How Do I Choose the Best Real Estate Agent?

Many homeowners believe that hiring a real estate agent is necessary to sell their home—but in today's market, is it really the best option?

With platforms like realestate.com.au and domain.com.au are driving most buyer inquiries, many agents simply list properties online and wait for buyers to respond. This often means homeowners pay large commission fees—sometimes $20,000 to $30,000+—for a process they could easily manage themselves.

If you're considering selling your home, this guide explores whether hiring an agent is worth the cost or if selling privately through a service like salebyhomeowner.com.au is a better option.

What Do Real Estate Agents Actually Do?

Many sellers assume agents provide extensive marketing and buyer outreach, but in reality, most listings follow a simple process:

✔️ The agent lists your property on major real estate websites (Realestate.com.au & Domain.com.au).

✔️ Buyers find your home online—often without direct agent involvement.

✔️ The agent facilitates inspections—but buyers would have attended regardless.

✔️ When an offer is made, the agent negotiates terms (but sellers often dictate these themselves).

💡 If buyers are finding homes on major property websites, why pay high commissions for something you could do yourself?

How Much Do Real Estate Agents Charge?

🏡 Commission fees range between 2%–3% of the final sale price—meaning sellers lose tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary fees.

🏡 On a $1,000,000 home, agent commissions cost between $20,000–$30,000.

🏡 Agents Marketing costs can also add an additional $2,000 - $6,000—private sellers can list their homes for a fraction of the price.

💡 Selling privately eliminates these costs, allowing homeowners to keep every dollar of their sale price!

Should You Hire an Agent or Sell Privately?

✅ When Hiring an Agent Might Make Sense

✔️ If you need someone to handle negotiations entirely—though private sellers can do this themselves.

✔️ If you prefer paying commissions for convenience rather than managing your own sale.

✔️ If you own a highly unique or difficult-to-market property, requiring specialized marketing strategies.

✅ Why Selling Privately Is Becoming More Popular

✔️ Homeowners can still have their properties seen on realestate.com.au and domain.com.au through agent-assisted or private listing services like salebyhomeowner.com.au—getting the same exposure agents provide.

✔️ Private sellers maintain full control over price, inspections, and negotiations—without agent interference.

✔️ Avoiding commissions saves tens of thousands of dollars, ensuring 100% of the sale price stays with the seller.

💡 With private selling platforms, homeowners get the benefits of national exposure without paying agent fees!

Final Thoughts

If you're thinking about selling, consider whether hiring an agent is actually worth the cost.

✔️ Most buyers find homes through online listings—agents aren’t necessarily creating demand.

✔️ Commission fees can exceed $20,000–$30,000—private selling eliminates these costs.

✔️ Homeowners can list on Australia’s top property websites through Salebyhomeowner.com.au—ensuring nationwide exposure without agent fees.