How to Choose a Real Estate Agent on the Gold Coast
Choose the agent who can prove the price, explain the buyer plan and show what they’ll do after your property goes online.
Don’t choose on the highest appraisal, cheapest fee or biggest profile alone. Ask every agent the same seven questions, then compare what sits behind each promise.
The video below explains why a big appraisal number can be misleading. The seven questions give you a practical way to check the full proposal.
1. Which recent sales support your price opinion?
Ask to see the comparable sales, not just the final number.
Queensland Government guidance says an agent who suggests an asking price must prepare a comparative market analysis. It normally compares at least three properties of a similar standard or condition, sold within five kilometres in the previous six months. If three suitable sales aren’t available, the agent must give you written market advice and explain how they reached it.
Read the Queensland Government guide to appointing a sales agent.
Then look past the list. Ask how each sale differs from your property in location, land, condition, layout and timing. The useful answer is a supported range, not one number designed to win the meeting.
2. What could stop us reaching the stronger price?
A good agent won’t pretend every part of the property is perfect.
Ask what buyers may question and what can be fixed before the sale. It could be presentation, access, layout, nearby competition, building condition or body corporate costs.
You’re not looking for a list of faults. You’re checking whether the agent can see the risks early and deal with the ones that matter.
3. Who is most likely to buy this property?
“I have buyers” isn’t a plan.
Ask who is most likely to care about your property and why. The agent should explain what those buyers are comparing, which features matter to them and how the marketing will give them a reason to inspect.
A database only helps when the right buyers see the property, understand the value and take the next step.
4. What is the launch plan, and what will you measure?
The answer shouldn’t be “put it online and see what happens”.
Ask how the property will be launched, how enquiries and inspections will be handled, and when you’ll review the response. You should know which signs would lead to a change in presentation, marketing, follow-up or price discussion.
A fixed two-week rule won’t suit every sale. What matters is having clear review points before the launch loses attention.
5. Who follows up with buyers, and what will I hear back?
Online enquiry is only the start.
Ask who calls the buyers, what they ask and how their answers reach you. “They liked it” and “they thought it was too expensive” don’t tell you enough.
You need to know which other properties buyers prefer, what keeps stopping them and whether anyone is moving closer to an offer.
6. What happens when buyers push back on price?
One buyer asking for a discount proves very little. They may be trying their luck.
But if suitable buyers keep raising the same concern and nobody makes an offer, the agent needs to work out why. The problem could be the buyers reached, the way the property is shown, the follow-up or a price they can’t justify.
My job isn’t to make your property cheap. It’s to work out what is stopping buyers and protect your result before recommending a change.
7. What do the fees cover, and what will I keep?
Compare the full proposal, not one percentage.
Ask what the professional fee covers, which marketing costs are separate, when each amount is due and whether optional expenses need your approval.
Then compare the likely amount left after all selling costs. A lower fee doesn’t guarantee a better result. A higher fee doesn’t prove the agent will create one either. You can also read the Gold Coast agent fees guide before comparing proposals.
Read the written appointment before you sign
Queensland residential agent appointments use Form 6. The form records the commission, other costs, when payments are due and the services the agent will provide.
Read the completed form. Check the appointment type, term, fees, marketing costs, services and cancellation conditions. Get independent legal advice if anything is unclear.
Don’t assume a conversation has changed the written appointment.
Compare up to three agents side by side
The free comparison scorecard lets you test up to three proposals using the same six parts of the sale. It covers price evidence, likely buyers, launch, follow-up, the response plan and the written terms. No email is required.
Compare my agents with the free scorecard.
No checklist can guarantee a sale price. It can help you see whether an agent has thought through the work needed to earn the strongest result available when you sell.
FAQs
Should I choose the agent who gives the highest appraisal?
No. Ask which recent sales support the price, what could stop buyers paying it and how the agent will test the plan after launch. A promise isn’t the same as a result.
Is the cheapest commission the best deal?
Not automatically. Compare the total cost, the work included and the amount you may keep after the sale.
How many agents should I interview?
There’s no set number. Queensland Government guidance recommends speaking with several agents. Speak with enough suitable agents to compare their evidence, method, communication and written terms.
What is a Form 6 in Queensland?
It’s the form used to appoint or reappoint a residential property agent. Read the completed form and get independent advice about anything you don’t understand before signing.
What if I want to change agents later?
Read the existing appointment and get advice before appointing someone else. The type, term and cancellation conditions matter.