Real Estate Agent Fees in ACT

Real Estate Agents ACT

Approximately 400,000 residents live in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) making it the most densely populated among Australia's States and Territories. Rental yields in the ACT can be higher than other states, due to the high population of people who work there, but do not have plans to reside there long term.

If you’re selling your home and need a real estate agent in the Australian Capital Territory, OpenAgent can help you find one. We analyse each of the 222 Real Estate Agents in the ACT to help you get the best possible price and that you find someone who will charge you a fair commission. The average real estate agent commission in the ACT is 2.37%, but commission rates can vary from one agent to another; so it’s important to take into consideration their track record for your area.

Why OpenAgent is different

OpenAgent takes the hassle out of choosing an agent, by analysing their past sales transactions, reviews and testimonials to connect you with the right agent for your needs. OpenAgent was born out of the realisation that sellers don’t always get a fair go, and are here to bring transparency and fairness to the real estate industry by giving you the right information to make your selection on which agent you choose to sell your home.

If you are selling your home, you can find, compare and select local real estate agents in the ACT here. We gather information on all Australian agents and put it together into one place, so you can do your research all from one place. If you want to make it even easier, our team of qualified consultants are standing by to give you a free phone consultation to help you decide which agents are right for your needs.

At OpenAgent, our team includes experts from a wide range of different backgrounds, including ex-real estate agents, IT wizards and business professionals. Our goal as a company is to provide a common forum where everybody benefits. Sellers get access to the right agent for their needs, and great agents are rewarded for their honesty, integrity and exceptional sales ability with online promotion and continued business growth.

Are cheap agents worth it?

It may be tempting to go with the agent who charges a lower commission. However, something very important to remember is that you'll usually be far better off with the best real estate agent rather than the cheapest.

Comparing cheap and expensive agents, the difference in final selling prices far outweighs the differences in agent commissions – that's because selling your property for a much higher price means more money in your pocket, even with a higher commission. Hence it's usually well worth the money to go with an agent who will work hard for you and has a proven sales record of delivering on promises.

Negotiating fees with agents

Once you've researched and shortlisted potential agents using OpenAgent's free service, the next step is to interview the top 2 or 3 agents personally. Here are our top tips for negotiating fees and getting the right agent on board.

1. Ask each agent what their commission is, and don't be shy – let them know you'll be comparing them against one another. This way you might be able to get an agent you like more to “price match” against a competitor.
2. If you want a record price for your house, don't expect an agent to drop their fee. Record prices require much more work, and you'll obviously have to pay a premium on it.
3. Consider asking for a sliding scale rate structure (like the sliding commission discussed earlier). The idea is to incentivise the agent to secure you a better selling price.
4. Don't just settle for the agent with the cheapest commission. As already discussed, more often than not you get what you pay for.
5. To make sure you're comparing like with like, include the advertising fees in your cost estimates, since they may or may not be included in an agent's quoted commission.
6. Don't forget that if your house is worth more than average, you can probably negotiate with the agent on a lower commission rate.
7. When it comes to negotiations don't be shy – haggle on all the fees and costs. Of course the agents won't tell you this, but everything is negotiable.
8. Lastly, make sure you get all fees and costs in writing from the word go. That way you won't be left high and dry when it comes to selling time.

Don't have the time or enough information to start interviewing agents?

Don't worry, OpenAgent can do all the tricky homework for you. A free service we offer is to pre-screen shortlisted agents for you. We'll then pass on the relevant information to you to help you narrow down your options as simply as possible.

Final cost tips

Here are some final tips on costs you'll need to factor in, to help you budget and choose the right real estate agent to sell your property. It's a good idea to understand all of these potential costs so there are no nasty surprises as you go!

• Advertising and marketing fees
  Since not all real estate agents include marketing and advertising costs in their commission structure, it's smart to prepare for these costs in your calculations when budgeting for the sale of your property.
  
  Based on the premise that your home is worth $500,000, the recommended budget for advertising and marketing is typically around $2,000-$5,000.
  
  
• Unconditional commission
  It's common for a real estate contract to state that the commission payable is unconditional once the sale is complete, which is when contracts have been exchanged. This means that you will be liable for the commission even if the sale falls through prior to settlement, so it's recommended that the buyer's deposit is at least the figure of your agent's commission so you don't end up out of pocket.
  
  You should also have your solicitor review all agent contracts prior to signing to ensure the clauses stated are reasonable.
  
  
• GST
  A GST figure of 10% is required for all real estate transactions, and this will be in addition to any real estate agent commission charged.
  
  
• Auctioneer fees
  Selling your property at auction requires paying an auctioneer's fee. Because most real estate agents are not registered auctioneers, this cost is most often considered as separate to your real estate agent's fees.
  
  You can expect an auctioneer to cost, on average, around $400.
  

Other selling costs to consider

• Conveyancer or solicitor fees
  Many people are surprised to learn that you need a conveyancer or solicitor not only when you are buying a house, but also when you are selling. This is because all of the same legal processes to be completed when buying must also be performed when selling your home.
  
  You should put aside about $800 for these costs.
  
  
• Mortgage discharge fee
  If you still have a mortgage when you sell your house, you can usually expect to be charged a fee by your bank for the paperwork involved in discharging the mortgage.
  
  These fees vary between institutions and home loan terms, but around $1,000 is a good rule of thumb.
  
  
• Pre-sale renovations
  Even if you're not planning on doing major renovations before you sell, you should put a little bit of your budget aside for small touch-ups to ensure your property is presented at its best. For example, doing things like painting trims, changing handles and taps, planting new flora in the garden, fixing cracks etc. will help get you the best possible sale price.
  
  Open Agent recommends that you budget around $1,000 for such work.
  
  
• Moving
  Once you sell your home you, naturally you have to move out, so you should always include the cost of moving all your furniture and belongings in your budget.
  
  As a general rule this will cost about $800.
  

Ready to find agents and crunch the numbers? It takes just two minutes to search, analyse and compare real estate agents online with OpenAgent. Just enter your postcode or suburb below to compare your local real estate agents now.

You can also refine your search by using our SmartSearch tool, which uses your answers to questions to intelligently match your needs to the most suitable agents.