FAQs
Sellers Advocacy, also known as Vendor Advocacy, is a growing service industry that provides property sellers with professional, independent support and unbiased advice. It is typically someone with an intimate knowledge of the buying and selling process and works exclusively for you, the seller. We are your representative during the sales transaction to ensure you achieve the best possible price for your home.
- We provide an independent assessment of the estimated value of your property.
- We provide advice on ways to present your home to appeal to the most buyers.
- We help you prepare your property for sale and assist with minor cosmetic upgrades.
- We research, interview and advise on which agent is best suited to sell your home.
- We negotiate a competitive selling fee with the agent.
- We ensure the marketing maximises the exposure of your property and not of the agent.
- We proactively manage the agent to ensure a profitable outcome.
- We provide advice during the negotiation phase.
- We are by your side on Auction day to guide and support you.
The main difference is that unlike a real estate agent who deals with both buyer AND seller during a negotiation, a Sellers Advocate deals only with the seller so there is never a conflict of interest. A Sellers Advocate is often described as being a ‘buffer’ or ‘barrier’ between the seller and agent, protecting them from pressure tactics often applied by agents.
Another difference is we help the seller choose the best real estate agent by conducting lengthy interviews and delving much deeper into the sale process. Pricing strategy, marketing campaign and buyer follow up processes are just a few of the items on the agenda during these interviews.
There is no catch. We have a written agreement with the selected real estate agent that they pay us a small percentage of their selling commission upon settlement. This is very common in the property industry when 2 agents work together on a sale. We prefer not to disclose this percentage on our website but happy to let you know more when you contact us. Please note, we still negotiate a favourable selling commission with the agent on your behalf.
It’s best to start working with us right from the moment you decide to sell. The reason for this is so we can assist you with preparing the property for sale and advise on any improvements you could make to the property to maximise the sale price.
Yes unfortunately, because of the fact we are paid by the agent we need to have an agreement signed with them prior to their appointment. However if your property has been on the market for some time without success, we are more than happy to assist you once your current Agreement expires.
No. This is because agents see how a positive relationship with us could lead to many more opportunities in the future. In addition, the successful agent is handed the property on a silver platter, ready to go to market with all repairs taken care of and styling complete. All they need do is focus on marketing the property and engaging with the buyers, while we take care of the rest.
No. The best part about this service is you never have to speak to the agent if you don’t want to. We find we get the best results when the agent deals directly with us so we can ensure your best interests are exclusively catered for at all times.
We will research and interview 3 of the best local agents on your behalf. We spend at least 1 hour with each agent, discussing not only their qualifications and expertise on selling your specific type of property, but also delving much deeper into the actual sale process by asking technical questions only those in the industry are familiar with. Our strict interview process allows us to establish which agent meets all of our criteria – honesty and integrity play a major role in this. We then prepare a report on each agent and collectively with the seller we make an informed decision.
No. We are an independent service and do not align ourselves with any agents in particular. Even if we have used an agent in the past, they will still go through the same strict interview process for each and every property. One positive experience with an agent does not necessarily guarantee the next will be the same.
Our many years of property and home building experience allows us to easily identify opportunities within your home that could add significant value to the sale price without spending a lot of money. There are many methods we use to achieve this, however the best way to establish this would be for us to inspect the property. In addition, our proven negotiation strategy ensures we are able to extract every last dollar from the buyers.
Yes! We understand bidding at Auction can be extremely emotional and nerve wracking for most people. This service is perfect for those situations when you have done your own due diligence and simply provide us with a price you would like to pay for the property. We take away the stress by using our proven bidding strategies to bid for you. Whether you are physically present at the Auction or by phone, there is always the opportunity to adjust the final price in accordance with your instructions.
Most definitely! With 27 years experience as a Licensed Real Estate agent, we are very familiar with the various negotiation tactics agents use during the negotiation stage. Once you have found the right property, we will inspect the property and provide an independent estimate of value and commence negotiations with the agent. We keep you informed every step of the way.
We spend a significant amount of time during our initial meeting with you to understand your requirements, likes, dislikes and style of property preferred. Once we have inspected properties that match your criteria, we prepare a short list which is then submitted to you for review. Together, we will inspect only those properties you are most interested in.
Most definitely. Our close relationship with real estate agents allows us to be given first opportunity to inspect properties that are being sold on the quiet. In addition to this, if you have a specific property you like that is not currently on the market, we are happy to approach the owner to see whether they may be interested in selling. There are many opportunities available to you when working with a buyer’s agent in regard to accessing off market opportunities.
