[quote=SD Realtor]Yeah Hobie I guess that nasty realtor goes to peoples homes and puts a gun to their head to force them to use him. Obviously there are no choices for people out there like Redfin or even flat fee models like Help U Sell.

Sounds like the Realtor KGB has a stranglehold on our society.

Personally I like to show up with an uzi at my listing appts.[/quote]

Hmmmm…. Jewish agent with an Israeli firearm.
We better call Markmax to investigate your control of the media.

On a more serious note about agent commissions:
I actually agree that there are an unsatisfying shortage of pricing models for agent services. Help-U-Sell had some ideas but really lost respect (for A: the predictable disdain of competing agents and B: for selling franchises to inexperienced agents) and respect is huge in this game. People don’t use the “best” solution or the “cheapest” solution. They use the most trusted solution.
Other competitive tricks (not used as an insult) have some sticking power but not a lot. Redfin has lots of agents but is really just a self-service search site (though they do close about 15 per month).

I don’t agree that standard Realtors have a stranglehold.
I do believe that most other solutions are broadly looked upon with suspicion.

The thing that gets me is that most of the high volume clients do not leverage their position.

Most banks pay 2% listing side to every REO agent and offer incentives to double end and pay 5%.

It would make more sense for them to offer a job board where we could bid on jobs.

Speaking for myself, if I could get 10 REO listings to advertise, it would be worth taking a dramatically reduced listing commission.