Chapter 7 of 10 · Selling · 2 of 14
Choosing an estate agent in Ireland
Checked 21 Oct 2026the Central Bank's mortgage measures, Revenue's rules and the scheme operators' published terms.
How to pick an agent: PSRA licence, fee and VAT, sole agency, the letter of engagement, marketing plan and questions to ask.
Check before you hire: a estate agent should be on the register kept by the Property Services Regulatory Authority. PSRA: licence register
Written in plain English for the person buying, selling or switching. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland only.
The agent you pick decides how your home is shown, who sees it and how the bidding is run. The fee is the easy part to compare. The hard part is working out who will get you the better price. This guide covers the licence, the fee, the agreement you sign and the questions that tell the agents apart.
The licence comes first
An estate agent is a person or firm that sells homes for a fee. By law, every agent in Ireland must hold a licence from the PSRA (the Property Services Regulatory Authority). The licence is under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011. An agent without one cannot lawfully act for you.
Check the licence before you do anything else. Search the firm and the person on the PSRA register. The licence number should be on the agent's website and letters. If a complaint is ever needed, the PSRA is the body that hears it.
The fee, and the VAT on top
Agents charge in one of two ways.
| Fee type | Typical range | On a €400,000 sale |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of the sale price | 1% to 2.5% plus VAT at 23% | 1.5% is €6,000 plus €1,380 VAT, so €7,380 |
| Fixed fee | €999 to €2,995 plus VAT at 23% | €1,995 is €2,453.85 with VAT |
VAT at 23% is added to both. Always ask whether a quoted fee includes VAT. A fee of "1.5%" usually means 1.5% plus VAT, so the real cost is 1.845% of the price.
Marketing is sometimes extra. Photos, a floor plan, a brochure and the listings typically cost €300 to €800 if charged separately. Some agents include them. Ask.
The fee is set by agreement, not by law. Two or three written quotes will show the range in your area. The estate agent fees calculator puts a percentage fee and a fixed fee side by side on your price. A lower percentage on a lower sale price can cost you more than a higher percentage on a higher one. The guide on the cost of selling shows where the fee sits among the other costs.
The letter of engagement
Before an agent does any work, the law says they must give you a written letter of engagement. It is a contract between you and the agent. It must set out:
- The services the agent will provide.
- The fee, and how it is worked out.
- Any other costs, such as marketing.
- The agent's advised asking price and the advised sale price.
- How long the agreement runs, and how either side can end it.
Read it before you sign. If anything in it differs from what the agent said, ask for it to be changed in writing. Keep a copy.
Sole agency, joint agency and multiple agency
Most letters of engagement are for sole agency. That means one agent has the right to sell your home for a set period, often three to six months. If you sell through anyone else in that period, you may owe the sole agent a fee anyway. Check the period and the notice you must give to end it.
Joint agency means two agents share the sale and the fee. Multiple agency means several agents compete and only the one who sells gets paid. Both are rarer, and the fees are often higher. For most homes, one agent with a clear agreement is the usual choice.
The marketing plan
Ask each agent how your home will be shown. A good answer is specific.
- Professional photos and a floor plan, and who pays for them.
- Which property websites the home goes on, and when.
- Whether there is a brochure, a sign and a video.
- How viewings are run: open viewings, booked viewings or both.
- How bids are taken: by phone, by email or on an online bidding platform.
- How often you hear from the agent, and what the reports cover.
The BER must appear in every advertisement. A BER (Building Energy Rating) grades a home's energy use from A1 to G. You need one from a BER assessor on SEAI's register before the home is advertised (see BER assessor). It costs €225 to €400 and lasts ten years. The guide on the BER when selling has the detail.
The questions that tell the agents apart
Three agents will each tell you they can sell your home. These questions show which one knows your market.
- Which homes like mine have you sold in the last twelve months, and at what price? Check the answers on the Property Price Register.
- What asking price would you set, what sale price do you expect, and what is the gap between the two on your recent sales?
- How long did your last five sales in this area take from listing to sale agreed?
- Who will handle my sale day to day, and will I always deal with the same person?
- How do you run bidding, and how do I see the bids?
- How do you check that a bidder has mortgage approval or the cash?
- What happens if the buyer pulls out after sale agreed?
- What does your fee include, and what is extra?
- How long is the sole agency, and how do I end it?
- Can I speak to two recent sellers?
An agent who gives you a price far above the others may be hoping to win the listing. Ask for the sales that support the figure. The guide on how much your house is worth shows how to check for yourself.
Big firm or local office
A national firm brings a large list of registered buyers and a strong website. A local office may know every sale on your road and the buyers waiting for one. Both sell homes well. The person matters more than the sign. Meet the person who will actually run your sale.
The booking deposit and the agent's role after sale agreed
When a buyer's offer is accepted, the buyer pays a booking deposit to the agent, typically €5,000 to €10,000. The agent holds it. It is refundable until contracts are signed. Sale agreed is not binding on either side until then. The agent's job after that is to keep both solicitors moving and to chase the buyer's loan offer and survey.
If something goes wrong
If an agent breaks the terms of the letter of engagement, or the rules of the 2011 Act, you can complain to the PSRA. The PSRA can investigate and can fine or suspend a licence. Keep every email and the letter of engagement.
Where this leaves you
Get three written quotes and put each into the estate agent fees calculator with your expected price. The selling journey shows what comes next, and you can get quotes from licensed agents in your county.
Questions people ask
How much do estate agents charge in Ireland?
Most charge 1% to 2.5% of the sale price, plus VAT at 23%. On a €400,000 sale at 1.5% that is €7,380 including VAT. Fixed-fee agents charge €999 to €2,995 plus VAT instead.
Do estate agents need a licence in Ireland?
Yes. Anyone selling or letting property for a fee needs a licence from the PSRA, the Property Services Regulatory Authority. You can check a licence on the PSRA register, and you can complain to the PSRA if an agent breaks the rules.
What is a letter of engagement from an estate agent?
It is a written agreement the agent must give you before doing any work. It sets out the fee, what it covers, the advised price, the length of the agreement and how to end it. Read it before you sign.
What is sole agency?
Sole agency means one agent has the right to sell your home for a set period, usually a few months. If you sell through another agent in that time, you may owe the first agent a fee too. Check the length and the notice period.
Can I negotiate estate agent fees?
Yes. The fee is set by agreement, not by law. Ask each agent for their fee in writing, compare two or three, and ask what the fee covers. A lower fee that leaves out photos and listings may cost more in the end.