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Fees and CommissionsCommissions vary from region to region, depending on the type of services your Realtor is providing. You may be able to strike a deal with your agent if you have a house for sale. Many agents have listed homes at a discount when their clients are going to buy another home and utilize that same agent's services to do it. Fees are negotiable, but remember...you get what you pay for. If your agent agrees to a lower commission, he or she is going to have to cut a service somewhere in order to make less money and remain in business. If you find a home on your own, go ahead and hire a real estate agent to write the contract for you. Some agents will do this for a low, consulting fee. Its well worth the price. There are many hoops to jump through, and a well written contract can protect you and ensure that you are protected by contingencies. Furthermore, your agent can also act as an intermediary to advise both parties as to what the "next step" is. Never conduct a real estate transaction without the services of a Realtor or Attorney unless it is your business to do so. In the past, real estate agents have acted as "guardians" of the real estate information database. Their jobs were to serve as "tour guides" as much as negotiate contracts. Not any more. More and more information is being made available on the internet, allowing the consumer to be more educated than ever before. Tomorrow's agents will need to be far more knowledgeable than in the past, as they will provide more expertise and less "drive time." If you are selling your home, you may elect to find an agent who will provide you with a listing in your multiple listing service, a lockbox and a sign, and negotiating services, for a reduced fee, in lieu of holding endless open houses or running ads in every magazine in town. Ask your agent what services he or she provides, and whether they may be offered "a la carte." You may need full service. You may not, depending on your degree of sophistication and available time to show your home. AL | AL | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | D.C. | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA| KN | KY | |LA | |ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MI | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY (C) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. 2003 , 2004 RealtySeek
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