What is the real difference between agents?

Start with evidence, not the highest number

A written appraisal is an estimate, not a registered valuation or a promise. Under the Real Estate Authority's appraisal guidance, an agent must inspect the property, use comparable sales and explain how they reached the figure.

Ask each agent to explain why the selected properties are comparable to yours. Look for differences in location, land, floor area, condition, configuration, sale date and method of sale. A useful appraisal makes its assumptions visible instead of leaning on a confident headline. If you are unsure what follows, read the steps to selling in Tauranga.

Ask why the sale method suits your home

Ask why the proposed sale method fits your likely buyers, timing, property and current market. Then ask what would make the agent change course. The answer should sound like a plan for your home, not a rehearsed defence of the method they usually use.

Make sure the marketing reaches the right buyers

More advertising products do not automatically make a stronger campaign. Ask who the likely buyers are, where they may come from and what each paid item is meant to achieve.

Review the agent's current listings as a buyer would. Look at the photography, writing, property details and clarity of the campaign. Ask who approves the final material and whether there is a plan if early buyer response differs from expectations.

The written proposal should separate included services from vendor-paid marketing and say when each cost is due. This makes it easier to compare the work, rather than counting logos and listing upgrades.

Find out who does the buyer work

The listing presentation may feature one person while open homes, buyer calls and day-to-day updates involve a wider team. That can work well, but you should know the operating model before you sign.

Ask who follows up every enquiry and open-home visitor, how quickly it happens, what is learned about buyer interest and how that information reaches you.

Also confirm who will negotiate an offer and how they handle conditions, counter-offers and more than one interested buyer. When offers arrive, the offer comparison tool can help you compare price, conditions and timing side by side.

Agree on communication before the campaign starts

Agree on the frequency, channel and content of updates before the campaign starts. A useful vendor report should help you understand enquiry, inspections, buyer feedback and the next decision. Ask who your day-to-day contact will be and what happens when that person is unavailable.

Work out the full cost in dollars

Commission structures vary and may be negotiable. The official agency agreement guidance says the agent must explain how commission is calculated, when it becomes payable and the estimated dollar amount at the appraised sale price. Check whether figures include GST, then record admin fees and vendor-paid marketing separately.

Compare the agreement term, cancellation process, services and expenses as well as commission. Get legal advice before signing. You can also use the commission comparison calculator to turn different fee structures into dollar estimates.

Check the basics independently

Check the individual agent on the Real Estate Authority public register. It shows whether their licence is current and any upheld complaint findings published within the last three years. Then ask for recent examples relevant to your kind of property, not only a broad sales total.

After that, consider the human fit. Do you feel listened to? Can the agent explain trade-offs without pressure? The agent works for you as the seller, so clarity and trust matter alongside the proposal.