My parents just sold the house where they’d lived for close to thirty years. Like a lot of retired people, they wanted to live closer to their grandchildren. So, they bought a new house 400 km south of where they’d lived for most of their lives. Over the years, my father had lovingly upgraded the house with numerous home improvements and three days after they put it on the market it sold for an excellent price.
However, they did have one quibble: what’s with real estate agent fees? Why does a real estate agent get paid the same amount for selling a listing in three days as three months?
The disagreement over fixed commission rates for agents goes back a long time. Some say that agents have high overheads and deserve the standard commission rate and others say that it’s highway robbery.
I could see how it would be nice to have some of that money to put towards your mortgage down payment or home improvements. However you feel about the commission controversy, it’s important to choose an agent that you feel comfortable with as part of your home buying team.
