networks they will use. The plan should explain how your likely buyer will find the listing, not simply promise maximum exposure.

A clear process for viewings and follow-up

Find out who will conduct viewings, how buyers will be screened, how quickly enquiries will be answered and when you will receive feedback. If the agent works in a team, ask who your day-to-day contact will be.

Consistent follow-up matters because buyer questions, appointment changes and offers often need prompt attention.

Negotiation skill

Ask the agent to describe how they would handle a strong offer below asking price, an offer subject to the sale of another property and two offers with different conditions.

The answer should consider price, certainty, timing and risk. Good negotiation is not about pressuring either party. It is about keeping the transaction moving while protecting your priorities.

Questions to ask in the interview

What is your recommended pricing strategy?

Ask for a likely selling range, a recommended asking price and the evidence behind both. Find out how often the agent reviews listing performance and which signals they use, such as enquiries, viewings, second visits and written offers.

What exactly is included in the fee?

Commission is negotiable and should be recorded clearly in the mandate, including whether VAT applies. Confirm what the fee covers and whether you could be charged separately for photography, floor plans, featured listings, show days or other advertising.

Compare the likely net result and quality of service, not the commission percentage in isolation.

Can I speak to recent sellers?

Ask for references from clients who sold a similar property. Useful questions include whether the price advice proved realistic, how often the agent communicated, how feedback was handled and whether any costs came as a surprise.

Are you properly registered?

Property practitioners operating in South Africa should be registered with the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority and hold the required Fidelity Fund Certificate. Ask for the practitioner's details and verify them before signing a mandate or paying money.

Read the mandate carefully

Sole mandate or open mandate?

A sole mandate appoints one agency for an agreed period. An open mandate allows more than one agency to market the property. Either structure can work, but the incentives, responsibilities and risk of duplicate claims differ. Ask the agent or your attorney to explain the consequences before you sign.

The mandate should state the asking price, commission, duration, marketing commitments and any additional costs. It should also explain how the agreement can be ended, what happens if a buyer is introduced during the mandate, and whether commission may remain payable after the mandate expires.

Do not sign with blank fields or rely on verbal promises. If an important service was discussed, include it in writing.

Warning signs

An unsupported valuation: The price sounds impressive, but the agent cannot show relevant comparable sales.
Pressure to sign immediately: You are discouraged from reading the mandate or comparing other proposals.
Weak listing quality: The agent's existing photos, descriptions or property details are consistently poor.
Vague marketing promises: There is no clear plan, timeline or explanation of what is included.
Unclear fees: Commission, VAT or extra marketing costs are not recorded properly.
Poor communication: Responses are slow or evasive before the agent has even won the listing.
Missing credentials: The practitioner will not provide information needed to verify their status.

A simple way to compare agents

Score each proposal against the same criteria: local experience, pricing evidence, listing quality, marketing plan, communication, references, fees and mandate terms. Then choose the agent whose plan you understand and trust.