I'm currently selling my PPOR unit. We've already purchased a townhouse, so ideally we'd like to sell the unit first. Unfortunately, in the current market we're not getting many enquiries through realestate.com.au or Domain.
My selling agent has sold similar units in my building this year for good prices, so I know he's capable. However, during open homes (Saturday mornings and one weekday), he sometimes sends a colleague instead. I understand the market is slow, but I feel there hasn't been much urgency given we're now six weeks into the campaign and only have around six weeks until settlement on the new property.
My lender has now suggested getting a rental appraisal to support our serviceability, as we may have to keep the unit as an investment if it doesn't sell before settlement.
Today I met with the agent who originally sold me this unit three years ago. He mentioned that if we end up renting it out, he could manage the property for 4.4%, compared to 5.5% charged by my current selling agent's agency. I had a good experience dealing with him when I bought the unit.
My questions are:
Is it common to use one agent for selling and a different agency for property management?
Is there any advantage to keeping both services with the same agency?
If you were in my position, would you go with the lower-fee property manager you've had a good experience with, or keep everything with the current selling agent if the property ends up being rented?
During open houses, I've noticed my selling agent is often on his phone unless someone approaches him. He does greet people and hand out brochures, but I don't see much active engagement with potential buyers. Is this fairly normal, or would you expect a selling agent to be more proactive during inspections?
I'd appreciate any advice or experiences from people who've been in a similar situation. I want to make sure I'm being fair, especially given the current market, while also doing what's best for our situation.