What is a sales broker? A broker is someone who mediates in the purchase, sale, rent, rental and other real estate matters. Since 2001, people without a broker’s diploma have been able to work as a broker.
What is a certified sales broker? This is a broker who is registered in the register of brokers. A broker can only be registered here if the broker has studied for this.
What is a sales broker and what is different from a regular broker? A real estate agent mainly deals with the sale of the home. There are also buying brokers. This can be turned on when you want to buy a house.
What is a sales broker and when do you engage it? You call in a real estate agent the moment you have decided that you want to sell your house. You can choose to take on the role of broker yourself, but the broker has more knowledge and experience.
This ensures that the sales broker is more aware of the various factors to consider. Despite the costs, the broker makes it easier to sell your house.
To clarify what a broker does, we have described the following tasks of the broker:
Preliminary investigation
The first thing a real estate agent does before you meet them is gather as much information as possible about the house. The broker looks at similar houses that are being sold in the neighborhood and consults the land registry.
First visit
What does a broker do on the first visit? On the first visit, the sales agent comes to meet and view the house. The broker also examines the neighbourhood, the street, the house and the condition they are in.
During this first visit you can share your wishes with the broker. Think about a desired selling price for the house or which parts of the sale you would like to arrange yourself.
Recording the agreements
The agreements between the sales broker and the sales are officially made in a service contract. This contains agreements such as the broker’s costs determined or which tasks the broker will perform for you.
It also states what costs have to be paid when it is decided to switch sales brokers in between.
Offering the house for sale
Before the house is put up for sale, the sales agent ensures that correct floor plans of the house have been made and that there are photos of the various spaces. The broker also puts the house on Funda.
The real estate agent also shares tips for selling the house. You can also find these tips in our blog with tips to sell your house.
What does a broker do during viewings
The broker arranges everything around the viewings. The broker schedules them in, lets you know when they are and shows interested parties around the house.
It is better if you are not present at viewings. This is because the buyers then have the idea that they are visiting instead of viewing their future home. Furthermore, they do not feel free to name certain defects.
You will often be told by the sales agent how the viewings went.
Negotiate
What does the sales agent do after the viewings? When the viewers are enthusiastic about the house, he collects all the bids that have been made.
If there is no offer that is satisfactory, the broker will negotiate with interested parties to come to a proposal that is acceptable to both parties.
Create the sales contract
What does the seller’s broker do after you and the buyers agree on the price? The broker ensures that all agreements are correctly written, so that there is an official sales contract.
What does a broker do with the key transfer
Before the sales agent hands over the key, he does a final inspection. This serves as a check that the house is in the condition as described in the sales contract.
If everything is correct, the sales broker agrees to go to the notary. Here the sales contract is officially signed. This is often the last contact you have with the broker.
What are the costs of the sales agent?
Often the costs of the sales broker are established in the cooperation agreement. Most brokers charge a percentage of the sale price. This is known as brokerage. Do you want to read more about this? Check out our blog about brokerage .
According to a study by the NVM, the costs of the sales broker are on average 1.38% of the sales price. However, there are also outliers. For example, the most expensive broker has a commission of 2.12% and the cheapest costs 0.5% of the sale price.
The costs of the sales agent therefore depend on the value of your home. An average house will cost €369,000 in 2022. With an average brokerage fee of 1.38%, the costs of brokers are around €5100.
Some real estate agencies have a predetermined price. According to the NVM, the prices here are between €1500 and €7000.
Incidentally, there is room to negotiate the costs of the sales broker. Since this is one of the few things that brokers can distinguish themselves on.
What should you pay attention to when choosing a sales agent?
It is recommended to speak to several sales agents before signing a sales contract. We recommend this as a number of factors can influence your feeling about the broker.
The factors to consider when choosing a broker are:
- Reviews
- Recently sold homes
- Costs
- The expected yield
- The broker’s sales speed
- The size of the real estate agency
- The real estate agent’s reaction to your house
But you have to decide for yourself what to look for when choosing a sales broker.
