In Ireland entry into the practices of auctioneering and estate agency is currently governed by the Auctioneers and House Agents Acts of 1947, 1967 and 1973. The legislation provides for the licensing of auctioneers and for a fine of up to just €635 for any person convicted of representing himself as an auctioneer without a licence.

Auctioneers obtain licences on an annual basis. The only pre-requisite for holding an auctioneer’ss licence is lodging a bond of €12,700 with a court and satisfying a District Court judge that you are suitable to be an agent. This usually involves merely proving you are neither bankrupt nor a criminal.

There are two professional organisations for Estate Agents or Auctioneers:
The Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) :  members must qualify by examination and study valuations, all aspects of relevant law, town planning and other areas essential to the provision of a good estate agency service. Ordinary members of the IAVI require an accredited property degree, while associated membership requires the equivalent of a higher certificate in property studies.
The IAVI fines members who do not adhere to its code and can now fine members up to €20,000 and order them to repay all fees/outlay charged to a client, if the circumstances merit it. It has done so in more than 80 cases since 1993.

Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV)  have bonding programmes and consumer protection programmes in place.

Both organisations offer greater protection than the state for deposits paid to member firms, with the IAVI offering the highest level of protection at 15 times the level of the statutory High Court Bond of €12,700 required of all auctioneers.

Estate Agents and Auctioneers can charge as much as 2% commission in Ireland – plus advertising expenses.  Many of them have a minimum fee . Using an  agent  to sell your house could leave you with a bill for four or five thousand euro.

Do you really need an estate agent to sell a house?

Legally – no.  The perception seems to be that  you must employ the services of an estate agent to sell a house.  Most people do it – and everyone just follows suit.
When a buyer has been found – all the important  legal work is taken care of by solicitors or conveyancers. The estate agent’s job is just to find buyers – but in today’s world of online property websites is the old fashioned estate agent really needed?

If you want to reduce a bit of the hassle of selling a house and get someone else to take a few pictures and write some nice things about your house – and pay them at least €3000 euro – then by all means use an estate agent.
It is not beyond most people with a computer , a digital camera and a couple of spare hours to put their house up for sale in Ireland. Even when you use an agent – they are still (hopefully) going to be calling you to pass on offers etc and arrange viewings. You could easily do that yourself.
The internet is  a powerful tool for house buyers – so getting your property online is vital for anyone trying to sell a house. In larger towns and cities – there will be people looking around for properties for sale – and the usual “For Sale” signs will be another major source of attracting buyers.

There are a few websites in Ireland that cater for “For Sale By Owners”.

The biggest one I could find that deals exclusively with owners selling themselves is SellitYourSelf.ie . For just €195 Euro you can get your property listed online on their site and they also provide quality “For Sale” boards for you to put up outside. The fee of €195 is the only fee you pay – and the listing and photos remain on the site until the house is sold. See more details and register here

Daft.ie is probably the busiest property website in Ireland that allows owners to sell their own house. The majority of houses on the site are put on by estate agents – and there are thousands. For €195 euro you can join them.

Myhome.ie dont take listings from individuals as far as I can see.

Irish house buyers are now employing private investigators and specialist agencies to investigate their future new neighbours . The prospective buyers can have things checked out like -  whether they have criminal records to whether they are fond of throwing late-night parties.

The managing director of a company which offers the vetting service says that auctioneers have a “lot to answer for” by failing to tell housebuyers of anti-social behaviour in particular neighbourhoods.

People are also contacting private investigators to make sure that the sweet old lady living next door is all she seems, and not a drug-dealer likely to be the subject of late night visits from clients.

“You have first-time buyers looking to buy everything from an ex-council house to a three-bed semi-detached and upwards, and property is such a valuable asset now they don’t want to have to sell at a reduced price,” said Donncadh O Cinnsealaigh of Investigate Services in Naas, Co Kildare.

“It can be problematic buying a house in a particular area. Everything is aligned to the value of a property, people aren’t blinded at the chance of getting their first home.

“An elderly couple would want a nice quiet area. In the day time, it might be quiet; but at night, the young people come out. They also want to know what the age profile of an area is, and will there be problems in the future. They would say just check the immediate neighbours.”

A dedicated service for homebuyers will also look at facilities in the area, so people can make an informed choice. “The concept was in the making for a number of years. I noticed a high number of people taking legal action against their neighbours,” David Gibney of whoaremyneighbours.com said.

“People pay a lot of money to buy a house. They pay for an architect to survey a second-hand property, so I thought ‘why not survey the area’?”

“The auctioneers in Ireland have a lot to answer for. They might say there’s a widowed woman living next door, but they don’t mention her three sons who are unemployable and are out half the night.”

Many hosue sellers  choose to sell with the assistance of an estate agent / auctioneer  because it can be  more convenient, and can sometimes be  more effective, than selling privately.
Good agents have a wide net of prospective buyers, and know how to promote your home  You should choose  an agent with the following factors in mind:

Cost:
Most estate agents charge between 1-3% commission on the successful sale of your home, but check for hidden extras.

Valuation and price
Make sure you and the agent agree on the value of the house, because he or she will be negotiating on your behalf.
Market reach:
This is a critical factor in the selection process. You want an agency which can attract the largest number of potential buyers  for your home. Ask to see how they present properties, where they advertise, and their process for following through leads. Check if they have a website – look at it and ask if your house will be put on it. Some charge extra for posting on the internet – a pretty poor practice. Use google to see if their website appears in search results for “estate agents in ” your town or “auctioneers” in your area. Ask if they use Daft.ie or Myhome.ie. The more exposure – the better.

Reputation:
Talk to friends and neighbours who have recently bought or sold in the area, and find out the “inside story” of local estate agents.

Service:
You want to work with people you like and trust, and have your best interests at heart. Remember, an agent is working for you, so you should interview him or her in the same way you would interview a prospective employee. Be clear on how you expect to communicate with the agent, and kind of service you are looking for. If you are not happy with them – go elsewhere.

Regulation and Training
Legally, estate agents are not required to have formal qualifications. They don’t need to be part of any recognized professional body.  However, reputable agents  do have experience and qualifications, are members of relevant professional bodies . Qualified agents can choose to join a professional organisation such as the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) or the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) but this is purely voluntary. Both these organisations have the benefit of voluntary compensation schemes that pay out compensation if an agent absconds with client funds. About half of Ireland’s 5000-odd holders of auctioneer’s licences are members of either the IAVI or the IPAV, although many licence holders don’t practice as estate agents.