A warning call ! Can anyone provide me with realistic selling costs guidelines. I am selling an apartment in Sao Paolo. The agent is asking for 6% and a lawyer an additional 2%. This seems a lot of money for these services. Are these normal? Are they negotiable?
Thanks.
Dear Juan Antonio,
You should know by now that in Brazil everything, absolutely everything, is negotiable.
You are probably dealing with crooks, trying to extort some extra money from you.
This is not so unusual since about 90% of Brazilian real estate agents are crooks to a certain extent.
Thus beware ! Hereunder my advice:
1 / A 5% comission is fair and standard in most places in Brazil.
2 / You do not pay for a lawyer as a seller. No way ! This is a rip-off
3/ Do not give them exclusivity; use 2 or 3 different agents.
" SEM EXCLUSIVIDADE" must be clearly stated in the paper you sign.
4/ Moreover,
state that the comission is to be paid when you receive all the money. This is extremely important because most agents forms indicate that the seller ought to pay the comission when the buyer pays the down payment.
In these cases they get the money and they might no follow up until the deal is sealed.
By the way, you do not need an agent to sell, provided you are the owner.
It could be a good idea, If you are there and if you have a good comand of the Portuguese language, to put an add in the newspapers and try to sell it yourself.
Good luck !
