It still surprises me how many real estate platforms rank agents mainly on volume — how many homes sold, how many listings, how many boards on the street. But here's the question I think vendors should be asking instead: did the agent get the best possible result, or did they just get the property sold quickly and move on to the next one? Those are two very different things.
Volume doesn't always equal value
Platforms that rank agents typically use volume-based indicators — properties sold, days on market, sales history. Those are easy to measure, but they don't tell you whether the agent negotiated properly, pushed back on a low first offer, created genuine buyer competition, or advised the vendor honestly, even when the truth was uncomfortable. For most people, selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions they'll make. It deserves more scrutiny than a sales tally.
“Sold” is not the same as “sold well”
Some agents are focused on turnover — list it, launch it, sell it, move on. That model can work well for the agent. It doesn't always work well for the vendor. A fast sale can be a great result if it's the right sale at the right price with the right terms — but a fast sale can also mean the property was undersold, poorly negotiated, or not exposed to enough qualified buyers. Online rankings won't show you the difference.
I'm not a burn-and-churn agent
My job isn't just to get a property sold. It's to help my vendor make a smart decision, protect their position, and achieve the best possible result the market will allow. Sometimes that comes quickly, if the best offer genuinely arrives early. Other times it takes patience, follow-up and negotiation — that's where experience matters.
You should know exactly what's happening, in real time
Most vendors spend a campaign in the dark, waiting for a phone call and hoping their agent is doing what they said they would. That's not how I work. I give vendors real visibility over their campaign — how many buyers attended each open inspection, and the feedback and comments logged against individual buyers as they come in. You're not waiting for a weekly summary; you're watching it happen, which gives you the information you need to make confident decisions throughout the campaign.
The best offer doesn't always come first
Strong offers frequently arrive after the first open inspection, once a buyer has had time to think, talk to their partner, check their finance, and realise they genuinely want the property. A more transactional approach can push to close too early. Understanding buyer behaviour, staying patient, and maintaining the right pressure at the right time is what a genuinely stronger result looks like — and it isn't luck.
The questions you should actually be asking
Before you choose an agent in Salisbury, Hillbank, Craigmore, Salisbury Heights, Blakeview or anywhere in northern Adelaide, don't just look at their sales tally. Ask them directly:
- What is your strategy for my property specifically?
- How do you handle low offers?
- How do you create buyer competition?
- Will I be dealing with you directly throughout the campaign?
- What happens if the first offer isn't good enough?
- How will I know what's happening during the campaign?
There's a real difference between an agent who wants a sale and an agent who wants the best result for you. I'd rather be known for honesty, strategy, negotiation and doing the job properly than for fitting neatly into how these platforms choose to rank agents — worth reading alongside this if you're weighing up fee against value.