You can receive two reasonable quotes that solve different problems. One may cover a suburb search, inspections and negotiation. Another may start only after you have found a property. This worksheet helps you establish what you are actually comparing.
Send every agent the same brief
- State your target suburbs, acceptable alternatives and property type.
- Give a purchase budget range and identify whether buying costs are separate.
- Explain your timeframe and what checks are already complete.
- Choose the requested scope: full search, assessment and negotiation, or auction bidding.
- Explain the decisions you want help making and the work you will arrange yourself.
Copy this comparison worksheet
| Comparison item | Agent A | Agent B |
|---|---|---|
| Named person doing the work | Fill in | Fill in |
| Service scope and search area | Fill in | Fill in |
| Agreement term and exclusivity | Fill in | Fill in |
| Total including GST at your scenario price | Fill in | Fill in |
| Retainer: included or additional | Fill in | Fill in |
| Payment milestones and minimum fee | Fill in | Fill in |
| External inspection and legal costs | Fill in | Fill in |
| Unsuccessful search or termination terms | Fill in | Fill in |
| Relevant licence or supervision details | Fill in | Fill in |
| Referral benefits and conflicts disclosed | Fill in | Fill in |
| Outstanding questions and written answers | Fill in | Fill in |
Calculate totals without double counting
For an illustrative fixed quote of $16,500 including a $2,500 retainer, the remaining service fee would be $14,000 if the agreement credits the retainer in full. If the same $2,500 were additional, the total would instead be $19,000. These are invented figures showing why the wording matters, not real fee quotes.
For a percentage quote, record the purchase price assumption and whether GST is already included. Repeat the calculation at the low and high ends of your budget. Keep legal, inspection and other third-party invoices outside the service-fee subtotal so you can see the full purchase budget without mislabelling those costs.
Use a shortlist rather than an automatic score
First remove unresolved eligibility and scope issues: verify the relevant licence or registration arrangements, identify who will represent you, and obtain a written agreement. Then compare evidence of relevant experience, the quality of the proposed work and the communication process. A score out of ten can hide a serious unanswered contractual question.
The NSW Government guide explains the agreement and conduct requirements. Ask an independent legal adviser to review wording you do not understand. Do not treat a completed spreadsheet as a review of the contract.
Keep a decision record
- Record the quote date and how long it is valid.
- Save the version of the agreement you reviewed, together with written clarifications.
- Note why the chosen scope fits your brief and which tasks remain yours.
- Reconfirm the quote if your suburbs, budget, buyer entity or search scope changes.
If the scope remains unclear, a useful next message is: “Please confirm the complete fee including GST, whether the retainer is included, the work you will do and what remains payable if I do not buy.”