House sellers hope to avoid agents' fees

Kerryn Bailey outside her house in Stanmore Bay. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Kerryn and Ivan Bailey hope to save more than $7000 in agent's fees when they sell their two-bedroom Stanmore Bay house.

The couple were one of the first clients to sign up with former top Barfoot and Thompson agent Alison Barakat and her husband Carl who have bought the master franchise for Borders in the upper North Island and have opened an agency in Hibiscus Coast. The Borders agency charges a 2 per cent selling fee.

If the house - which has sea views and sits on 918sq m of land - sells for its asking price of $359,000, they'll pay $7180 with Borders. They had first listed the house with another estate agent where they would have paid a $14,360 commission.

Kerryn said she found it easier to deal with an agent through phone and internet, rather than going to an office.

"I'm at home with my kids and email is how I communicate."