Selling with multiple estate agents - do the fees need to match?

alexish5

Hi,

My house has been on the market to sell for a few months now with a sole estate agent, I’m now looking to move to a new agent - and think I have settled on going multi-agent.

The two new agents I want to list with are giving me slightly differing guidance, so I wanted to be clear. Do they both need to have the same commission rate? Or am I able to appoint both on differing commission rates?

Greatgimp

You should negotiate each one down as much as you can, but they can both vary.

user1977

Why would they need to match?

alexish5

No idea why they would need to match, and I couldn’t see it written about clearly anywhere online. Estate Agent A said they don’t need to match, Estate Agent B said they do need to match. Was just trying to get to the bottom of it!

diystarter7

Hi OP
Your choice your home/property

NB: Be fully aware re their T&C read the small print about if boards have to go up etc.

Personally, in the day of the net, any serious buyers will be looking at the net/right move so more than one agent at a time is not for me. 

Good luck

user1977

alexish5 said:

Estate Agent B said they do need to match.

So they'd be offering to bring theirs down if Estate Agent A had a lower rate...?

turnitround

Seeing house which have multi agent boards always makes me wonder what is wrong with the property  that a single agent cant get buyers interest. 
Are your photos good? Are you overpriced?

alexish5

As far as I’m concerned, not overpriced! We’ve spoken with three new agents and all are comfortable with the price we’re listed at. The photos aren’t bad, but perhaps there’s room for improvement there. That said, I’m also wondering what’s wrong with the property that a single agent can’t get buyers interested in!

alexish5

user1977 said:

alexish5 said:

Estate Agent B said they do need to match.

So they'd be offering to bring theirs down if Estate Agent A had a lower rate...?

No the one insisting they need to match is the agent who quoted the lower fee, so whether they’re just trying to get a better rate - I don’t know.

eddddy

alexish5 said:

No idea why they would need to match, and I couldn’t see it written about clearly anywhere online. Estate Agent A said they don’t need to match, Estate Agent B said they do need to match. Was just trying to get to the bottom of it!

That's a contractual matter - rather than a law or regulation.

I've come across other estate agents who say that they will only do a multi-agent agreement, it they would get at least the same sale commission as the other agents.

Those are the contractual terms that the estate agent is offering you - your choice is: accept them, try to negotiate different terms, or walk away and use a different agent.