Steve

I am still here reading all the threads on this topic and want to thank everyone for their input. I'm able to see two (more like 100) sides to the argument. There seems to be much more to the behind-the-scenes of this business than I was aware of. It's an interesting and complicated business and I give credit to the hard working agents out there. Don't care much for the slick ones. - Thu Jul 16 2009, 09:13

Lots and lots of great answers, ideas, and insight to agents jobs. After following the discussions I can see now, right or wrong, that a seller has to pay up to sell. If I look at it from a seller's point of view, yes I would like to pay as little as possible but still would want my agent to make some money. If I take a step away from the situation and look at it from an agent's point of view, I can see why they want to make as much as they want.

On the one hand I don't like the idea that an agent might not show my house if the commission is too low, but on the other hand I like the idea of the free enterprise system that someone mentioned. If I want, I can set the commission high and give out bonuses to sell my house quicker. I get to set my own incentives to "outsell" the competition. Interesting...

Debbie - all those things you listed, isn't that what agents do? The marketing and showing houses etc. How many times would you say an agent doesn't get paid after doing all those things? - Sun Jun 14 2009, 05:31