The best property agencies in Singapore

Eight property agencies in Singapore, each licensed by CEA and each among the largest by residential transactions on CEA's own records. They are the eight licensed agencies with the most residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026, counted from CEA's data for the salespersons registered with each agency on 8 October 2026, and they appear in that order. Each entry gives the agency's licence, its size, the kinds of homes its agents handle, what the Public Register shows on enforcement, what it publishes on commission, and how to reach it.

Last reviewed How we choose →

At a glance

No.ProviderBest for
1 PropNexBest for The widest choice of agents: the most registered salespersons and the most transaction records on this page The widest choice of agents: the most registered salespersons and the most transaction records on this page
2 ERA Realty NetworkBest for Sellers and landlords who want the fee spelled out: its guideline gives dollar minimums and a worked example Sellers and landlords who want the fee spelled out: its guideline gives dollar minimums and a worked example
3 Huttons AsiaBest for Buyers of new condominiums: the largest share of new-sale records among the five biggest agencies Buyers of new condominiums: the largest share of new-sale records among the five biggest agencies
4 OrangeTee & TieBest for Landlords and tenants: rentals are about three-quarters of its records, the largest share among the five biggest agencies Landlords and tenants: rentals are about three-quarters of its records, the largest share among the five biggest agencies
5 SRIBest for Landed homes through a large agency: the largest share of landed resale records among the five biggest Landed homes through a large agency: the largest share of landed resale records among the five biggest
6 C&H PropertiesBest for Sellers and buyers of HDB resale flats: four in ten of its records Sellers and buyers of HDB resale flats: four in ten of its records
7 Mindlink GroupsBest for Letting or renting a room in an HDB flat: half of its records Letting or renting a room in an HDB flat: half of its records
8 Singapore Estate AgencyBest for Selling or buying an HDB resale flat through a small agency: six in ten of its records Selling or buying an HDB resale flat through a small agency: six in ten of its records

What we weigh for this list

For this category we weigh:

  • A valid estate agent licence on CEA's Public Register, and its period
  • How many residential transaction records CEA's data shows for its salespersons in the last twelve months
  • What kinds of homes and deals those records are: HDB resale, private resale, new sales, rentals
  • How many registered salespersons it has in CEA's data
  • Enforcement actions against the agency and its salespersons on the Public Register, beside its size
  • Whether it publishes a commission guideline, and what the guideline says
  • How long it has been licensed and incorporated, set against what its own site says
  • Whether its office address, phone line and hours are published
How we choose →
One hand passing a house-shaped key on a key ring into the open palm of another hand, outside a home

The list in full

1. PropNex

Best for The widest choice of agents: the most registered salespersons and the most transaction records on this page

CEA's Public Register shows PropNex Realty Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3008022J, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 14,861 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 91,924 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with PropNex on 8 October 2026: 17,058 HDB resale, 13,672 private resale, 6,116 new sales, 44,654 whole-unit rentals and 10,424 room rentals. Landed homes account for 1,521 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 6,192 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for PropNex shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 1, 0, 4; disciplinary committee actions 8, 8, 3; letters of censure 10, 9, 21. It gives the agency's size in those years as 11,667, 11,999 and 12,636 salespersons.

Its published commission guidelines set, for a sale, a minimum of 2% and up to 4% of the price for a seller, and a minimum of 1% and up to 2% for a buyer who appoints one of its agents. For a lease of 24 months or less they set a minimum of one month's rent, from the landlord or the tenant it acts for. The page says PropNex Realty is GST-registered, that commission is payable to the agency and not to the salesperson, and that the scale is not meant to restrict private arrangements.

Says it offers real estate brokerage, project marketing, investment sales, valuation, corporate leasing and consultancy, and that it has more than 14,500 salespersons. Its contact page gives office hours of 9am to 6pm on weekdays.

ACRA's dataset shows PropNex Realty Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 1 June 1999. Its corporate profile gives 2000 as the start of its Singapore headquarters and describes PropNex as a listed real estate agency; its contact page names PropNex Limited at the same building.

PropNex is first on both of CEA's measures read for this page: 14,861 registered salespersons, about 38% of all those in CEA's data, and 91,924 residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026. Its records spread across every kind of home: HDB resale, private resale, new sales and rentals.

Its commission guidelines are published in full. The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself; the actions it lists against the agency's salespersons are in this entry, beside the agency's size in each year. With an agency this large, the agent you pick matters more than the name on the card, so look the agent up on the register as well.

