Typically, agents charge 2% for selling in Singapore. This can be negotiated down based on the price. If your unit is worth $1,000,000, then 1.5% is 15k, which is still good money, so many will take it. The higher the price, the lower you can push the %. You can contact the guys on Propseller to bring the commission down to as little as 1%. I hope it helps.

I would encourage you to make good the repair before approaching an agent. Let me share with you my experience when my girlfriend and I went house hunting last year. We went through like 20-30 flat viewing over a period of 4 months, and I will use a few examples to illustrate my viewpoint. Example 1 One of the first viewings we went was to this house that is in mint condition. It's firstly not cluttered, not dirty, and everything is neat. The agent could even show that the aircon unit was recently serviced. From a buyer's perspective, I am already half sold. The first impression I have of the owners (even thou we did not see the owner) was one of a decent couple who at least bothers to put in the effort to maintain the house. And the agent representing them has more bargaining power and leverage because he has the condition of the house backing it up. He knows buyers will not be able to haggle down the price based on housing conditions. Score: Seller 1 buyer 0. Example 2 We went to this house that is on the other end of the spectrum compared to example 1. Firstly, it was a 4room flat rented out to 8(I think) foreign workers. The ceiling is black from all the dust. Wiring is exposed because of missing trunking, the doorknob is missing, leaving a circular hole in the door, all available window space is used as drying racks, built-in cabinets door are falling apart. After viewing, the agent quoted us at valuation. My reply to him was a flat no. I told him I would cut at least 50k off his price based on the housing condition because I have to renovate it. Granted, your flat is not in as dire straits as example 2, but I would still strongly encourage you to make good the repair, especially when it's ceiling and water. Even though it's not a leaky ceiling, but don't allow buyers to cast doubt. As a seller, you wouldn't want to give buyers like me opportunity to cut your price down. And given that buyers will see multiple housings in the course of the viewing, you need something to make them remember. I only remember the exceptionally good and the exceptionally bad houses. Don't handicap your effort by starting from the exceptionally bad starting point. Good luck with your flat selling! === You can approach an agent who should be able to advise you whether it's better to repair the damages before appraisal or accept a lower appraisal cost. The agent gets a cut of the final selling price. It doesn't matter how long the agent handles your case.

Property agents do not only rely on property transactions. They play the middleman role in bringing together rental tenants and landlords. Most aspire to become a lead agent with a 'down' line, much like the MLM world, where those agents in the line pay a portion of their commissions to the leading agent in exchange for the privilege of being in the down the line. More than one agent has told me that their 'job' pays very well. They even want to recruit me to be in their 'down' line. Their job pays well because most people believe in the myth of property ownership and asset enhancement in a country where the Constitution does not grant a citizen the right to the property i.e., the government can take your property away for building roads or rapid mass transit that the people want to pay the mortgage for thirty to forty years in the hope of a profitable outcome. Most are just making the rich richer ... unusually the property developers.

Take the property agent tests like REA or any other exam that would help you to get your license. A license along with valid accreditations would help you to become a top property broker in Pune. You may check the syllabus for the exam issued by the Council of Real Estate Agencies (CEA). To take the exam, you need to have in-depth knowledge about the real estate industry, like- property characteristics, types of properties, and rights associated with each one of those, land description, ownership rights, non-monetary encumbrances, property lien, government rules, and regulations, etc.

You should attend Resale Seminar for Buyers and Sellers (Page on hdb.gov.sg) first and digest information at Buying a Resale Flat.

