Thinking About Discount Real Estate Agents?

It doesn't matter if you're buying or selling a house, it is usually best to have an agent at your side. An agent will guide you with the process and ensure that the sale goes successfully for everybody involved. Today, though, many people try to find discount real estate agents in an effort to save money. The question is, "are discount real estate agents really worthwhile?"

First of all, you need to know while looking for an agent is the fact that the percentage the real estate agent is going to charge you is NOT always negotiable. Many real estate firms simply won't permit their agents to reduce their own commission. Then again, there are some brokers will not just allow agents to reduce their commission, they actually encourage it. Just how much that they are willing to negotiate, though, can vary from agent to agent. It is usually wise to try and save a little bit of money however you shouldn't do so at the expense of losing some of the quality in the process. Discount real estate agents are certainly out there and you can negotiate a good deal in many areas however you also want to make sure that you have someone that is going to work in your corner and ensure that the transaction goes well.

The first thing you will need to do if you're selling your house is have it placed on your regional Multiple Listing Service. It is estimated that practically 90% of all home sales in the United States happen through an MLS listing. Discount real estate agents will certainly be able to list your home for you. However, if that's all they are going to do then you might as well work with a one-time flat fee listing service. A flat fee service can save you even more money. On the other hand, if you are looking for more than that, if you need someone that will also be on your side the entire time to help find qualified people to view your home and to get it sold promptly then you will need to pay some commission. If you can find an agent that's willing to cut half of their portion of the commission you have a very good deal. An average commission for the selling real estate agent is 3%. Thus if you can get the agent to reduce her commission by 1.5% you can save yourself thousands of dollars.

If you are purchasing a house your situation is somewhat different. Since the buyer is not the one having to pay the commission you might think that a discount real estate agent wouldn't be needed. However, buyers can also get discount real estate agents that give part of their commission back to the buyer at closing. If you're purchasing a house and the real estate agent is ready to offer you 1% back at closing you can wind up getting a check for several thousand dollars at closing. A few thousand dollars could make a nice house warming gift for anyone.

Regradless if you are buying or selling a home, discount real estate agents can help you save a lot in the long run.