https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:07:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626639 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 10:32:34 +0000 HLK208 626639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours, no, I could rant for days. Haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626520 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 09:27:28 +0000 Amelieisme 626520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did what @blackbird described and had no agent until we found the house. I agree the sellers agent was super motivated to close the deal since they get twice the commission the normally would. We got the house at 15% less than original asking price (which was what the seller had paid 18 mo prior). In a market like yours though it may be more difficult to find houses without the agent to give you a heads up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626450 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:48:48 +0000 spaniellove 626450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: If you have a contract with your agent, I'm pretty sure you're obligated to use him in any sale. And I think you have to mention him from the beginning. But where he could be helpful is when you need to negotiate - it can be difficult and emotional, and if he is the agent for you then he can be an effective negotiator for you. If you don't think he can do that for you either, then maybe it's time to look elsewhere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626445 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:42:55 +0000 spaniellove 626445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some do...and some not so much. We were lucky that when we bought DH was able to act as our agent. And actually I did the work to find the house, doing tons of MLS searches. But when we sold our condo previous to that, we used an agent whom we knew was really skilled and worked hard to sell it quickly for the best price. It was a terrible market but he gave it really good exposure and marketed it well. He did a great analysis of how we should price it and when we should drop the price, and when we did he contacted everyone who'd been through and that's how he found our buyer. It was so worth the money, and we noticed that similar units in our building that didn't list with him ended up not selling at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626417 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:20:09 +0000 pl0508 626417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours totally did. We even felt bad because we wanted to compensate her in addition to her commission so we sent her an edible arrangement to show our appreciation ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626388 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:53:47 +0000 matador84 626388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours did. Our transaction and experience couldn't have been any smoother and stress free. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626379 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:37:22 +0000 Honeybee 626379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're looking right now and I think our agent is awesome, even though we've initiated probably half of the walkthroughs. We're also in a tight market (just got outbid on our third house and the good houses are going under contract within three days if going on the market) so I think it helps to have extra eyes on what's available. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626243 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:23:37 +0000 Meridian 626243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH has his real estate license and was doing it on the side a while back in partnership with his best friend. I think it really depends on the situation and the client. They dealt with some clients who were sooo picky and indecisive and they ended up going on dozens of appointments with the clients over the course of a year. When the clients eventually found a place, the commission really wasn't worth all their effort! Then there were other easy clients who quickly found their place and were much less work. So I think it balances out in the end... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626207 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:26:35 +0000 Freckles 626207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: I think it only works well when you're buying from a builder, but i find that most agents only want to sell to you if you have an agent. We are looking in areas that are very desirable and the good homes sell within days! The problem is that he's become FB friends with me, and has tried really hard to establish that friendship with DH and me. He also represents a couple of other friends/colleagues of DH. We like him, but just want him to go that extra mile!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626200 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:20:43 +0000 sunny 626200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the buyer agent earns their commission in a few ways:</p> <p>1. Finding &amp; showing you homes (this involves setting up the appointments, researching any requirements you have) In a super heated market, this may mean networking with other agents to find houses before they actually hit the MLS.</p> <p>2. Doing the comparitive market analysis and paperwork when you want to make an offer </p> <p>3. Giving advice on improvements you can make to the home, noticing flaws, giving honest feedback</p> <p>4. Giving you advice on putting in an offer</p> <p>5. Negotiates the offer</p> <p>I'm sure there's more, but this is the basic gist of what *I* (as a buyer) think they do.</p> <p>That being said, no one is more vested in your home search than you. So I'm not surprised that you are finding homes before your agents sends them to you. </p> <p>When we bought our home several years ago, we found a discount agent who was willing to rebate 2/3 of her commission to us. The trade-off was that I did most of the home searches and just sent her the MLS #s and she toured the homes with us and gave us her thoughts on the homes and then helped us with the offer paperwork. I felt that she "earned" her 1% and that it was a fair tradeoff. </p> <p>On the other hand, I've heard of people saying that a really great agent who takes 3% is totally worth it because they may help negotiate the price down significantly. </p> <p>I disagree with @Blackbird's advice with using the selling agent and doing dual agency (agent represents the seller and the buyer). In my understanding, the selling agent has a fiduciary duty to the SELLER only. So they can tell you that they are looking out for both interests... but that isn't really possible. If they know that you are willing to go as high as $400k, they will try to get the sale done at high a price as possible -- their 6% commission is based upon the sales price, right? It's in their best interest to get a sale done quickly and at the highest price since they only get paid if the sale closes.</p> <p>If you don't think your agent is doing enough, you should fire them. You could try to find a discount agent who does less (for less money) or you could find a better agent who you think earns their commission.</p> <p>Sorry for the long answer -- I am not a real estate professional. I just have a lot of opinions on this topic :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626199 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:20:20 +0000 Freckles 626199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beebug: I get the MLS emails but anyone can just set up an auto-email alert! I feel like with all the networking agents do, they will have made some connections so they are on top of things and know about things that the average person wouldn't. I live in an area where houses rarely go up for sale, so it's annoying when i discover a new infill development before he does. I do think they earn their money when selling the place since more work is involved, but i really believe they need to work for their commission!