Languages
English; its website also has a Chinese version
UEN
199903004H (PropNex Realty Pte. Ltd.)
Address
480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, HDB Hub East Wing #10-01, Singapore 310480
Phone
+65 6820 8000
Website
propnex.com

2. ERA Realty Network

Best for Sellers and landlords who want the fee spelled out: its guideline gives dollar minimums and a worked example

CEA's Public Register shows ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd licensed as an estate agent under licence L3002382K, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 8,898 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 40,988 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with ERA on 8 October 2026: 8,972 HDB resale, 4,821 private resale, 2,339 new sales, 20,398 whole-unit rentals and 4,458 room rentals. Landed homes account for 655 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 2,878 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for ERA shows one enforcement action against the agency itself: notice received on 24 December 2025 of a censure, effective 8 January 2026, for three breaches of the Code of Practice for Estate Agents. The breaches listed are failing to manage and supervise a salesperson's advertisements after multiple complaints, failing to recover a suspended salesperson's estate agent card, and failing to have proper systems for managing suspended salespersons. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 3, 2, 1; disciplinary committee actions 7, 2, 7; letters of censure 11, 12, 23. It gives the agency's size in those years as 8,344, 8,891 and 8,648 salespersons.

Its published guidelines set, for a sale, a basic commission of 2% to 5% of the listed or target price for a seller, with any amount achieved above that price shared equally between seller and ERA, and 1% to 3% of the price for a buyer it acts for. For a whole-unit lease they set S$1,000 or half a month's gross rent, whichever is higher, for 12 months or less, and S$1,500 or one month's gross rent for more than 12 and up to 24 months. A seller who ends an exclusive agreement during its validity period pays S$3,000 towards marketing costs. Amounts are before GST; the page works an example in which 2% of S$500,000 with 9% GST comes to S$10,900.

Says its services cover private and HDB home sales, residential leasing, project marketing, commercial and industrial property, auctions, market research and investment sales. Its contact page gives office hours of 9am to 6pm on weekdays.

ACRA's dataset shows ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd was incorporated on 29 June 1981. Its site says the company started operations in Singapore in 1982 and that APAC Realty Limited, which it names as the group's holding company, was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2017.

ERA is second on both measures: 8,898 registered salespersons and 40,988 residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026. Its guideline is the most detailed of the five published by agencies on this page, with dollar minimums for rentals and a worked example with GST. Read two clauses before signing: the one that shares any amount above the target price equally between seller and agency, and the S$3,000 payable on ending an exclusive agreement early.

The Public Register records one enforcement action against the agency itself, a censure that took effect on 8 January 2026. Of the eight agencies on this page it is the only one with an action against the agency on the register.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
198103027M (ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd)
Address
ERA APAC Centre, 450 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, Singapore 319394
Phone
+65 6226 2000
Email
era@era.com.sg
Website
era.com.sg

3. Huttons Asia

Best for Buyers of new condominiums: the largest share of new-sale records among the five biggest agencies

CEA's Public Register shows Huttons Asia Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3008899K, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 5,946 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 26,485 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with Huttons on 8 October 2026: 3,646 HDB resale, 3,084 private resale, 3,175 new sales, 14,407 whole-unit rentals and 2,173 room rentals. Landed homes account for 360 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 1,432 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for Huttons shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 1, 2, 0; disciplinary committee actions 0, 3, 0; letters of censure 5, 7, 9. It gives the agency's size in those years as 4,872, 5,298 and 5,699 salespersons.

Its published commission guidelines set a minimum of 2% of the price for a seller and a minimum of 1% for a buyer, and for a lease of 24 months or less a minimum of one month's gross rent, for landlords and tenants alike and for a room or a whole unit. They say commission is payable to Huttons Asia Pte Ltd and not to the individual salesperson.

Says it serves homeowners, investors, businesses and developers, with new launches, resale homes, commercial and industrial property, auctions, international property and collective sales. Its contact page gives office hours of 9am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

ACRA's dataset shows Huttons Asia Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 20 November 2002. The pages read give no founding year. Its site names a second licensed company, Huttons International Pte Ltd, which is not counted in this entry.

Huttons is third on both measures: 5,946 registered salespersons and 26,485 residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026. About 12% of those records are new sales, 3,175 in all, against about 3% to 7% at each of the other four of the five largest agencies, and its services page lists access to new project launches first.

