Hey, Ms. REALTOR®, how many bananas will you charge me to list with you?

I have heard that some agents are charging very few bananas these days. Unfortunately, they don't provide full service and the seller loses out.

I agree that often times the flat amount of banana agents fall short :)

Hi Tish - I find that bananas and oranges go very well together - high in potassium and vitamin C.

Good grief!  With all these bananas, I think I just changed into a monkey. (chuckle).  Tish all I have to say is; GIVE IT TO 'EM STRAIGHT.  We work hard to make a living and we need to collect all the bananas that are coming to us.  It's up front education on the subject right from the start.  After all the niceties are performed, I get right to the point.  This way I don't have to waste my time trying to impress with no results. 

Very easy for some sellers to just use one banana and slip on the peel. . 

Love your post Tish!

I'm curious.  What kind of extra marketing do you do to market to buyers outside of your area?  How much  does it cost you?  Are you sure the flat banana companies don't do it also? 

All talk of bananas makes me want to have some banana spilt... And a large one at that. Then again I want a QUALITY and well processed  banana split before rolling in real bananas.

Recently I began working with a new expired listing that said their previous agent was charging fewer bananas than I was.  I told them that I would give them a choice of paying my normal number of bananas or the other agents number of bananas with an upfront, non-refundable number of grapes.  I explained that I would use the grapes to cover all of my upfront costs of marketing their home and would thus protect myself in a market where 50% of all listings end up cancelled/expired.

In the end they chose to go with my normal number of bananas.  I was actually hoping they'd choose to prepay the grapes to see how that model would work.

Funny tidbit - the Active Rain spam checker is asking "What does the graphic say" and I'm supposed to enter raspberry

There are far too many consumers that are slipping all over those banana peels Tish:)

Tish, Great post! When I shop for bananas (or apples, grapes, oranges, avacado, etc.) I'm very choosy.  If I get home to find I've chosen an over ripe banana, rotten apple, sour orange, or bruised avacado, I throw it away along with the money I spent on it.  That isn't what I was shopping for.  Same can be applied to RE; I think the seller expects the pick of the crop and hope they're getting that for next to nothing. 

Hopefully, sellers will realize how great fresh fruit is and give you a call.

I've found that if you go into a listing appointment with the number of bananas you want already filled into the listing agreement you will most often get it signed that way.

Tish, it is all negotiable, so just get the bunch of bananas on the table and make a split that makes sense and is delicious.

One thing that I have learned in being in business most of my life, Half of something is better then all of nothing.

Hi Tish,  Cute post and lots of fruity responses.  That said, I'm a little uneasy with the statement " ... you need to move on to an agent who conducts their business ethically."

Not sure I would accuse someone who prefers not to negotiate commissions as being " unethical ".

Recipe for a honeymoon salad?...Lettuce alone......good post and good host