Bryan Waser/Keller Wiiliams The Waser Group Bryan Waser/The Waser Group @ Keller Williams Dallas, Texas

It sounds as if all the details regarding this transaction were spelled out in the contract. Many issues like this can be resolved by careful review of what you are signing. It is common to have a selling commission and a listing commission and the fact that the agent wanted to collect on the state fee is not only legal, but fair.

An agent sold your house in a matter of days saving you carrying costs AND thousands in extra commissions that most realtors would have charged you.  As for the gentleman that believes the realtor did not earn a fee because he sold the home so quickly, that is why a realtor is hired. If a realtor takes a year to find a buyer for a home, did that realtor earn their fee?  I am sure a seller in that situation would be frustrated at the length of time on the market.

This agent sold a home quickly, saving his client time and money.  Good Job!  You can't please everyone.

CJ

Kansas

They're absolutely correct; $9,000 for hardly any work is a ripoff but realtors cage you into a contract so only they can sell your house. They look out for themselves asking for "seller concessions" which makes the seller pay 6% on the higher price.

Never trust a realtor! I've seen it all being in the industry and they lead you to believe you "need to be represented". ANy time I can steer someone away, I'll send them a sales and purchase contract myself and let the people deal with it. Realtors insert themselves offering BS spreadsheets and busywork pretending to be "professionals" (look how much schooling it takes to become one...high school English is more difficult than taking the realty exam)!

They're parasites!

Next time get your own contract; you only need a title company NEVER A REALTOR to sell your home! Do it yourselves and save 6% of your hard earned money! I've seen this up front so many times it's sickening. They go into it for easy money. How much time to they spend and what do you get paid an hour? Think about it! No one needs them; we all can read and if a contract with a realtor can be avoided, do so and sell directly or wait till their contract expires. I advise people to do it all the time!

Matthew Lewis and April Lewis hired my team to sell their home 8/7/09. They were provided detailed information including a listing presentation, program marketing sheet, spreadsheet, and listing agreement that all showed we would sell their current home for free if they purchased their next house through our team. Matthew is a CFO and April has been in sales for years, so both are familiar with reading spreadsheets and marketing collateral.

We found a buyer in two days. The buyer drove by the house after seeing it advertised on the Internet. They knocked on the sellers door to tour the home. The buyer did not have an agent. All of the collateral and agreements provided to the seller stated that they would pay 3% for the buying side of the transaction. That amount would be paid to any agent who brought the buyer. When they questioned whether or not they had to pay the 3% after we found a buyer for them, I responded that they would need to pay that amount. They pushed back since they didnt think I deserved $9000 for two days of work (their words). When I asked if they would have been fine paying it to another brokerage if they brought the buyer in the same time frame, they indicated they would. When asked if it had taken me 4 months to find a buyer, would they have had an issue with paying us the 3%, they indicated they would not have had an issue. I said, Just to be clear, you dont have an issue paying the 3%, per the listing agreement. You have an issue paying it because I found a buyer so quickly? Their response, yes. In an attempt to keep the peace, I agreed to lower the amount collected for providing the buyer.

As far as Aprils claim that we charged her on both ends, if the seller doesnt purchase and close on their new house on or before the close date of the current house, we do collect (per the listing agreement) 1.5% on the listing side of the transaction. If the seller purchases and closes on another house within 6 months, that ENTIRE amount is refunded. They did receive their refund when they closed on their new house. This is simply a mechanism to ensure we dont sell a house for free, only to have the seller end up not buying another house through us.

We sold their house in two days, negotiated a 30 day lease after closing so they would have about 60 days to find, purchase and close on a new house. We saved them over $12,000 in commission, over a traditional Realtor.

We have offered this program for quite some time and every other seller weve worked with has been very appreciative of saving them 3% when selling their home. 76% of our business is referred by past clients. We provide an efficient and cost effective service.