Estate agent services: how to choose an agent and agree the brokerage
First decide what exactly the agent should do
“Estate agent services” covers very different amounts of work. One seller needs only advertising and viewings, another also needs the documents checked and support with the deal up to registration. A buyer may need a shortlist of options, a check on the seller and on clean title. The brokerage depends on all this.
One more question: an exclusive agreement or not. Exclusive means you give the sale to one agent for a set period. But you limit yourself, so agree the period and the terms of cancellation in writing.
How to find an agent through BlaBlaPrice
Instead of calling a dozen agencies, you write one request: what you are selling, buying or letting, where and what your timing is. It is checked, and you are told what else is missing. Then agents and agencies reply in the chat: what exactly they offer, the terms, the amount of brokerage or what it depends on. They can see where their offer ranks, so they can improve their terms. Reviews are visible next to each. Your phone number is hidden, and you decide who gets it. More on the “How it works” page.
What to put in your request
- Type of deal — sell, buy, let or rent.
- Property — number of bedrooms, area, house, plot or commercial.
- City and area, for example Cebu City.
- Price — expected for a sale or rent, or your purchase budget.
- What is included — search, viewings, document checks, support with the deal, exclusivity.
- State of the documents — ready, inherited property, home loan, encumbrances.
- Timing and the brokerage you are ready to pay.
Example: “Cebu City. I am selling a two-bedroom flat of 650 sq. ft, expected price ₱6,000,000, documents ready. I need advertising, viewings and support with the deal. I want to sell within 2 months, brokerage up to 2%.”
How to compare offers
Do not look only at the percentage. Ask what you get for it: photography, advertising on portals, viewings, checking the buyer, support through registration. A low brokerage without advertising can turn into a longer sale.
Ask how the agent will estimate the price: from comparable properties in the area or by guesswork. Ask about similar deals in this area and about timing, but do not believe promises to sell “in a week” at any price. If an agent asks for an advance before any result, be cautious: discuss it in the chat and look at the reviews.
Common mistakes
- Signing an exclusive agreement for a long period without cancellation terms.
- Not checking the documents in advance when the flat is inherited or has a loan against it.
- Not agreeing who pays the brokerage: the seller, the buyer or both.
To fix the price you may need a property valuation, and when the documents are out of date, a new property survey and floor plan. More related services are in the “Real estate services” section.