Its commission guidelines are published, and its contact page lists Saturday morning opening hours. The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
200210087C (Huttons Asia Pte. Ltd.)
Address
3 Bishan Place #05-01, CPF Bishan Building, Singapore 579838
Phone
+65 6253 0030
Email
info@huttonsgroup.com
Website
huttonsgroup.com

4. OrangeTee & Tie

Best for Landlords and tenants: rentals are about three-quarters of its records, the largest share among the five biggest agencies

CEA's Public Register shows OrangeTee & Tie Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3009250K, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 2,658 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 12,593 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with OrangeTee & Tie on 8 October 2026: 1,492 HDB resale, 1,133 private resale, 337 new sales, 8,047 whole-unit rentals and 1,584 room rentals. Landed homes account for 195 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 987 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for OrangeTee & Tie shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 0, 0, 0; disciplinary committee actions 1, 3, 0; letters of censure 4, 3, 5. It gives the agency's size in those years as 3,163, 2,814 and 2,756 salespersons.

No commission guideline was found on its site: its site map lists no such page, and the pages read (home, Our Story and terms of use) do not mention commission. Ask for the rate in writing before work starts.

Says it handles residential sales and rentals, commercial and industrial space, investment sales, valuation and overseas property, and that it runs a review platform for its agents based on actual transactions.

ACRA's dataset shows OrangeTee & Tie Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 15 December 1992. Its site says OrangeTee was founded in 2000 and is now part of Realion Group. Its footer names two other licensed companies, OrangeTee Advisory Pte Ltd and OrangeTee International Pte Ltd, which are not counted in this entry.

OrangeTee & Tie is fourth on both measures: 2,658 registered salespersons and 12,593 residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026. About 76% of those records are rentals, whole units and rooms together, against about 60% to 63% at each of the other four of the five largest agencies.

It is the only one of the five largest for which no published commission guideline was found, so settle the rate in writing first. The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself, and no court prosecution of any of its salespersons in 2023, 2024 or 2025.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
199206764K (OrangeTee & Tie Pte. Ltd.)
Address
430 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh #01-01, OrangeTee Building, Singapore 319402
Phone
+65 6471 8888
Email
findyourplace@orangetee.com
Website
orangetee.com

5. SRI

Best for Landed homes through a large agency: the largest share of landed resale records among the five biggest

CEA's Public Register shows SRI Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3010738A, with a licence start date of 4 May 2016 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 1,722 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 8,076 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with SRI on 8 October 2026: 1,582 HDB resale, 1,166 private resale, 442 new sales, 4,418 whole-unit rentals and 468 room rentals. Landed homes account for 273 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 377 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for SRI shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 0, 0, 0; disciplinary committee actions 0, 0, 0; letters of censure 1, 4, 4. It gives the agency's size in those years as 1,234, 1,286 and 1,493 salespersons.

Its published commission guidelines set a minimum of 2%, or higher as negotiated, of the price for a seller and a minimum of 1% and up to 2% for a buyer, and for a lease of 24 months or less a minimum of one month's rent. They say the fee is negotiable and not fixed by any legislation, and that SRI is GST-registered.

Says it is a residential agency covering new and resale homes in every segment, names the luxury home market as its strength, and lists project marketing, capital markets, auctions, property management and international project marketing as other services.

ACRA's dataset shows SRI Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 22 March 2016. Its site says SRI was founded in 2016, passed 1,000 salespersons in 2020 and had almost 1,500 in 2025.

SRI is fifth on both measures: 1,722 registered salespersons and 8,076 residential transaction records in the twelve months to July 2026. It is the youngest of the five largest agencies, licensed since 4 May 2016. Landed resale homes make up about 3.4% of its records, 273 in all, at least twice the share at each of the other four, which fits its own claim to strength in luxury homes.

