Another red flag when comparing real estate agents is feeling pressured. A dodgy agent may pressure you into:

• Selling your home for less than the true value
• Selling without negotiating a better deal on your behalf
• Making decisions before you’re ready or before you have all the information
• Pressuring you to sign a contract on the spot. 

NOTE *** An agent that believes your property is worth less than you want for it is not necessarily dodgy. Just be sure they can back up their figures with real data and evidence through a market comparison.

Commission rates that are quoted suspiciously low or seem too good to be true maybe a mark of a dodgy agent, or the sign of an agent that wants to sell properties cheaply and in high volumes.

But, sometimes you can score a deal with a great agent.

Be sure to look into the full fee schedules that agents are required to provide, and be sure to ask about and negotiate on what is and isn’t included. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying out more for signboards, online listings, photography and other marketing fees.

• Fake buyers - We are hearing a lot of clients complain about this tactic recently in the Hills District.

  Dodgy agents often approach homeowners whose home is not on the market and pretend they have an interested buyer. They do this to encourage the homeowner to list their home, after which the interested buyer vanishes.

  Their fake buyers may be:

  • still organising their finances
  • dealing with a family situation
  • waiting for a deal to go through
  • doing anything that delays them from buying your property.

  If in doubt, always ask your agent for evidence so you can avoid lengthy and unnecessary delays during the selling process.

  Dodgy real estate agents have plenty of tactics up their sleeves, always with the aim of a quick sale or higher commission. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t, and you should take the opportunity to look for another agent.

Before you can show a property to a potential buyer, you must have an agency agreement in place. No ifs, no buts – it’s a must. Even if it is an Off-Market Listing with an agency. 

If you show a property without an agency agreement in place, it can hit your hip pocket. Both the Vendor and the agent can cop an expensive fine in the thousands.  

Don't Risk It.