When you are preparing to sell your home, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right estate agent. Before you sign a mandate, particularly a sole mandate, you need to be confident that the person you are trusting with one of your biggest financial assets is qualified, experienced, and genuinely knowledgeable about your local property market.
Over the years, I have seen sellers make rushed decisions when selecting an agent, often based on a familiar face or a persuasive pitch. I understand the pressure. Selling a home is stressful, and most people just want to get started. But taking thirty minutes to ask the right questions before committing can save you months of frustration and a significant amount of money.
Here are the questions I believe every seller should ask.
Is Your Fidelity Fund Certificate Valid?
This is not a question many sellers think to ask, but it is one of the most important. In South Africa, every practising property practitioner is required to hold a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate, commonly referred to as an FFC. This certificate is issued by the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority and confirms that the agent is registered, compliant, and legally authorised to practise.
An agent without a valid FFC cannot legally earn commission. More importantly, you as the seller may have limited legal recourse if something goes wrong during the transaction. Before signing any mandate, ask to see the certificate and verify the registration number. It takes a minute and it protects you.
What Does Your Recent Sales Track Record Look Like in My Suburb?
Local knowledge is not the same as general property knowledge. An agent can have years of experience in another area and still be poorly equipped to price and market your home effectively. What I always encourage sellers to ask is this: how many properties have you sold in my specific suburb in the past twelve months, and what was the average time those properties spent on the market before selling?
These two data points tell you a great deal. An agent with a consistent track record of sales in your suburb understands buyer demand in that area, knows the pricing benchmarks, and has an established presence with buyers who are actively looking there. That local knowledge directly affects how quickly your home sells and at what price.
When sellers ask me this question, I am always prepared to answer it with specific numbers from the Deeds Office and from my own transaction history. That transparency matters.
How Do You Justify the Recommended Asking Price?
Pricing is where many mandates go wrong. Some agents will recommend a high asking price to win the mandate, knowing the seller is likely to choose whoever suggests the highest number. This strategy almost always backfires. An overpriced property sits on the market, accumulates days-on-market statistics that alert buyers to a potential problem, and often ends up selling below what it would have achieved had it been correctly priced from the start.
Before signing, ask your agent to walk you through the comparable sales data that supports their recommended asking price. What properties in your suburb have sold in the last three to six months? What were the actual transfer prices, not just the listing prices? How does your home compare to those properties in terms of size, condition, and features?
A good agent will bring this analysis to the table without being asked. They will reference sources such as the Deeds Office, Lightstone, and current listings on Property24 to give you a market-related price recommendation that is grounded in real data, not optimism.
What Is Your Marketing Plan?
A mandate without a clear marketing plan is simply a signature on paper. Before committing, ask the agent to outline exactly how and where they intend to market your property.
At minimum, you should expect professional photography, listings on Property24 and Private Property, targeted social media exposure, and a strategy for qualifying and engaging buyers. Ask whether they maintain an active buyer database and how they match registered buyers to new listings. Ask about show days, private viewings, and how they communicate feedback to you after every showing.
Marketing determines exposure, and exposure determines how many qualified buyers see your home. The more qualified buyers you reach, the better your chances of achieving a competitive offer within a reasonable time frame.
Signing a Mandate Is a Business Decision
I always tell sellers the same thing before we sign anything. This is a business relationship, and you are entitled to make an informed decision. Asking these questions is not impolite. It is sensible. Any experienced agent who is confident in their ability to deliver results will welcome the conversation.
If you are considering selling your home in Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, or any of the surrounding suburbs, I am happy to answer all of these questions in detail and provide you with the supporting data. My FFC registration number is 2023743131. I have been active in this market since 2012, and I believe in earning your confidence before asking for your signature.
Reach me on 079 047 5172 or at [email protected].