Its commission guidelines are published and say plainly that the fee is negotiable. The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself, and no court prosecution or disciplinary committee action against any of its salespersons in 2023, 2024 or 2025.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
201607465H (SRI Pte. Ltd.)
Address
1 Kim Seng Promenade #17-10/12, Great World City West Tower, Singapore 237994
Phone
+65 6958 5000
Email
admin@sri.com.sg
Website
sri.sg

6. C&H Properties

Best for Sellers and buyers of HDB resale flats: four in ten of its records

CEA's Public Register shows C & H Properties Pte Ltd licensed as an estate agent under licence L3007139C, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 194 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 1,419 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with C&H Properties on 8 October 2026: 563 HDB resale, 194 private resale, 8 new sales, 554 whole-unit rentals and 100 room rentals. Landed homes account for 8 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 80 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for C&H Properties shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 0, 0, 0; disciplinary committee actions 0, 1, 0; letters of censure 0, 0, 0. It gives the agency's size in those years as 203, 194 and 202 salespersons.

Its commission guideline, a document marked 'Updated on 17/8/2012', sets a minimum of 2% of the price for a seller and a minimum of 1% for a buyer, for HDB resale flats and other property alike, and for rentals a minimum of one month's gross rent for a lease of up to 24 months. It says commission is payable to the company and not to the individual agent.

Says the group began in March 1991 as C&H Realty and that C&H Properties was incorporated in March 1997 with the aim of becoming a listed housing agency with HDB. Its property search covers HDB flats, private homes and commercial or industrial property.

ACRA's dataset shows C & H Properties Pte Ltd was incorporated on 14 March 1997, which matches what its site says. Three addresses appear: its current site gives 125A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, an older contact page still online gives HDB Hub, and ACRA's dataset shows a registered address in Commonwealth Lane. Confirm the address before you visit.

C&H Properties is sixth on this page by transaction records, 1,419 in the twelve months to July 2026, with 194 registered salespersons; a wide gap separates it from the five largest. HDB resale flats are 563 of those records, about 40%, and its own history says it was set up to work as a housing agency with HDB.

Its commission guideline is published but dated 2012, so ask whether it still applies. The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself and one disciplinary committee action against a salesperson, in 2024. Its websites give more than one office address; call before visiting.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
199701683G (C & H Properties Pte Ltd)
Address
125A Lorong 2 Toa Payoh #02-138, Singapore 311125
Phone
+65 6533 1918
Email
info@candh.com.sg
Website
candh.com.sg

7. Mindlink Groups

Best for Letting or renting a room in an HDB flat: half of its records

CEA's Public Register shows Mindlink Groups Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3009186E, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 98 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 1,086 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with Mindlink Groups on 8 October 2026: 74 HDB resale, 17 private resale, 0 new sales, 322 whole-unit rentals and 673 room rentals. Landed homes account for 4 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 557 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for Mindlink Groups shows no enforcement action against the agency and none against its salespersons in 2023, 2024 or 2025. It gives the agency's size in those years as 97, 96 and 97 salespersons.

No commission guideline was found on the pages read: its home page, which carries the whole of its main site, does not give one. Ask for the rate in writing before work starts.

Says it helps clients sell, buy and lease property, lists commercial and industrial property as well as homes, and calls itself 'The People's Agency'. Its home page says '100+ Agents' in one place and 'Meet Our 40+ Agents' in another.

ACRA's dataset shows Mindlink Groups Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 7 March 2005. Its site says 'Since 2001' and 'Est. 2001'.

Mindlink Groups is seventh on this page by transaction records: 1,086 in the twelve months to July 2026, from 98 registered salespersons. Room rentals in HDB flats account for 557 of them, about 51%, a share no other agency on this page comes near, and rentals of every kind make up most of the rest.

The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency or its salespersons in the three years it covers. Its site publishes no commission guideline and gives two different figures for its number of agents; CEA's data is the figure to rely on. Its site says it began in 2001, while the company was incorporated in 2005.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
200502908G (Mindlink Groups Pte. Ltd.)
Address
Blk 116 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh #01-162, Singapore 310116
Phone
+65 6835 9991
Email
keo@mindlink.com.sg
Website
mindlink.com.sg

8. Singapore Estate Agency

Best for Selling or buying an HDB resale flat through a small agency: six in ten of its records

CEA's Public Register shows Singapore Estate Agency Pte. Ltd. licensed as an estate agent under licence L3009643J, with a licence start date of 1 January 2011 and the current licence valid to 31 December 2026. CEA's salesperson data lists 64 salespersons registered with it, out of 38,647 in all, as read on 8 October 2026.

CEA's residential transaction records show 842 records in the twelve months to July 2026 for the salespersons registered with Singapore Estate Agency on 8 October 2026: 504 HDB resale, 54 private resale, 1 new sale, 237 whole-unit rentals and 46 room rentals. Landed homes account for 2 of the private resale records, and HDB flats for 41 of the room rentals. The count was made for this page from CEA's data; a transaction with an agent on each side has a record for each.

