The Real Estate Deal

Editor Cindy Zetts dishes on real-estate and development around Puget Sound: She lived in apartments, townhomes and houses -- a dozen of them in four states -- before settling in the Seattle area in 1997. After taking a bath on the sale of her first home, in South Florida, she vowed to wise up about real estate. She bought a house in Covington 10 years ago because, well, she could afford one there.

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May 20, 2008 7:31 AM

Real-estate agents: Talk to me about commissions

Posted by Cindy Zetts

OK, before every agent in the Seattle area gets all hot and bothered, let me preface this by saying that I've never bought or sold a house without an agent. I've never negotiated a lower commission, just let the closing agent subtract the number from the bottom line.

But I'd like to hear why a home sale is worth a flat 6 percent.

I know the listing agent and broker share 3 percent, and the buyer's agent and broker share the other 3 percent. So why should the seller pay the whole 6 percent?

Some believe that cut-rate agents deserve less money because they do less work and that full-service agents deserve 6 percent commission because they provide full service. But I want to know why a buyer and a seller have to pay the full commission for every full-service agent, regardless of qualifications, experience and service provided.

Anyone?
.

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