Property agents are a dime a dozen. However, their abilities and experience vary greatly. Here’s how I think you should go about picking one. Focus on the following. Communication. This is often overlooked. You do need to feel comfortable with your agent as it will help mitigate frustration for both parties through the course of the process – be it renting out your property or selling it. You want someone you can rely on to get information. Expertise. You will want to ask for his pricing recommendations, even if you know how much you want to sell for. Feel free to ask him how he arrived at that figure. If you feel you can trust his advice, you're off to a good start. It's critical that you feel protected in his expertise and his ability to get you answers in a dependable and timely fashion. It's kind of what you're paying for. Ask him to describe the process for you and come to a mutual understanding of what is to be expected. So you've decided that the agent communicates well and has the required expertise. Finally, do you like him/her enough to give him/her your business? Once you decide on one, it's efficient to stick to him/her and develop a trusting and professional relationship. This will cost you less in frustration and time than if you were to get multiple agents and try everybody out. Numerous agents will place list your home on the SAME platforms and show the same number of buyers your unit making it confusing for everyone. In other words, have some principles and don't be a slut because it's not in your best interest. I see many owner-agent relationships get off to a bad start and end up worse. This is typical because the owner often feels vulnerable, thinking he has the most to lose and sees the agent as opportunistic and unnecessary. Fix this. An agent provides a service that costs a fee. If the service is terrible, tell him and/or find better service. If the service is too expensive, list it yourself and get a lawyer to transact for you. This is ideal if you have the time and expertise. Not suitable if you're busy with work, life, and kids and/or selling it for the first time. Ultimately the decision lies with you. === Here is what I learned: Selling and renting are different Does selling require an exclusive agent? Some of the big firms like ERA do roadshows and other promotions. Smaller agents may not I will try to see if the agent is familiar with the area. For selling, check the properties sold (for HDB). Not sure how to do that with condos. When you meet the agent, ask if he is familiar with the area. Then ask some questions to see if he knows the valuation price. Then ask which properties were sold recently and for how much. Ask why a particular flat was sold for $XXX. Of course, be subtle with these questions. Although other answers have suggested asking friends, I think it is tricky.

Homebuyers are concerned with price, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, local school performance, property taxes, mortgage rates, comparative house prices, termites, condition of the house, house history, and why are the owners selling. Thus a real estate agent would need the skills to find out that information at lightning speeds- therefore, the software required. A smartphone with links to property tax records, mortgage quotes, recent sales records, school performance ratings, and more. Would be the minimum. === I would focus more on the skills. Software changes in the blink of an eye, and you can hire people to that part of the job for you. Focus more on getting to know everything about the area you work in, comps, what's on the market, what it went for, negotiation, and marketing. Your relational skills need to be at the top of your game as well.

Real estate agents are facing the problem of the unavailability of good quality leads. Most of the portal like http://Magicbricks.com 99acres.com and other property renting websites display them, but sites like NoBroker Flats, Houses, Apartments for Rent, Buy, Sell Without Brokerage in India remove them. High-quality websites like Accomnow Find Best Apartments, Houses, PGs, Rooms for Rent and Buy in Kolkata! Help both the Tenant and the broker in all ways possible.

