Reasons for Losing Out on Fees and How to Address It – TNT

You’ve been there.

You’ve smashed the valuation. Great rapport. The seller’s nodding along. You leave thinking, “That one’s in the bag.”

Then you get the call.

“We really liked you… but another agent said they’d do it for less. Sorry.”

It’s one of the most frustrating parts of being an estate agent. You know you’ll get them a better result. You know the other agent is cutting corners. But unless you handle it right, the seller doesn’t see any of that. All they see is a cheaper quote.

So how do you stop getting undercut?

The answer isn’t just better persuasion. It’s better positioning.

Many agents make the same mistake. They talk about what they do. We’ll get professional photos. We’ll list on all the major portals. We’ll do viewings, negotiate offers, and keep you updated. And guess what? So will the next agent.

When you focus on features, you make it easy for a seller to assume all agents are the same. And when they think you’re the same, the only thing left to compare is the fee.

What you need to do instead is make the seller feel the difference between you and the rest. Not just what you do, but what that actually means for them.

That means giving real-world examples. A recent sale where your advice helped add thousands to the final price. A property that had stuck with another agent, but you got it moving in two weeks. A vendor who left you a five-star review because your process made a stressful move feel simple.

You’re not just offering a service. You’re guiding a major life decision. And that’s worth more than just throwing it on Rightmove and hoping for the best.

You also need to show the risk of going cheap when selling what’s likely the seller’s most financially valuable possession. Not in a pushy way, but in a calm, confident way that frames the conversation.

For example: “The average home around here sells for £400,000. If the marketing or negotiation isn’t quite right and you end up achieving 2% less, that’s £8,000 gone. Still think saving £1,000 on the fee was a good deal for you?”

When you phrase it like that, suddenly the higher fee doesn’t look like a cost. It looks like an investment in a positive result.

And if the seller still isn’t convinced, don’t panic. Ask them what they’re basing their decision on. If it’s purely the fee, they’re comparing apples to apples. You need to change the fruit. Show them the depth of service, not just the headline cost.

The best agents don’t shy away from the fee conversation. They lean into it. They’re prepared, they’ve got evidence, and they show sellers what makes their approach more effective, not just more expensive.

Because when you’ve done that well, your fee isn’t something to apologise for, it becomes something to be proud of.

Chris Webb is the founder of The Estate Agent Consultancy