I hope that more buyers and Realtors will read these stories. Most likely, the buyers will have to educate the Realtors, and it might very well be a hard education for some. In short, who should pay the Buyer Agent? Does anybody really buy it when an agent says to a buyer, “don’t worry – the seller pays my commission! It’s FREE to you.”
The Imperative of Divorced Commissions, Part 2: The Inherent Value of Free
Divorcing the real estate commissions is simply a matter of HUD-1 bookkeeping effected by the mortgage lender
My call to action from earlier this year for an end to the seller “offering” the buyer’s agent commission.
There is momentum. See Todd in Arizona and Kris in San Diego who says it best:
“Which brings me back to the wisdom of divorcing commissions and the future of the opportunists who aspire to feed on the buyer coop carrion. No coop means that buyers will finally be asked assign a value to the their representation. Buyer’s agents will finally have to demonstrate their value and earn their fee. And when the agents representing the buyers have nothing to give away but conversely have to place a price on their services and actually charge their clients directly, the associated accountability will only benefit the buyer – and the Redfin’s of this world will no longer have a shtick. (bolding mine)
Interested in Learning More?
Jim Duncan has been helping buyers and sellers in Charlottesville’s neighborhoods for 25 years. Get local insight born of experience.
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