Special offer

The Race to Offer the Lowest Commission

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc.,

Consumers are absolutely entitled to the Lowest possible prices for everything that they use. Who has this slogan? " The Lowest Price is the Law" Why not Free?

If a consumer had the choice to pay $4.00 or $8.00 for the same item what would they select? If you were shopping for bed linens and you found the 400 thread count sheets at Winner's or a boutique location at Hazelton Lanes in Yorkville would your selection be any different? So every store in Hazelton Lanes should close!

But... real estate services are not packages that can be delivered off the self. The niche marketing developed by For Sale By Owner sites and the Property Guys have resorted to calling REALTORS robbers to garner your attention. They have the most to lose in this war on rhetoric. FSBO sites will be decimated by agents offering FLAT fee commissions. [why post on a website seen by hundreds when you can post on a website MLS.ca seen by hundreds of thousands daily.]

It sounds wonderful that Buyers can contract for services directly from Real Estate Agents. It is simple. Well Not really, Banks will not pay commissions in addition to a Purchase Contract. So although you have bought a house you cannot add the appraisal, survey, hydro meter, hook ups, development charges and real estate fee to the contract, they are expenses of the purchase and sale.

There would be no commission at all....

"Quite a lot of agents are going to offer fees for service. If the vendor is listing for a fee, why can't the buyer's agent do the same? Then there's no commission to deal with at all," Mr. Andrew said. "Everybody engaging the services of a real estate agent would have to be on a contract."

The other major ramification of the agreement could be a gradually squeezing of for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) sites, which could find themselves competing more and more as discount models on the MLS. That was one of the fears of National FSBO Network, whose vice-president of operations, Stephen Skelly, had argued in a letter to the Competition Tribunal that if agents list property on the MLS for a one-time fee and provide no additional service, his members would not be able to compete.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/fp/money/CREA+nothing+deal+lawyer+says/3691706/story.html
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/fp/money/CREA+nothing+deal+lawyer+says/3691706/story.html#ixzz12pBOYXKk
There was the nugget; If agents list on the MLS and offer no other [additional] services. No Pricing, Presentation, Marketing, Negotiation or Transaction Management?

So if there is a mortgage or debt against the property and the owner has bills to pay... The agent has offered you CASH back post closing; where does that come from?

It all sounds great, but Real Estate is a service that some people need and some people don't. If you drive, you hate filling up. You hate gas prices, Great. Don't fill up. Don't Drive.

But if you do need to sell, you do need the services of a professional realtor, to explain your options, ensure that you understand your choices, make your decisions and complete those promises that you made contractually to the other party. We will need to book, organize and record showings, inspections, appraisals. Confirm financing. Deal with your lawyer to confirm they have received your documentation and have completed their obligations to search title, check for municipal work orders, purchase title insurance and verify taxes. Hand over the survey of the property, not a photocopy of a fax of a copy you received. You need and want my Errors and Omissions Insurance.

Your word to your bank that you have registered your mortgage properly and that the bank has a proper 1st Mortgage is not enough, they want your lawyer to sign off, with photo ID's and Passports? Why? Fraud is rampant in our electronic fast paced lifestyle.
Everything in life may be found for less from someone, But I am able to answer my own phone before the third ring, and will visit you after 9 PM if need be.

Comments(7)

Sonja Patterson
Keller Williams - BV - College Station, TX
Texas Monthly 5-Star Realtor Recipient for the Hou

David, so true!! I went driving around a lower-income subdivision where I have a listing, and found THREE For Sale By Owner signs!  (Very rare down here to find that many in one neighborhood.)  Anyway, when I went online, it turns out TWO of the THREE have "real estate agents" already.  Most likely, these agents are the discount type who "for a low flat fee of $XX will market your home on the internet". Meanwhile, the owner must schedule showings, show their home, negotiate, etc. etc.  People don't ALWAYS get what they pay for with their realtor...but they do with me!! :)

Oct 19, 2010 08:11 AM
Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

You do precisely get what you pay for and if you want to pay no or low commission to get your home sold, then you better be prepared to get low or no service.

Oct 19, 2010 08:16 AM
Anonymous
Consumer

I'm not saying FSBO is the way to go. But, is there some reason a RE attorney can't handle the transaction management duties? I'm sure a FSBO expects to handle the pricing, marketing, showings, neogitations himself.

Oct 19, 2010 09:53 AM
#3
David Pylyp
RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc., - Toronto, ON

Real estate attorneys [here] with experience bill at $350 to 400 per hour for contract work.  A realtor prepared an assocation approved contract that the Buyers and sellers agree too.    Self crafted agreements between Private parties often do not follow the law.

I remember one of my Buyers who wanted a FSBO so badly he went to a Lawyer who prepared and presented an offer.  The bill was $3700 and he did not conclude the sale.  (didn't buy the house)

Lawyers search Title, contact the Municipality and Tax departments, prepare a final accounting, secure a new mortgage and file on title; obtain an undertaking to clear the previous charge, sell title insurance and provide a reporting letter, collect FINTRAC disclose (photo ID's) Give a guarantee to teh Bank that the mortgage is Bona Fida.

None of those include drafting and receiving instructions from [uninformed] parties to a real estate transaction.  No one has verified the survey or obtained financing or provided the condominium status document. [Americans seem to call these HOAs Home Owner Associations]

Things are not always as they appear.

Thank you for your response.

 

Oct 19, 2010 11:48 AM
Barrie Clulow
My Time Is My Own - Uxbridge, ON

David - given the approval of the agreement with the competition bureau and the fact that the board operated "listing advertising web sites" like realtor.ca are after all advertising web sites created at the expense of the members. How appropriate it would be if they decided to shut them (realtor.ca etc)down in favour of their own individual web sties.

Oct 25, 2010 08:51 AM
Anonymous
david pylyp

Great Point Barrie,

With teh SMS smart phones and IXT data exchanges You can already for to LePage or C21 sites here in Toronto and view all listing by Map.   This is scrolled and enlarged on a touch screen.

This currently does not function in teh same fashion with MLS.ca.

So already the data suppliers are fragmented.   On my sites you will be able to find......

Why would you go elsewhere.

 

Oct 25, 2010 09:12 AM
#6
Joel Gwillim
CIR Realty - Condo Specialist - Calgary, AB
Associate - REALTORĀ®

I seldom have to compete on price.   When the seller sees my presentation they can appreciate the value, exposure and level of expertise that I bring to the table.  They usually don't even ask.  

Nov 02, 2010 03:52 AM