How to Choose an Estate Agent in Oban (Without Getting Stung on Fees)

The three types of estate agent in Oban

It helps to know what you're choosing between. Oban has three broad types of agent, each with its own fee model:

1. Traditional independent agents (percentage-based)

The classic high-street model. You pay a percentage of the eventual sale price, usually 1–2% plus VAT. Headline fees of "1% no sale no fee" are common, but VAT is rarely included in the quoted figure: at 20% VAT, a "1.5%" headline becomes 1.8% in practice. On the average Oban property (~£224,000) that's around £4,000. On a detached home at £345,000 that's £6,200+. Examples in Oban include Argyll Estate Agents and Dawsons, though most don't publish their fees on their websites.

2. Solicitor estate agents

Combined solicitor + estate agent operations like MacPhee & Partners, Anderson Banks, or E. Thornton & Co. They typically charge a percentage too (often 1–2%), bundle in some conveyancing, and create a degree of lock-in by handling both the legal and selling sides. The combined fee can look attractive on paper but the agency portion alone, separated out, often works out similar to a traditional agent. The upside is one point of contact; the downside is less flexibility if you'd prefer to choose your own solicitor.

3. Fixed-fee / hybrid agents

A growing model. The agent charges a flat fee instead of a percentage. Online-only operators like Purplebricks charge from £999–£1,199 in Scotland but extra for accompanied viewings, EPCs and other add-ons; Fiuran Property uses a hybrid £195 upfront + 0.95% commission. Oban Estate Agents (that's us) is the only fully fixed-fee agent in Oban: £1,500 flat, everything included, paid on completion.

What's actually in the fee?

This is where the comparisons get interesting. Two agents can quote similar headline figures and deliver very different services. The things to check, line by line:

• Professional photography: included as standard, or a paid extra? Photos drive Rightmove clicks; this is not the place to skimp.
• Floor plans: included or extra? A drawn floor plan is now standard on Rightmove and noticeably hurts engagement when missing.
• Rightmove listing: included or extra? Almost always included, but worth confirming.
• For Sale board: typically included, but sometimes charged separately for rural properties.
• Accompanied viewings: almost always extra (yes, including with online agents). Purplebricks charges around £499. The honest answer is that most agents would rather not do them; ours is that we don't do them at all, and the saving goes into your fee.
• Home Report: the Home Report is paid by the seller separately from the agent fee. Some agents will arrange it (sometimes at a markup); some leave you to arrange it yourself.
• Withdrawal fees: if you decide not to sell, are there charges? Look at the small print on contract length, renewal terms and any penalty for ending early.

The five questions every seller should ask

Before you sign anything, ask any agent these five questions. Write the answers down. Compare.

1. What's your total fee on a sale at the Home Report valuation, including VAT and any extras you'd recommend? The "total" wording matters: it forces a single comparable number.
2. What happens to the fee if my home doesn't sell? "No sale, no fee" is common, but check what counts as a sale (sometimes accepting an offer triggers fees even if it falls through). With us, the £1,500 is invoiced on completion only.
3. What's the length of the contract, and what's the notice period? Long sole-agency tie-ins of 12+ weeks aren't unusual. Shorter or rolling contracts give you more leverage if you're unhappy.
4. Who'll do the photography, and can I see examples of their work in Oban specifically? Some agents use a single photographer who does great work; some shuffle through whoever's available. Local examples are the best evidence.
5. How do you handle viewings, cancellations and offers? The day-to-day of selling a home is mostly admin. The right answer is "we handle all of it": whether the seller does the viewing or the agent does, every other interaction (booking, rescheduling, qualifying buyers, fielding offers) should be the agent's job.

The hidden extras to watch for

Headline fees can hide a lot. The most common extras Oban sellers find on their final bill:

• "Premium" or "featured" Rightmove placement (£100–£300+).
• Open house events (£100–£200).
• Accompanied viewings (£300–£500+ at the online agents).
• EPC commissioning (£60–£120), though usually the Home Report covers this in Scotland.
• Contract renewal or "marketing extension" fees if the property doesn't sell quickly.
• VAT, usually not included in the headline percentage.

Not every agent charges every extra, but in our experience reading other agents' terms, it's rare for a percentage-based agent's headline to match their final invoice.

Why we built Oban Estate Agents

We started Oban Estate Agents because we kept seeing the same pattern locally: sellers paying £3,000–£6,000+ in agent fees on properties that took the same work to sell as a £150,000 flat. The work doesn't scale with the property value. Why should the fee?

£1,500. Flat. Everything in. Professional photography, floor plans, Rightmove, For Sale board, marketing, negotiation, sales progression. Paid only when your home sells. That's what we do, and it's the single thing that defines our business.

If you're sounding out estate agents in Oban, get a quote from a percentage agent, get one from a solicitor agent, and get one from us. Lay them side by side. Decide on the evidence.