Quote from lindq:
Your post is so typical of many posts here on E.T.
Folks making statements when they haven't the slightest idea what they're talking about.
Most people - obviously including you - are completetly unaware of the cost structure of the industry, and of working as a Realtor.
You don't calculate the agent's costs of brokerage fees, errors & ommissions insurance, commission sharing, advertising and signage fees, taxes, MLS access fees, local Realtor association fees, state license fees, continuing required training, fuel and auto expenses, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
Every Realtor pays these fees. Which is why most don't break even, a few do well, and the average makes about 35K a year.
Probably very close to the statistics of independent traders.
In addition to the costs, you're on call 24 hours a day, scheduling and negotiating with brokers, lenders, banks, insurance companies, title companies, inspectors, termite companies, roofing companies, plumbers, buyers who lie, and sellers who are unreasonable. And...you are legally accountable to the state and to your client for any screwup.
And on top of it all, there is never a guarantee that your work will result in income, no matter how many hours you put into it.
Quote from point&click:
Actually I am well aware of all the operating costs of being a realtor.I was being facetious.Do you not think then that the business model used by realtors is flawed?How can such a high commission not be enough to cover the costs when in the UK it's 1%?
It's also pretty well known that realtors try and push their own listings to get maximum commissions.I've heard of them telling lies about other realtors' listings just to sell their own for the extra points.I sold up back in 2005 to move to a warmer state and did a FSBO,split the difference of the realtors fees with the buyer,he was happy and so was I.He also thought realtors were a waste of space.Most people do.
Quote from jem:
this is the realty of being a fsbo - which is what I was too. The buyers looking for fsbos are expecting a better deal from the sellers and it all but the strongest markets fsbo according to NAR net 15% less than Realtors.
I always wonder where that stat come from but I think the above FSBO experience is representative. So you save 3% on commissions.
So for 3% a seller puts in more time and money/ Plus the seller dramatically shrinks the potential buyer pool and with it the buyers who might be ready to pay the most. So when a seller goes FSBO is he actually saving money. Time? Security? You tell me. Those are just questions.
Quote from Coldspring:
I wonder if the failure rate is higher for new traders or new realtors?
It's the same breed of folks. Greed and easy money, a good clean job that doesn't require manual labor. What other professions can you get into that can make you "rich" that don't require a college degree.