Just putting the finishing touches on my listing presentation and website... On the page where I discuss my commission (I'm upfront about it), here's what I say:

"My standard commission* to list a home is... blah blah blah... which includes ... blah blah blah "

* By law, real estate commissions are not fixed and may vary from agent to agent. There is no "industry standard" commission fee or percentage; however individual agents or companies may establish their own "standard" fee structures.

Anyone see any problem with this? Thanks for your input!

My franchise recommends:

"Commissions are negotiable and not set by law"

It sounds good to me. You do mention that by law they are not set. Jennifer, when will your site be complete? I look forward to seeing it.

Well, it's getting there (my site). I'm scared to post it here cause I worked on it all night last night and don't think I can handle any constructive criticism today!

But okay... it's CharmingOldDenver.com

Auburn - are we long lost sisters? We look EXACTLY alike!

i personally would not use the word "standard" at all simply so that idoit people can't get confused by that phrase, despite your appropriate disclosure below it. For that matter...why post your standard commission rate on your website at all? I personally think that discussion is best done face to face. If you really want to discuss the issue of commissions on your website i'd gear it more towards selling the idea of why hiring an agent is a good idea and what you personally do to add value to the real estate transactions of your clients. In my experience if you can demonstrate the value you add to a transaction the amount of the commission is a relatively mute point.

Good luck!

isn't it ironic that i mispelled "idiot"???

too bad we can't edit our own posts! lol

LOL! I've always been upfront about my commission and it serves me well. I think it removes a very uncomfortable segment of a listing presentation and with my two options - I rarely get badgered for a discount and we don't waste valuable time and energy negotiating.

When I show up at the house, the seller tells me which option they prefer, so we're not both sitting there dreading the commission issue.

Works for me. Also - I'm not really gearing the site toward lead generation - more simply to provide information to people who have already heard of or talked to me.

Make sense?

Want me to fix your typo?

no worries on fixing my typo. I think it may be appropriate for me to have mispelled "idiot".

your link to your website doesn't seem to work....?

Yeah... I noticed that - Trying to figure out what I did wrong. If you type the address in, it comes up (most of the time), but with the wrong URL at the top. I'm SO not good at this stuff.

Link above works now...

on your page about commission, i would recommend putting your disclaimer re: standard commissions above your signature instead of below to make sure people see it but that's just me.

Done!

you can edit your own posts within a certain period of time.

nice site, btw.

Totally!

In fact, ever since I discovered Meez I've seen quite a few of my relatives popping up.

When I see a seller or buyer with those eyes, I am afraid very afraid

You do not need to disclaim your commission.

Nor need you explain that commissions are negotiable or that they are not set by whomever or that there is no "standard" commission.

I know everyone is worried about antitrust violations. But stating YOUR OWN commission, both on a website and in a listing presentation, is not by a long-shot an antitrust risk or violation.

You are not, by making a presentation or advertising your price (which is what a website does), engaging in restraint of trade or colluding with anyone to set a price. You are just stating what YOU charge. You're quoting a price, and you are free to do so. You are not saying, you are not implying, that this is what all real estate commissions are. You are not saying that other brokerages or agents should or must charge what you charge; you are not asking any to do so. You are entirely free to advertise your price, and all it has to be is truthful--not disclaimed about negotiability or how there's no standard commission.

And, by the way, *my* commission is *not* negotiable. Commissions are "negotiable" if one uses a very loose connotation of "negotiable," that is, in that every transaction that includes a commission (that is, every listing contract) states what the commission will be and has to be agreed to by both parties to the contract. But that means that they are not mandatory or required by law to be at a certain level or amount. It doesn't mean YOUR commission is negotiable.

If you don't want to negotiate on commission---and guys, most of us do not negotiate it most of the time, we tell the client what we charge and they accept it or they reject it (THEN we may either negotiate or decide not to enter into the listing agreement). You are free to make your offer of commission, at whatever level you practice, a take-it-or-leave-it offer. And to advertise and present it as such.