I started in 1968. I work in Toronto, Canada. When I started, the real estate board had maybe 6,500 members. Today, we are the world’s most giant board, pushing to 60,000 probably sometime in 2020 or 2021. Even 30 years ago, in 1990, the number of agents was increasing, and part-time agents were becoming more common. For a part-time agent who is say making $50,000 a year, selling one house a year and cutting their commission may still yield them $10,000 to $15,000, so for them, that is akin to a lottery win. If many people list and sell one house a year, then they cut into the production of top producers. The rise of the part-time agent started about 30 years ago and continues today. Another thing, in Toronto, we are in about the 23rd straight year of a rising market. Today, $1 Million buys a basic semi-detached house in the core. In 1990, we had climbed out the real estate depression of the 1980s, and agents knew what a down market was all about. In 1990, it was a boom year again, but by 1991 our market collapsed, and prices went south deep south. Fortunes were lost; Agents were having trouble giving away houses. It was a horrible time. Agents had to be tough to survive and work very hard. Selling was not easy. Agents had to understand creative financing techniques and how to sell to a willing buyer when there were not a lot of willing lenders. We could not sell unless we grasped mortgage financing. Today, agents just contact a mortgage broker or lender and let them handle that aspect. Most cannot manipulate the system to work for their buyers. Buyer agency was just coming on its own in 1990, and today, it is established. We also had to spend a great deal on print advertising as listings had to go into the real estate columns in the newspapers, so good agents knew how to write excellent and action-based copy. In 1990, although we had pagers, car phones, cellphones, we were not as easily accessible as today. Today, we expect to return a call or text within minutes. We are always on the go. We had a better life-work balance. One of the most significant changes in real estate of all is the advent of teams. In 1990, there were few teams in the game. Today, organizations are dominating in many markets, and groups are the future. That is a significant innovation. Training, although there was Jerry Bresser, Floyd Wickman, Tom Hopkins, and a few more, our practice was not strong. Today, coaching for the top producers is the norm. Brokerages. I may be a heretic as I am a RE/MAX broker, but the RE/MAX model broke the mold, and independent brokerages had trouble staying in the game. Oh, they still exist, but the profit margins for a brokerage today are weak in comparison to 30 years ago. We worked for a broker, a broker who trained us, was there for us, and would fire us. Today, we rarely go into our offices. We work from home, and brokerages who have monthly desk fees keep anyone who keeps paying and is not in trouble. The brokers have lost control. So, teams emerged to recreate the brokerage structure that used to exist. Ironic. RE/MAX has teams that resemble the 1970s brokerages when they broke the eggshell of brokerage. And of course, more national brands in real estate and worldwide. I can go on, but one last thing that has truly changed, the newer agent today, the younger ones. They are in the business but not the career. Many are in to make money and move on. Real estate as a career, a life career, was our norm 30 years ago. Today, more are transaction-driven and not focused on the client. And come back in 10 years to 2030, and I predict that the changes in the next ten years will be more revolutionary than what has transpired over the past 30, 40, or 50 years. The times they are changing! === Not much different from 30 years ago and 40 years ago except we had to walk everywhere cause a horse and buggy were expensive. Forty years ago, there are no computers, no fax machines, no pagers, and MLS books printed every other week. No internet. Thirty years ago, we transitioned from teletypes to dumb terminals, basic PCs, beginnings of (PC) networks, and the start of cellphones and copy machines and thermal fax machines. Twenty years ago, the elimination of the MLS published books, the removal of published home magazines. The rejection of the pager and thermal fax paper. The creation of (beginnings) information on demand. Searching anything on the internet was spotty at best. If you didn’t know what you could search for, you didn’t know what you were missing. This time can be expanded so much like the creation of databases, online calendars, cell phones, and many more. Ten years ago, everything came of synchronization: your digital cellphone, your laptop, desktop pc, and your tablet. You can schedule an appointment on your phone. Your assistant sees it in real-time, moments on their desktop; Nobody knows what a printed MLS book let alone a homes magazine. The digital age with Trulia and Zillow trying to capture leads then selling them to us. I laugh at Zillow and the bunch. I don’t work with many buyers. I restrict the sharing of the information on the internet for the first 10–14 days. (makes the buyers call the sign and commit to something) The internet commits, and they can hide anonymously. Hard to do when you cannot find it. I love the mixture of the old way and today's technology, The agents of today would sink like a rock in quicksand so ill-prepared. But at the same time, I can watch my 70–80 listings (a year) sell-by all the newbies that have no clue and generally have no idea of technology. Then they walk around trying to impress everyone that they do. What old-timers bring to the table is a mixture of hard work, ethics, and a career in mind. The difference is enormous. === Mary, I can’t speak to the full 30 years, but I have been a Realtor for 25 years. When I started in 1995, the internet had just begun. We still had to take photos with a camera with film and have it developed and then mailed to an out-of-state client instead of sending pictures online to them. There wasn’t such fierce competition for space on Page 1 of Google. Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, Find Real Estate, Homes for Sale, Apartments & Houses for Rent | realtor.com didn’t exist to take the lion’s share of Page 1. We didn’t have Realtors who hired staff to write SEO ladened content for their websites (some locally who have 3–4 employees that are all they do 40 hours a week). There weren’t as many competitors. Right now, we have over 8,500 Realtors in the two counties I serve, and we need no more than 1,000 to do the work for the entire year. Each one of those additional agents who help a friend or family member to buy or sell their home takes income off the table of the ones who work full-time in the industry. When I began as a real estate appraiser in 1991, we didn’t have listings available online. We used books that were published every couple of weeks, so data within them had to be verified just to confirm the home was still possible to show. We moved into an online version of the MLS shortly before I started as a Realtor. Lots of items have been invented and updated over the years. Lots of shiny objects that get purchased because we thought they would save time or money and just sit on a shelf unused in some cases. We had tape measures in the beginning (and most of us still have one or two in our cars), but there are now laser measuring devices that help you to measure a room’s dimension. That is a brief account of some of the changes. === Thirty years ago, there was no internet, so agents where the only way for buyers to get listings and information. Today buyers have everything at their fingertips, so agents are now more consults to get the most for their sellers and help buyers get the home they want at the best value. Agents help guide the process and do everything from remodels and staging to finding off-market or creative options for buyers in low inventory areas. === I have been retired (semi-retired) now for about 17 years. So much has changed that I no longer know what high tech has brought to the real estate environment. Given where I live, a rural-suburban climate, it appears that real estate has gone from more everyday personalized (shake the hand introduction) to high tech. Email list building and mass mailings or flyers at the door. As they say, “it's a numbers game,” and the competition is stiff. === I was not a real estate agent 30 years ago, but have a good friend who was one. I would say that the most significant difference is technology. With all the house finding apps out there, anyone can locate a place to live without the help of an agent. So making yourself valuable to the consumer is essential. You have to add value, or you won't survive.

