LATEST GOVERMENT REPORT ON COMPETITION IN REAL ESTATE

The latest testimony by by David Wood REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE - VARIOUS FACTORS MAY AFFECT PRICE COMPETITION (If you don want to read the whole report page two is a highlight) is to say the least very one sided. There are numerous remarks about the comissions being charged and how they have gone up in absoluate dollars over last few years even though they have gone down in percent amount during that same period. The part I find interesting is that there is not a single remark or comment about the cost the brokerage community has incurred to provide all the new internet technology and information that is available to the public. I speak from experience when I say that Technology was not even a line item on our brokerage budget 6-8 years ago. Now it has become a MAJOR budget catagory that must be dealt with in serious manner. The overall cost of doing business in real estate has and is increasing on a daily basis, as is true with most every business. But no where in any of these statements attaching real estate do you see any acknowledgement of this fact. The only thing asked is why do we charge what we charge. I believe the real estate industry as a whole has been the leading factor in making the American Dream of Home Ownership a reality. Without REALTORS and their effort it would not have happened. It is time these folks started to realize the importance of the contribuation made by REALTORS and also understand the costs they incur in making it all happen.