Pulling Comps

[photogal9]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

"Back Door Agent Remarks?"
Never forget: MLSs are owned by private enterprise, not a public utility.
You misunderstand. There is no "Back Door" thing. That is over-dramatizing. "Agent Only Remarks" are for members of that private enterprise to share with clientele as needed. They often include contact information, personal information for sellers or agents. Ok
Rules "At least where I am," prohibit me from putting my contact information in public areas that other agents may feed to their clients. Seems to be state specific.
Every now and then, there is disclosure of a pertinent fact that a buyer and their agent need to know for the transaction. My clients receive that, and listing agents disclose any material information to buyers who come to them without an agent.
Very often, Agent Remarks contain additional, or duplicate marketing, blather that may not fit into the limited character field of the public remarks. Ok.

I don't like to see consumers who come here harangued. Now, relentless Trolls/Bots/Pathological Liars who will toy with you merely to get digs in on agents? We get plenty, and I have absolutely no sympathy, empathy, or concern for them.
But, if you come here to contribute, learn, share, help, etc, you shouldn't be harangued.
That doesn't mean that I believe contributing agents must scrape and bow to misguided "wisdom," either. It is a discussion forum. It's a public forum.

Commission? Seller agent commission here is 5%, could possibly haggled
Almost no one anywhere pays 6% without choosing to do so. It is a choice. The choice mystifies me, and particularly in my local sellers' market where the most common (90% of listings) buyer's agent commission is 2.4%. 6% listing agents are taking 3.6% for selling a house in hours.
But I respect consumer's right to make choices from among existing alternatives.
Much commission conversation here comes from consumers who want to decide unilaterally what another party will accept as compensation, without the other party having a voice. I don't accept that posture.

"Game" has many connotations, and the choice of connotation colors the conversation.
Games have rules. Games have predictable outcomes for various actions.
Rules and predictable outcomes are not really bad things, are they?
Cheating at a game is generally a bad thing, but that is implicit in any game with rules, I believe. That includes cheating at real estate brokerage.

As an agent, I truly couldn't care less (C'mon, give me a little love for proper use of that phrase. ) if you do FSBO, use an agent to buy or don't; have representation or don't etc.
I also reserve the right to engage or not. As you have choices in commission, I have a choice of whether to play your game. As it should be, right? Sure.
How many homes have you purchased in dual agency situations? I dislike working in dual agency, and it is a disservice to most consumers, IMO. One and one FSBO, easiest purchase ever, the old farmer and I hit it off immediately. That was a lovely lake view limestone home.
35 years ago, Buyers agents did not exist. Everyone worked for the sellers. It stunk. I wasn't of age to buy RE then, so I have no experience to reference.

Solicitation?I do receive the odd postcard and/or email from agents that have my info, nothing wrong with it.
Personally, I am in a service profession, too. I advertise, but never solicit. Referrals from happy customers are the lifeblood of any successful real estate broker.
But, when it comes to pricing real estate, who would you designate to price a property so that negotiation was removed from the transaction?

We see "Game" friction when people and entities want to take what MLSs have for free, rather than to actually invest in building something themselves.
Why don't people who decry current rules make investment in their own solution with their own framework of engagement?It would take time. Maybe I'll reserve the right to look in to some platform for that unfilled space.
I think it is presumed to be easier and cheaper to steal what someone else has built.
Credit to Redfin for investing in a proper platform.
ZTR? Not so much.

See bolded replies. Thanks for your input.

[just_because]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

35 years ago, Buyers agents did not exist. Everyone worked for the sellers. It stunk.

FYI...

For the most part, buyer's agents do not exist outside of the US. And the world survives quite nicely without them.

I know from first hand experience that things are no easier or better for the buyer in the US with approx 2.5-3.0% paid for buyer's agents that just about everyone in the US selling a house needs to pay for, doubling the already very high (by global standards) listing agent fees. That's over $10k on a modest 350k house paid for the buyer's agent. Even if you want to go FSBO, many or most will be stuck having to pay a buyer's agent fee to get a buyer.

If buyers were getting 10k value from their buyer's agent, they would pay for it. But tell a buyer that they can have the services of a buyer's agent IF THEY PAY FOR IT and watch how fast almost all of them would run out the door. In basic economics, buyers will pay for things where they get value. The fact that very few buyers would pay anything even approaching what buyers agents cost today speaks volumes. We don't really have to debate our different opinions on how useful buyers agents are or are not. What matters is whether buyers are willing to pay for it. The answer to that is a resounding 'no'.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

I should give him kudos too, for remembering to say "At least where I am"

At least where I am, I can feel it in the Force....

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by photogal9

I've found the information I've researched to be accurate and fairly easy to locate either through MLS information or county recorder of deeds. YMMV.

I'm guessing you are not in a non-disclosure state (I believe 11 states are such). In such states, you do not have to tell anyone, including the tax man, what you paid for your house - privacy is respected. In those states, you would not be able to get sales price, never mind the other private information.

[BoBromhal]

Originally Posted by photogal9

Bo, apologies for not stating "in my experience" that has been the case and for generalizing in such a way that it lumped "all" as opposed to "some."

not a problem at all, thank you for the clarification!

[LuckyGem]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.