They generate them through their efforts and networking. The ask for referrals - from everyone. They follow up relentlessly on every lead - my boss used to say, “Stick with them until they buy or die.” They contact neighbors, people they do business with, people they meet ANYWHERE. They take no lead for granted and always follow through on every promise they make. Social media ads help a lot, as well. I like to target people in a narrow area when I have a property in their field - everyone knows someone who loves their neighborhood. Ask them and get the name. Call them - ask the lead for leads. There are no dead ends. Everyone leads to someone.

About $3,000 plus another $250/mo for managing it and my social media. It was an investment and I am relatively happy with the result.

Personal websites, if found, can be helpful for an individual buyer or seller to learn about the Realtor and their knowledge of the market. The trouble usually is that the agent won’t spend the time necessary to develop a website that can be found. The SEO needed today to show up is almost impossible unless you have unlimited funds. In 1995, when I started in the real estate business, you could have a website in the top ten (or first-page search on Google) because only eight of us had websites and Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Homes.com, and more that didn’t exist yet. Now, almost every Realtor has a website. In our area, that is over 8,500 of them, so unless you are paying (dearly) for a position or have several full-time people writing articles and drawing attention to your site, it is hard to compete for those eyes.

You wouldn’t see the house “online” if there wasn’t an agent who put it there. Most of the time, you are looking at homes that are “listed” for sale. The seller hired an agent to do that, and that agent works for the seller. Now you see a house online that you may want to buy. Next, you will want to see it. Correct? Whom are you going to call to get inside it? You can call the agent for the Seller, but then you will be paying for an Agent who is not your agent. That agent will still pay for both the seller’s services and your services, but that agent will represent the seller when they meet you. If you are going to pay for an agent in the price of the home, why not have your own? Let’s say you wait and see it at an Open House, and you want to buy it after viewing it at the Open House. What do you do next? You have to talk to an agent who will write the offer. Again, you can use the Seller’s agent for that, but why pay for an agent who doesn’t represent you? Seeing houses “online” and buying them without seeing them is not the norm. Writing your offer on a napkin is also not the norm. Odds are the house you see online is there because it is in the system of agents. Out of curiosity, what do you think happens after you see a house “online” and are interested in that house? There is a lot more to why you need an agent, and many others will answer that. But how do you think you get from seeing it online to getting the keys to living in it? === You can see listings online, but they are not up to date, and information can be incorrect. Also, if you do end up getting into some trouble, who’s going to help you? Yeah, get a lawyer and spend money on that when a right agent could’ve avoided things of this nature. Also, if you’re buying a house, you’re not paying the real estate agent, so why not? You only end up paying if you want to sell your home and use an agent. Real estate agents also use an online listing program that only can be used by a licensed professional, and THESE listings are highly regulated, which means their information will be more reliable than the ones you’re looking at. Lastly, let’s say you find a house you like, the house will most likely have an agent representing the seller. That seller and agent will have an advantage over you because they’re going to work in their best interest over you. And you will be representing yourself and have no idea what is going on, and you’ll most likely end up not getting what you want. If you have a right agent, they’ll work in your best interest and try their best to get you what you want. === Do you know how to fill out the sales contract and all associated documents correctly? Do you know what makes a contract legal or illegal? Do you know and understand critical time requirements for inspections, payments, and more. If so, you do not need an agent. === Online will not show you possibly disgusting odors and worn-out flooring and the pig farm behind the house, lol. Find a Realtor and look at 20 properties and buy one before the prices go up again. === The same reason that you need a dentist, oral surgeon, or endodontist when you have a mirror, an exacto razor, and a pair of channel locks. They are professionals at what they do and deal with real estate transactions every day. You are not. === Online presence is merely a form of marketing. Where the Real Estate professional comes in is when you have chosen a property to make an offer. They will help you to determine an offer price based on the comps and disclosures. They will help you to navigate to the lending process and inspections. There is so much we do behind the scenes that the general public is not aware of. === One, they know the area well and can disclose details in the neighborhood or city. Two, they know how to research what other homes have sold for so you can know what to offer. Three, they represent your best interest and work to make sure you get a great deal. === I would suggest that you always use a professionally-licensed real estate agent. If something goes wrong, you have a professional who can help you. I have clients who recently decided to rent an apartment in Paris for a six-month stay. Instead of going through an agent, they looked online and found an ideal residence, at the right price, through Craigs List. The “owner” of the apartment insisted that they wire him an amount representing three months’ rent, over $3000, before they arrived in Paris. Of course, when they arrived at the pre-determined place to pick-up the keys, the address did not exist. Avoid such scams by renting only through a licensed agent. It may cost a bit more (most agents will charge a month’s rent as their fee), but in the long run, it will be safer.

