A cautionary tale for Brisbane homeowners…
In today’s fast-paced real estate environment, it’s not uncommon for agents to say they “have a buyer” or “can sell off-market” before you’ve even made a final decision to sell. While this might sound like a proactive approach, it can actually put your property and your eventual result at risk if it’s done before a signed Form 6 Appointment is in place.
We operate differently. We value transparency, legal compliance, and doing what’s right, not just what’s fast. We’ve seen too many sellers impacted by what seems like enthusiastic agent behaviour but turns out to be a serious breach of trust.
🛑 No Form 6 = No Authority = No Go
In Queensland, the Form 6 Appointment of Agent is a legal requirement. Without it, an agent has no right to market, promote, or negotiate the sale of your property. That includes calling their database, alerting buyer’s agents, or even describing your home as a “coming soon” opportunity.
This kind of behaviour isn’t just risky; it is unlawful. It may breach the Property Occupations Act 2014, and it certainly goes against the REIQ’s Code of Conduct.
🙈 It Can Happen Without Your Knowledge
Here’s the most concerning part: this can all happen without you even knowing.
We regularly hear from buyer’s agents that sales agents walk out the front door of an appraisal where the seller hasn’t yet signed any paperwork and immediately start calling their buyer database. These conversations often include full details about the property, including price expectations, layout, and even the address.
One recent listing we took on was a textbook example of what not to do.
The seller had five different agents through their home for appraisals. By the time they chose us to handle the sale and we got the home properly prepared and professionally launched to market, we learned that several agents had already leaked the opportunity to multiple buyer’s agents. The result? The buyer’s agents told us they’d already seen it or heard about it and now considered it “old news.” We were launching a fresh, fully prepared listing, but the early unauthorised leaks had already hurt its momentum.
💸 What’s the Real Cost?
This kind of premature marketing can:
- Damage buyer interest before your home is ready
- Confuse or fatigue the market
- Undermine your eventual sale price
- Expose your private information without your consent
- Reduce competition by exhausting the buyer pool too early
Most importantly, it takes control away from you, the seller.
🧭 What We Do To Benefit You
We take a different approach because we believe in doing things legally, ethically, and respectfully.
That means:
- We never call buyers or agents about your property until we have your written authority via a signed Form 6
- We prioritise preparation, presentation and a powerful launch so you don’t lose impact
- We protect your privacy and ensure you are fully in control of how your home is presented and to whom
We prefer to sleep at night knowing we’ve done the right thing and that our sellers can trust us from the first meeting to the final negotiation.
🗣️ Sellers: Be Upfront, Be Informed
If you’re inviting multiple agents through your home for appraisals, that’s completely okay. It’s important to find the right fit. But be aware that not every agent plays by the rules.
Let agents know upfront that you expect:
- No marketing or disclosure of your property without your written permission
- No calling buyers or buyer’s agents until you’re ready
- Transparency around how they handle off-market interest
The best agents will respect your expectations. The rest are showing you their ethics right from the start.
Thinking of Selling?
If you’re looking for an agency that takes integrity as seriously as results, we’d love to support you. We’re proud to do things properly and we’re here to guide you through the whole process.
📞 Kath Chown
📍 RE/MAX Elevate, Brisbane
📧 kathchown@remax.com.au
📱 0458 912 906
