If we paid for how many miles we drove?
… early next year, six other states will begin testing a new fund-raising mechanism: charging motorists for the number of miles they drive instead of the amount of gasoline they consume.
1) Commissions would rise
2) There would be a greater transparency in real estate fees
3) There may be fewer Realtors
4) More buyers would drive themselves, and the Realtors would be riding shotgun.
5) More Realtors would drive hybrids and their market areas would be smaller.
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I don’t understand why all the driving is necessary in the first place. Here in Edinburgh sellers open their houses at set times about twice a week for potential buyers to informally come by and check it out. Once someone wants to make an offer he/she talks to a solicitor who checks out the legal stuff, arranges for an inspection/survey, makes arrangements with the bank and then handles the paperwork (all for a 1-1.5% commission). Why can’t the US be like that? I’ve bought and sold several houses in Virginia and the overhead of a traditional realtor suddenly seems so unnecessary.
I would be strongly opposed to any such measure. I think if a state is going to start charging tax based on miles driven instead of gallons used then the state would be obligated to provide an efficient public transit system- on par with NYC or Boston (30 minutes to get anywhere from anywhere using public transit).