Don’t Expect Full Service for Less

In the recent “Cutting Your Costs” article, Scott J. Wilson suggested various ways consumers can trim costs when selling a home, including using a discount broker.

Price competition in any industry can only promote its health and vitality. But choosing any professional wisely, be it a lawyer, doctor or real estate agent, must take much more than just cost savings into account.

Many sellers who choose to represent themselves or who hire deep discount brokers underestimate the time and effort it takes to hold their homes open for showings, negotiate contracts, deal with inspectors, research the laws regulating home sales--all those things which make real estate a seven-day-a-week job.

Anecdotal accounts of people who used a discount broker or no broker at all never include the sadder stories of buyers and sellers whose transactions went bad because they didn’t get the representation they really needed.

To imply that the consumer can possibly get the same level of service from both discount brokers and full-service brokers creates unrealistic expectations.

Whether or not a broker has the training, resources and expertise to address these needs and concerns of their clients cannot be answered by a reference to a commission.

TIM CORLISS

President

California Assn. of Realtors