MANY sellers choose to offer “less” commission. There is a misrepresentation in your question. Redfin Listings are not more likely to provide a “less” commission than any other brokerage. When a seller lists their house, they provide a commission for their representation and services PLUS a commission to be paid to the buyer side. NONE of Redfin’s advertising as to “less” commission is about agents who work in other firms. Redfin agents are generally on a salary and not a commission. There are some exceptions, like “partner agents.” IF a seller decides to offer “less,” and many do, that is a comprehensive industry option and not merely or even primarily a Redfin claim or standard practice. In fact, in my experience, they are less likely to do that than many other firms because it is the seller’s decision and not the Brokerages decision. The seller offers an amount to ensure that as many agents as possible will show their home. If the “buyer-side” is less than what the seller provides, that savings usually goes to the buyer and not the seller. This particularly true in more progressive markets. === I like this question. I think that these are the ideas that are on the mind of consumers, and unfortunately, the agent doesn’t end up looking that good unless we spell it out for inquiring consumers! Any agent that lets commission determine what houses they will or will not show a buyer client needs to get out of the business for the sake of all of us agents that believe in the code of ethics. First, we put our clients’ interests ahead of our own every day. Second, if we are Realtors, we took an oath to that effect. Third, if they don’t see it with us, they will see it with someone else. Fourth, it would feel pretty icky if a client ever asked about the commission rate of the houses we DID show them versus a handful that we chose NOT to show them. I feel the same way about iBuyer offers. Agents that don’t bring them to seller clients (where available and applicable) are harming their sellers. === Buyer’s agents don’t get paid less, Redfin seller’s and buyer’s agents do. When Redfin lists a property on an MLS, they pay what is typical of a full commission in the area to compete, which shows just how wrong their model is. === Less commission is better than no commission. If the property is the best match for the client, the real estate agent should be showing the property regardless of the commission amount. === Because if they do not find any home for the buyer, they get nothing. That is like saying a car dealer would only sell to people that do not want a deal and will pay sticker price If the house is advertised, the buyer may know about it and view themselves, and if buyers agreement about to expire can just wait and cut the agent out completely. === Because that agent sees their job as being to get the client into the best home for them? Perhaps the client is a repeat customer who has bought houses at full fees before? Maybe the client is considered listing their current residence for sale with that agent, but wants to lock up a house to buy first? Perhaps the redfin listing owner has promised to buy a house the agent has for sale if they can get their home sold? Those are some reasons that I can think of immediately.

Yes, some real estate agents help people to find places to rent. That is an area you can specialize in when getting your realtor license. There are good commissions to be had with place people in rentals. While the commissions are not as massive as selling a house depending on where you live, they may be more plentiful and easy to come by.

In commercial real estate agency, the use of technology is now established and essential. There are so many different technology tools that can be used by property agents and property managers daily. That being said, it is remarkable how many salespeople overlook the advantages that technology provides. You still hear of salespeople that cannot get used to email or computer use.

Here is what I use pretty much 365 days a year. MLS CRM Craigslist Facebook Email === One online system real estate agents (and their respective companies) use on a daily basis is a CRM system. CRM helps with real estate operations in several ways. It helps them track both their current sales/potential clients, match clients with listings, and ensures that their customer service is personalized, among other things. You’d be hard-pressed to find a real estate business that does not use CRM software on a regular basis.

When I was a teenager sometime around 1978, my mom and new stepdad bought a house from a good old boy in southwest Missouri. It was a VA loan and took a few months to close. I think the house needed a few inexpensive repairs to pass the inspection. I was with them one day when the seller told them to go ahead and move into the house before the loan closed so that they could save on the rent they had been paying. So we walked and eventually the loan came through and everything seemed fine. Fast forward about a year, and I had already graduated High School. Diamond Mo class of 1979. I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to go to school. One day speaking to my mom, she told me the guy was taking them to court for back rent. I went with them to court and even testified on their behalf. My folks lost the case and had to pay the money. Mom doubtful this would have happened had they used an attorney of a realtor.