Yes, you can negotiate real estate agent fees and commissions in SA. When it comes to negotiating fees and commissions in South Australia, rates are lower overall, and competition is strong, which puts you in a good negotiating position. In general, there are more competitive rates in city areas compared to regional areas with less competition, so agents can afford to structure a higher fee and commission approach.

Knowing the agent's service fee, commission structure and performance in your suburb before you meet them can make all the difference and put you in a great position to negotiate. roomr's leading online comparison platform, selling guide and agent questionnaires gives you access to this information and more.

Once you've done your research via roomr and have a shortlist of two to three local real estate agents, here are some tips for effectively negotiating fees and choosing the right agent to sell your property.

1. First, ask the agent what their commission rate is and feel free to mention that they’re competing with other agents. If they want your property and know there's competition, they might be more willing to "price match" a competitor.
2. Ask if the real estate agent is happy to use the tiered commission structure mentioned below if it's your preference. This commission structure should incentivise the agent to get you the highest price.
3. Ask them exactly what their commission rate involves and whether there are additional costs to compare agents effectively.
4. Remember that if your property value is higher than average, you're in a better position to negotiate a lower rate.
5. Ask the real estate agent to provide their fees and commission rate in writing.

The terms fixed fee, flat rate or flat fee mean the same thing. You and your agent agree to a set predetermined rate, and you'll pay the same fee no matter the amount your property sold for. Although you know exactly what you’ll pay, the potential disadvantage of this commission method is that the agent may sell the house quickly, even if that results in a price lower than the property's worth.

The tiered percentage fee option works on a sliding scale and encourages agents to secure a higher sale price. For example, you may agree to a 2% commission rate if the sale price is $480,000 or less and an additional amount if the property is sold for more. So, if the sale price is $500,000, you’ll pay 2% on the first $480,000 (being $9,600) and, for example, 10% on the additional $20,000 (being $2,000). The total commission payable would be $11,600.

Some real estate agents include marketing fees within their commission, and some agents charge it as an additional cost. Request a breakdown of marketing costs from your agent beforehand so you know exactly what to expect. Marketing and advertising costs vary widely. For example, a $500,000 home may have an advertising budget of between $2000 and $5000.

The best real estate agent will create a print and digital marketing campaign that expertly targets your key buyer demographic. The more potential buyers who know your property is for sale, the likelihood you'll sell for the highest price possible. The marketing costs should include the following:

1. Advertising the house online (with floor plans and compelling copy) on real estate websites like realestate.com.au and domain.com.au. The copywriting should be compelling and entice people to view your property.
2. Property listings in local print publications such as newspapers and magazines.
3. A sale sign for your property.
4. Professional photography and videography.
5. Flyer and brochure creation for open house inspections.
6. A social media campaign.

Similar to advertising costs, most real estate agents will charge auctioneer fees on top of the commission amount. This is the service fee for registered auctioneers on auction day. Ask your agent for recommendations on an auctioneer who will use their skills to get you the highest selling price possible. In SA, the average auctioneer fee is currently $400.

Home staging services include preparing your home for inspections, a professional photo shoot and auction day. It may involve simple styling tips or furnishing the entire property for the selling campaign's duration.

A good agent can either give you home staging advice themselves, generally as part of their commission, or connect you with local professional home stagers.

Home staging costs range from $2000 to $8000 depending on the level of service, property size and the campaign's duration. We recommend getting tips from your real estate agent as a first step and hiring a professional based on their recommendation.

Here are some other fees to consider when selling your property:

1. Conveyancing fees. Yes, you need to hire a solicitor when buying and selling a property. The South Australian conveyancing process is quite complicated, with over 10 steps and the average conveyancing fee in SA is $800.
2. Mortgage discharge fee. If a mortgage remains when you sell your property, your bank will charge a fee for the paperwork involved in discharging the mortgage. Fees vary depending on the bank or home loan lender, but it's typically around $1000.
3. Moving fees. It's best to budget about $800 for relocating your furniture and worldly possessions, but this depends on the amount of furniture and where it's moving to.
4. Capital gains tax (applicable in some situations).