Choosing an agent is a decision, not a default

Most vendors interview three agents and choose the one who quotes the highest price. That is not selection — it is an auction for your listing, and the currency is your expectation. The quoted price costs the agent nothing. The wrong method, timing and negotiation cost you plenty.

Agent selection should be treated like any other evidence-based decision. What is their clearance rate on comparable stock, not all stock? How do their final sale prices compare with their initial quotes? Who actually negotiates — the person who pitched, or someone you meet on auction day?

The method matters as much as the person. Auction, private treaty, expressions or off-market each suit different properties, different markets and different vendors. Privacy and timing are legitimate constraints — a quiet sale to a qualified buyer can outperform a public campaign when the circumstances call for it.

Independent vendor advocacy exists because these questions are hard to ask from inside the process. When your adviser earns nothing from the agent and nothing from the referral, the only agenda left is yours.