Full Service Discount Real Estate Brokers: Realty Meets the Information Age And the Customer Saves

If you’ve ever gone through the process of selling a house, then you know the bite that can be taken out of your capital earnings by using an agent to list and show for you. A lot of people are somewhat shocked at what this means for their bottom line; a commission of 6%* (which is the standard fee that realtors charge) means $12,000 on a house that sells for $200,000. This is an incredible amount, and none of it goes into your pocket.

home keys The strange thing is that up until now, people have had to accept this. Unlike other jobs, where a fixed rate over years means that salaries will eventually not measure up, the fixed 6% in real estate means that traditional agents are making a killing today with the way house prices have risen. A recent article for Newsweek put it in slightly less modest terms, referring to traditional realty as a “cartel” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8525635/site/newsweek/) .

The good news, as both the Newsweek column and this article will tell you, is that some enterprising brokerages have harnessed the power of the Internet to bring you an innovative approach to realty, the Discount Real Estate service. No longer are agents going to be laughing on the way to the bank; the home buyers and sellers now have the last laugh, and the basic punch line is this: Sellers pay at least one sixth and up to half of the traditional real estate commission, and buyers always qualify for rebates.

It’s really that simple. Discount services achieve this by using the power of the Internet to begin the initial showing process, with a lot of information that the traditional brokerages do not offer on their MLS listings. For buyers, discount real estate services offer big rebates for buying a house, money which can be turned into renovations or upgraded appliances.

Now, any market that has enjoyed a monopoly and finds its hold threatened is going to fight to keep it, and this is what is happening in the world of realty. Traditional realtors who charge large commissions are saying that discount services don’t offer all of the services that the big firms do, and that is blatantly untrue. Discount realty services offer every service that a high-commission-charging brokerage does, and they are able to do this not by doing less for the customer, but doing more through the available technology. In other words, discount services have kept up with the times and are moving accordingly.

Comfortable short-listing with all the information you want from the convenience of your own home, person to person showings, and working with agents from other firms are all parts of the great plan that full service discount realtors have to offer. It should come as no surprise that traditional companies are resorting to all that they can in order to dissuade business, as the lower commissions that the full service discount brokerages offer certainly means a new day is dawning for both the home seller and the home buyer.

Commissions are not set by law, all commissions are negotiable. The 6-7% is used for illustrative/comparison purposes only. If your home is listed or currently actively working with a REALTOR this web site is not intended as a solicitation of your listing or buyer services.