Real Estate Agents

Yes. Each state and territory licenses agents through its fair trading or consumer affairs body, with requirements covering training, trust account handling and professional conduct. Salespeople hold either a full licence or a certificate of registration and work under a licensed agency. Licences are verifiable on public registers.

Commission is set by agreement, not by law, in every state, and it is absolutely negotiable. Flat percentages are most common, and some sellers use tiered structures that pay a higher rate above an agreed price to sharpen the incentive. Get the full structure, including GST treatment, in the written agency agreement.

Auctions suit competitive metro markets and hard-to-price properties, creating urgency and an unconditional sale on the day, but they cost more in marketing and can pass in. Private treaty suits most other situations and accommodates buyers with finance conditions. A good agent justifies their recommendation with recent local evidence.

The exclusivity period, commonly 60 to 90 days, the commission and marketing costs, whether marketing is payable if the property does not sell, and any cooling-off rights, which vary by state. Watch for clauses claiming commission after the agreement ends if a buyer the agent introduced later purchases.

Advertising and tenant selection, lease preparation, bond lodgment, rent collection and arrears follow-up, routine inspections, repair coordination and tribunal representation if things go wrong. Standards vary widely, so ask how many properties each manager looks after, typical vacancy periods, and how quickly maintenance requests get actioned.