How to choose an estate agent to sell your home for the best price

You've decided to sell. The market is doing something, interest rates are what they are, and you need someone to move your home. Right now you're probably looking at a few agent profiles online, maybe getting WhatsApp voice notes from friends about who shifted their neighbours' place last year. Before you sign anything, you need to separate the agents who will genuinely fight for your price from the ones who'll just list it and hope.

The gap between a good outcome and a mediocre one often comes down to three things: how an agent prices your home, how hard they market it, and whether they actually know how to negotiate when an offer lands. Those three factors drive price more reliably than any commission rate.

Price strategy — not just an opinion

When an agent values your home, they're not just guessing. The honest ones will show you recent comparable sales in your area, walk you through what buyers are actually paying for similar properties right now, and explain where your home sits in that picture. They'll also be honest about the condition of the market and whether your expectations are realistic.

The problem: agents sometimes overprice to win the mandate, betting you'll lower the price later once you realise nothing's selling. This kills momentum. When a home sits overpriced for weeks, buyers assume something's wrong with it.

When you meet an agent, ask them to show you their last three sales in your suburb — the actual selling prices, not the asking prices. If they hesitate or can't pull the data quickly, that's a sign they're not actively selling in your area or they're not organised. Ask them explicitly: "Why is my home worth that figure?" A good answer mentions comparable sales, recent market shifts, and specific features of your property. A vague answer means they're anchoring too high.

Marketing that reaches actual buyers

You can tell a lot about an agent's marketing effort by asking what they actually do, not what they claim. Some agents rely on the property portal and open houses. Others actively call buyers they've worked with, target ads to specific buyer profiles, or handle multiple channels at once.

Find out:

• Do they photograph professionally or use a phone? (Professional photos genuinely shift perception.)
• How many days is the property typically on the portal before first offer? (This suggests market reach.)
• When did they last sell something comparable, and how long did it take?
• Do they have a WhatsApp database of active buyers they contact directly?

An agent who sells regularly in your area will know which buyers are looking for what you have. That's worth more than blanket marketing.

Negotiation when the offer comes

The moment an offer lands is where a good agent's worth shows. They need to know whether the bid is reasonable, whether the buyer is serious, and how hard to push back — or whether to negotiate quickly to close a sale. This requires experience, nerve, and knowledge of what similar properties have actually sold for in the past month.

A newer agent or one unfamiliar with your area might accept the first offer without testing the water. A pushy agent might kill a genuine buyer by overplaying their hand. A good one will know the difference.

When you interview agents, describe a fictional scenario: a buyer offers 5% below your asking price on day five of listing. How would they handle it? Their answer should reflect judgment, not just a rule. If they say "always counter" or "never negotiate down," they're not thinking.

Track record in your area and price range

Sales history matters more than years of experience. An agent with ten years in the business but only two sales in your suburb last year is less useful than one with three sales in the past three months. Ask directly: how many homes like yours have they sold, and for what price relative to the asking price?

When you're ready to move forward, the agent who asks the most questions about your timeline, your needs, and your home's condition is usually the one doing the harder work. That person is more likely to get you the best price.

Finding a vetted agent on Strove means you can check their registration, read reviews from real sellers, and compare their track records side by side without chasing leads through WhatsApp. Take time with this decision — it shapes your outcome significantly.