</p> <p>@betsyboop: I wish i had a friend who could do that!</p> <p>@yin: What a great situation to be in!! Nice friend, too. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626191 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:10:13 +0000 yin 626191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We worked with a family friend, and she gave us access to her MLS account. DH would look on there daily for available houses. He found our current house and asked our agent to schedule a seeing right away. We were able to see the house that evening and put in an offer the next day. Our offer was accepted the day after that, and there was no one else to compete with. All viewing for that weekend were cancelled so we really did have first dibs. While she may not have found the house for us, she did everything right in pushing us forward and giving us advice on how much to put down with our offer. Since she is a family friend, she split her commission with us. Win win. We were super lucky with our situation though, and I don't think that's very common. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626146 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:31:15 +0000 doodlepoodle 626146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am super intrigued by this! We ended up with our current (buying) agent just b/c I sent an email to the agency in the area we're looking (we don't know ANYONE we could contact) and she's a total space cadet. I emailed her today with the MLS#'s AND addresses of the houses we want to see on Sunday and she wrote back "Okay cool we can look at houses Sunday, what time? Do you have the MLS#'s or addresses so I can set it up?" Um...did you read your email?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626119 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:12:07 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 626119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work with a real estate agent so I definitely think they earn their commission! I do think there are bad agents. I've worked with some. I think there are people bad at their jobs in every profession. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626113 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:07:25 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 626113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine certianly did. While I did find my house before he did, I was also my only client and had nothing but time on my hands. He was good about sending me plenty of options though. And he did WAY more work getting us this and trying to get us into another house that I even know about. Our file was HUGE and if it weren't for him and his knowing to check a box that said we wanted the house if the primary offer fell through, we wouldn't even have the house we have and love now. He worked his butt of for us and it paid off. I have and will continue to recomend him to as many people as possible. This guy was so patient and so knowledgable. We would have been so screwed without him!</p> <p>Mr. Hedgie jokes that I have a realitor crush on him... and I do. lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626098 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:57:57 +0000 Giraffe 626098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like we did most of the work to actually find our house, but our agent earned his commission in other ways after that point. First he gave us really good advice about our offer that allowed us to get the house in a multiple offer situation. Then he actually helped the previous (crazy!) owner move out, making multiple trips to her new place with her belongings, after she failed to vacate the house when she was supposed to. Even if that was all he had done for us, he earned his commission right there. All of this to say, your agent may surprise you yet! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626012 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:24:17 +0000 Beebug 626012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't you get MLS emails from your agent? I know when we house hunted we got auto emails 4am every morning with new MLS ads before they hit public MLS of new listings that matched our criteria. That way nothing was missed and if we wanted to see it, we.sent it to agent and she booked for us!</p> <p>Our (selling) agent did not earn their commission, he had the money handed to him. Our house would have sold with no marketing, just needed a sign and to hit MLS. He did do his usual stuff though, pics, videographer, and our house sold no prob in a few days before the open house, easy money for him! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-626001 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:19:15 +0000 yoursilverlining 626001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You are obligated to go through your agent if you signed an exclusive agent contract with the agent. </p> <p>I think sometimes realtors earn their %, and sometimes not.</p> <p>I checked the MLS listings every.single.day when we were looking and was 100% the one who initiated the properties we looked at. I found our current home and the only thing the agent facilitated was doing the paperwork...so no, I don't think that was worth the $12k+ he was paid. But, his fee came out of the seller's end of the sale, so I guess I don't really care at the end of the day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-625999 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:16:53 +0000 MrsStormy 625999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think they earn their commission in the paperwork, but all agents are not equal, if your not happy with yours find one who fits your needs better. I LOVED my agent, he was so open and honest and truly seemed to be looking out for my best interest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-625998 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:16:24 +0000 betsyboop 625998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a buyer's agent, it depends. As a selling agent, they definitely earn their commission. I have a number of friends who hold real estate licenses but don't work in real estate, and some of them will act as the buyer's agent for other friends and split the commission. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-625933 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:47:05 +0000 blackbird 625933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This happened with a house my dad bought. His real estate agent wasn't very good and he found a house he liked. He ended up touring it and wanting to buy it. He told the selling realtor that if she negotiated the sell, there would be no other realtor to split the fee with. She made off pretty well! And had a major incentive to negotiate the sell </p> <p>No contract, no obligation </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-believe-real-estate-agents-earn-their-commission#post-625924 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:43:10 +0000 Freckles 625924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Err, semi-rant.</p> <p>We've been looking for a house for the last 8 months, and honestly, i get annoyed when i find houses BEFORE my realtor finds them. For instance, i find out about new infill developments because i'll check out certain neighbourhoods once in a while. Today, i saw a house in my neighbourhood with a For Sale sign and so i called the realtor and found out they're not putting the house on the market until next week but that i was able to check out the house beforehand. </p> <p>I sometimes wonder if i miss out on houses because other people find out about houses before us! If we end up wanting to buy the house, are we obligated to go through our agent? I feel like he didn't even find the house so why should he even share the commission? </p>