The Public Register's enforcement page for Singapore Estate Agency shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. Against its salespersons it shows, for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in turn: court prosecutions 0, 0, 0; disciplinary committee actions 0, 0, 0; letters of censure 1, 2, 2. It gives the agency's size in those years as 60, 57 and 64 salespersons. For the whole industry the same page shows 36, 39 and 66 letters of censure in those years, and sizes of 34,427, 35,251 and 36,058 salespersons.

No commission guideline was found on the pages read (home, about, services and contact). Ask for the rate in writing before work starts.

Says it is 'well known in the HDB sales sector', that it selects and trains its agents and does not focus on mass recruitment, and that it also handles property management, corporate leasing and commercial and industrial property.

ACRA's dataset shows Singapore Estate Agency Pte. Ltd. was incorporated on 26 September 2009, which matches its site's statement that it was founded in 2009.

Singapore Estate Agency, which calls itself SEA, is eighth on this page by transaction records: 842 in the twelve months to July 2026, from 64 registered salespersons, the smallest agency here. HDB resale flats are 504 of those records, about 60%, the highest share on this page, which bears out what its site says about its place in HDB sales.

The Public Register shows no enforcement action against the agency itself. It shows five letters of censure against its salespersons across 2023, 2024 and 2025, at an agency of about 60 salespersons; for the whole industry of about 35,000 it shows 141 in the same years. Look up the agent you are offered. Its site publishes no commission guideline.

Languages
English (website)
UEN
200917926E (Singapore Estate Agency Pte. Ltd.)
Address
Blk 316B Ang Mo Kio Street 31 #01-04, Singapore 563316
Phone
+65 9699 9441
Email
Enquries@seaproperties.com.sg
Website
singaporeestateagency.com

Questions readers ask

What does a property agency charge in Singapore?
CEA says there are no fixed commission rates and no prescribed guidelines on amounts: you agree the rate with the agent before work starts, and you should ask whether GST is included. Five of the eight agencies on this page publish a commission guideline. All five set a minimum of 2% of the price for a seller and a minimum of 1% for a buyer the agency acts for; two state an upper figure for sellers, 4% at one and 5% at the other. For rentals, four of the five set a minimum of one month's rent for a lease of up to 24 months. The fifth sets, for a whole unit, S$1,000 or half a month's rent, whichever is higher, for a lease of 12 months or less, and S$1,500 or one month's rent for a longer lease of up to 24 months. One guideline works an example: 2% of a S$500,000 sale with 9% GST comes to S$10,900. These are the agencies' own starting figures, not rules, and CEA says an agent cannot be appointed by both sides of the same transaction.
How do I choose one?
Choose the agent as carefully as the agency: CEA describes the estate agency agreement as a contract between you and the agency, but one salesperson does the work. On CEA's Public Register you can search for an agent by name, registration number or phone number, and CEA says the register shows the residential transactions the agent handled in the last two years, which side the agent acted for, and any disciplinary record. Match the agency to the job. On CEA's records the eight agencies here differ in what their agents mostly do, from new sales to HDB resale flats to room rentals, and each entry gives the breakdown. Size alone tells you little: the five largest agencies on this page hold about 88% of all the salespersons in CEA's data. Then decide between an exclusive agreement, under which CEA says you appoint one agency for up to three months and owe commission even if you close the deal yourself in that time, and a non-exclusive one.
What should I check before signing?
That the agency is licensed and the agent registered. Search CEA's Public Register with the phone number the agent gave you: CEA says that if the number leads to no agent's profile it is not registered and the approach is likely a scam, even where the name and registration number are real. The agency's own page on the register shows its licence period and, under enforcement actions, any action against the agency and the number of actions against its salespersons in each of the last three years, beside the totals for the whole industry. Use one of CEA's Prescribed Estate Agency Agreements, read the commission clause, and have any extra terms written in; CEA says extra terms cannot conflict with the prescribed ones. If a dispute arises, CEA says to approach the agency first. If you signed an estate agency agreement, CEA's Dispute Resolution Scheme then offers mediation and arbitration at approved centres. Every entry on this page shows the agency's UEN, the Unique Entity Number, which you can look up free on ACRA's BizFile search.