Selling with or without an estate agent: what does it cost and what do you get?

On a sale of 350,000 euros, an estate agent charges around 12,700 euros including VAT. That is an amount for which you may well ask what you get in return, and whether you could do it yourself. There is no single right answer for everyone, but there is a clear trade-off to make.

What an estate agent does

• Estimating the value and proposing a pricing strategy.
• Arranging photos, a floor plan, a description and publication on the property portals.
• Collecting the legally required certificates (EPC, electrical inspection certificate, soil certificate, asbestos certificate, planning information).
• Organising viewings and screening candidates for financial feasibility.
• Negotiating, managing offers and drawing up the preliminary sale agreement with the notary.
• Protecting the seller against mistakes in the duty to inform, for which he, as a licensed estate agent (BIV), is covered by professional liability insurance.

What it costs

The fee is unregulated, but in Flanders it usually ranges between 2.5 and 3.5% of the sale price, plus 21% VAT. In Brussels and Wallonia it tends to be around 3%. Some agencies work with a fixed amount (3,000 to 7,000 euros) for a limited service. Always compare what is included: photography, publication costs and certificates are sometimes charged separately.

The agency agreement: what to watch for

An estate agent's agreement is strictly regulated. Check the following:

1. Exclusivity and duration. An exclusive contract of six months is standard, longer is unnecessary. Without exclusivity, the agent will put in less effort.
2. Cancellation. You have a cooling off period of fourteen days after signing. After that, you can cancel against a fee that is capped by law.
3. The tail period. If you sell after the contract has ended to someone introduced by the agent, the fee is often still owed. This period may not exceed six months, and the agent must give you a list of those candidates.
4. Who decides the price. The agent advises, you decide. Do not sign a clause that allows him to sell at "a price he considers reasonable".
5. The fee if a sale falls through. The fee is only due upon a definitive sale, not when a preliminary agreement collapses due to a condition precedent.

Selling it yourself: what you need to do

Everything on the list above, with pricing, certificates and negotiation as the heaviest parts. In concrete terms:

• Use our valuation tool and the property barometer to set a well founded asking price. Also read how to determine the right asking price.
• Request the certificates: the EPC from a certified energy expert (150 to 300 euros), the electrical inspection (150 to 200 euros), the asbestos certificate (400 to 800 euros, mandatory in Flanders for homes built before 2001), the soil certificate (free to 60 euros via OVAM) and the planning extract from the municipality.
• List the property on ikzoek.immo: private sellers list their property with the same visibility as agency listings, including the energy cost and price context display.
• Screen candidates before the viewing with a short question about their financing, this saves wasted viewings.
• Have your notary draw up the preliminary sale agreement. That is his job, and it costs the seller nothing extra.

When an estate agent is worth the money

• You do not live nearby or do not have time for viewings and follow up.
• The property is unusual (heritage, commercial space, large villa, building land with subdivision questions) and the pool of buyers is small.
• There are legal complications: an inheritance with multiple owners, an ongoing lease, a planning violation.
• You find negotiating difficult and would give in too quickly or hold out too long.

When selling it yourself works well

• A common type of home in a municipality with strong demand.
• You can gather the certificates quickly and know the neighbourhood.
• You can be available for viewings in the first two weeks.
• You are willing to let the figures determine the price, not your gut feeling.

A middle ground

More and more owners are combining approaches: publishing and handling viewings themselves, using a notary for the legal side, and possibly a valuer (200 to 400 euros) for an independent valuation. This keeps the cost under 1,500 euros, while the biggest risks (wrong price, incomplete information) are covered.

Whatever you choose, the buyer looks at the same figures as you do. The more transparent and complete your file, the less there is to argue about regarding the price.