I was a buyer never a seller

Due to Anti Trust laws I'm going to avoid the question.  Generally speaking commission is negotiable between the seller and listing broker.   

I feel that fee is very fair if the Realtor has presented your parents with a complete marketing package and is commited to fully representing them.  It's amazing how many pitfalls exist between signing the listing agreement and actually getting to the closing table.  I am sure they can find a real estate agent that will negotiate their fees down.  What should really count to you and your parents is their net.  A strong not weak negotiator is essesntial.

Good luck.

 

Chris is correct.  We cannot discuss commission percentages on this forum.  Your parents have the right to interview other Realtors and then they can make the best decision for their situation.

Keep in mind she may have to pay a Buyers Agent out of that commission,

I would also consider that a Broker can spend a lot of time and resources (and money) marketing the property, and if it doesn't sell, you don't pay them anything

You can't expect an answer as simple as your question.

"Is 5% commission reasonable for a Realtor to charge on a Quarter of Million Dollars Home"

Real estate, the business, is service as compared to real estate, the commodity, which can be appraised. Two REALTORS listing the same property can have greatly different values for their services. One may not be worth 0.5% and the other 10.0%. The value of a REALTOR's service depends not only on their service but their clients needs.

Thanks to the FTC REALTORS can't even discuss the value of their services. So it is we have the flat fee offices, some providing incredible services for next to nothing on one hand and some egotist providing next to nothing for incredible fees.

I've been in lending and real estate since 1969 and there is no way I could answer your question without a lot more information on both the REALTOR and the client.

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http

Commissions are negotiable . . . always.  However, remember that a portion of that fee will probably go to a buyer's agent, there are tremendous marketing costs involved, liability, responsibility for keeping the property secure if your parents are gone, scheduling, paperwork, etc., etc., etc.  Some of these expenses will be out of pocket for the agent whether the property sells or not.  Getting a good agent is worth whatever commission your parent negotiate.

Having grown up in Yonkers and selling my parents home a few years back the most important thing in a REALTOR there is one who knows the neighborhood and all the schools. Yonkers schools are considered terrible. They have a bad reputation. Yonkers has a lot of other negative issues including a city income tax and transfer tax. Where I grew up in north east Yonkers bordered by Scarsdale, Edgemont, Bronxville and Eastchester (some of the best schools in the country) most people with kids do not want to buy in Yonkers if they are planning on using public schools. Many buyers prefer paying more money for a smaller house in neighboring westchester towns. A knowlegable Realtor who really knows the area and schools is more important then the commission they charge.