Choosing a Real Estate Agent: A Practical Guide for WA Homeowners

Selling your home in Perth involves more than preparing the garden, taking photographs and putting a sign outside. Before the campaign begins, you need to decide who will represent you throughout the sale.

An agent’s appraisal and commission are useful starting points, but they do not tell you everything about the service you will receive. You also need to understand the agent’s pricing approach, marketing plan, communication and negotiation process.

The aim is to choose someone whose recommendations you understand and whose work you can assess. These practical steps will help homeowners across Western Australia compare their options before making a commitment.

Start by explaining what you need

Before meeting agents, write down what matters most to you.

Are you working towards a particular moving date? Do you need time to purchase another home? Is the property occupied, vacant or tenanted? How much preparation can you realistically complete before advertising begins?

Be clear about your priorities without assuming every outcome can be guaranteed. You might want a strong price, a convenient settlement and minimal disruption, but the campaign may involve trade-offs.

Ask each agent how they would approach your circumstances. Their answer should address your actual situation and explain which decisions need to happen first.

Ask for relevant experience

An agent’s overall sales record provides background, but experience with comparable properties deserves closer attention.

REIWA recommends asking prospective agents about their local knowledge, sales history, understanding of your price bracket and proposed method of sale. These questions help you assess whether their experience suits your property. Read REIWA’s guidance on choosing an agent.

For example, if you are selling a family home in Morley, ask an agent to discuss a recent sale involving a home with a similar layout, condition or ownership structure.

Then go beyond the final price. What preparation did the seller undertake? What concerns did buyers raise? Did the original campaign change?

A useful conversation should show how the agent responds to practical challenges. You are looking for an explanation you can follow, supported by relevant examples.

Examine the appraisal carefully

Receiving a high appraisal can be exciting, particularly when you have owned your home for many years. Before building your plans around that figure, ask how the agent arrived at it.

Request recent comparable sales and discuss the differences between those homes and yours. Consider land size, presentation, accommodation, location and any property-specific limitations.

You could ask: “Which recent sale provides the strongest support for your estimate, and what makes my property worth more or less?”

Remember that an appraisal is an assessment, rather than a guaranteed sale result. Ask what could affect the estimate and what evidence would lead the agent to revise their advice.

This gives you a more useful foundation for planning your next move.

Request a clear marketing proposal

Ask for a written proposal that connects the marketing activities to your likely buyers.

Rather than accepting a package without discussion, ask the agent to explain the purpose of each item. What should the photography communicate? Would a floor plan help buyers understand an unusual layout? What would video add?

For a home in Dianella, for example, ask which features deserve attention in the advertising and how the proposed campaign will present them accurately.

Also discuss preparation before spending money. Ask the agent to identify the three improvements they would prioritise within your budget and explain their reasoning.

A practical proposal should distinguish essential work from optional extras. It should also set out the launch timing, advertising channels, inspection arrangements and process for approving additional spending.

You should leave the meeting knowing what is proposed and what it will cost.

Understand who will handle the work

The person presenting the proposal may work with a wider team. Clarify responsibilities before the campaign begins.

Ask who will answer enquiries, conduct inspections, follow up interested buyers and negotiate offers. Find out who will update you when your main contact is unavailable.

You can also agree on a useful reporting format. For example, request a weekly update covering enquiries, inspections, buyer concerns and recommended actions.

A report becomes more valuable when it helps you make a decision. If buyers repeatedly raise the same concern, ask what response the agent recommends and why.

Agreeing on these expectations early gives both parties a clear standard to work towards.

Discuss negotiation and buyer communication

Ask the agent to explain how they would handle a realistic scenario.

Suppose a buyer likes your property but offers below your expectations. What questions would the agent ask? How would they establish whether the buyer could improve their offer? When would they seek your instructions?

Their explanation should include the proposed contract terms as well as the price. Ask how they would help you compare offers with different finance conditions, settlement dates or other requirements.

Honesty is essential throughout this process. The ACCC states that agents must not mislead consumers to encourage higher offers, including by inventing claims about rejected offers. Read the ACCC’s real estate guidance.

Look for clear reasoning and professional conduct when assessing the agent’s approach.

Compare the full cost and agreement

In WA, an agent’s commission is negotiable and must be recorded in the written authority. Marketing costs may also be payable if the property does not sell, depending on the arrangement you agree to. See Consumer Protection WA’s selling guidance.

Request an itemised explanation of commission, advertising and any other charges. Ask for dollar examples so you can compare proposals using the same assumed sale price.

Read the appointment agreement carefully, particularly its duration, exclusivity provisions, payment obligations and ending arrangements. Ask for clarification before signing and obtain independent legal advice if a term remains unclear.

Avoid treating either the lowest or highest fee as proof of quality. Assess the proposed service alongside its cost.

Make your choice using evidence

After the meetings, compare the agents against the same criteria: relevant experience, appraisal evidence, campaign planning, communication, negotiation and total cost.

Write down any unanswered questions and resolve them before making your decision.

Pay attention to how each agent responds when you question a recommendation. You need someone who can explain their position, acknowledge uncertainty and give you clear options.

Your next step is straightforward: shortlist a few suitable agents, give them the same information and request written proposals. Choose the person whose approach you understand and whose commitments are clear enough to assess throughout the campaign.