Richard,

Thanks for posting this list.  It is sure to generate quite a bit of industry discussion.  John brings up a great point about progress.  I think that much of it will be slow.  Although, given the current market conditions, there might be more pressure than ever for brokerages and agents to address some of the issues surrounding our industry that were easy to ignore when inventory was flying off the shelves.

Number 3 is certainly a must.  More efficiency is long over due in a real estate transaction, but it doesn't come down to just who gets paid in a transaction.  The real flaw is the fact that there is no service standard in the mortgage industry.  Real estate professionals rely heavily on the mortgage industry to facilitate their transactions.  The industry promises good service, but to they actually deliver.  Mortgage professionals to this point don't communicate, educate, and disclose customers or the agents enough during the transaction.  There is not a barometer for any real estate agent in which to effectively measure how well a lender will handle their transaction.  The mortgage industry is broken due to lack of service.  There has not been enough education, disclosure, or communication.  This has led to customers making mortgage decisions based on price, or even worse, payment.  These bad decisions have led to the mortgage disaster we are experiencing now and has crippled the entire real estate industry.  Real estate agents need to demand from lenders a standardized service level, and make partnerships with those lenders that adopt this standard.  Better customer service will lead to more loyal customers and the industry can begin to heal.