duncbdunc,
To tell the truth I am a little surprised at how little residential property acquisition has changed.It seems realtors, as we are today, could easily be made obsolete by something else. That is not to say the work isn’t difficult,just that the residential marketplace could be changed into something much more efficient, inexpensive and less prone scandal. A lot of scandal could be removed if contracts were written with the golden rule in mind and not to favor the members of the organizations who hire the lawyers to write the contracts.Caveat Emptor.
Discount brokerages have their short comings.What I imagine is something like a cross between a flea market and a very transparent auction. Internet sites provide the flea market component and some one stop center brings efficiency of an auction.
The NAR probably would never let it happen.
Then again, full service may have some component of natural selection to it. Not sure what would happen if we took out the hand holding and other things a street level realtor provides.(yes I know some piggs, and some others, don’t need much of of that)(often times they need more than they think they do)