This is a hard one because there are so many different ways you can do this. Different states in Australia seem to have different acceptable rates. In South Africa, they charge up to 7%.

The USA is the same. In the UK you will only pay 1.6 to 1.8%, but the service is poor compared with here. However, there are a few different ways you could decide on commission.

Some agents will show you the last 10 or so commissions they charged. Some will allow you to choose your own: they’ll set the parameters between, say, 2.5% and 3% and at the end of the deal you get to choose based on performance. This has a sort of insurance factor.

And there are flat-fee companies where it might still be a serious amount of money, but you know what you’re up for. You know, as long as you have chosen the agent wisely, this industry is well set up to do this job. Agents are gathering data all the time, they have insurance cover if anything goes drastically wrong, and they will do the running for you. And I have noticed over the past few years there are more and more requirements of this industry in terms of compliance.

So discuss it, decide on how you will do it, then move on and don’t obsess.