The selling agent represents the vendor. Their answers should be treated as campaign information, not independent facts.

That does not make the conversation unhelpful. The right questions can test how the campaign is developing and where the vendor may trade certainty for price.

Ask about the vendor

  • Why is the vendor selling?
  • Is the vendor committed to selling in this campaign?
  • What settlement timing would help?
  • Are there terms that matter other than price?

Motivation can change. Look for consistency across the campaign rather than relying on one statement.

Ask about offers

  • What is the highest offer the vendor has rejected?
  • Was that offer written and unconditional?
  • Has the vendor changed the price expectation?
  • What would buy the property today?

The answer may be incomplete. It still helps define the claim you need to test against comparable sales and subsequent behaviour.

Ask about the process

  • Will the vendor sell before auction?
  • If so, what is the process for considering offers?
  • When will contracts or offers be presented?
  • Will buyers receive a final opportunity if another offer is preferred?

Clarity on process reduces the chance that your offer simply becomes leverage against someone else.

Ask about buyer depth

  • How many contracts have been requested?
  • How many buyers have completed building and pest work?
  • How many are expected to register for auction?
  • Has any buyer withdrawn after due diligence?

Open-home traffic is not the same as committed demand. Look for actions that require time, cost or a clear buying decision.

Ask about the property

  • What issue has caused the most buyer hesitation?
  • Are there known defects, planning or strata matters?
  • Which recent sale does the vendor consider most comparable?
  • Has anything material changed since the contract was prepared?

Verify material answers through the contract and appropriate advisers.

Use the answers correctly

Do not let the conversation set the value range. Build that independently from genuinely comparable sales.

Use the agent's answers to choose timing, terms and negotiation structure. If the story changes, treat the inconsistency as information and ask what changed.

The campaign-and-price method brings these questions together with buyer depth and vendor preference.