• jagged_circle@feddit.nl
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      2 days ago

      as someone who lives in a country where folks dont post properties online for sale and there is no MLS and the government has terrible records of land boundaries, I can say that the work that real estate agents do is super fucking helpful

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Apart from save you a hell of a lot if time and effort selling a house yourself. I don’t love the industry, but they do offer a useful service for people without the time and the energy to do it themselves.

      • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        But they also demand way too much money. Selling a $400,000 house to a real estate investor shouldn’t come include 2 $12,000 commission checks for the agents.

          • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            First step is to revoke the trademark on the word “Realtor.”

            The only way to use that word is to be a member of the National Association of Realtors, which is a private lobby that spends most of its money governments, people, and companies that if you aren’t a realtor you aren’t a real estate agent.

            Houses for sale usually have locks on the front to let agents access the home, but those Sentrilocks are only accessible to realtors. So the NAR essentially has a monopoly on home sales, and monopolies increase prices.

            • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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              22 hours ago

              I can buy a keypad lock box on Amazon right now…

              I’d be more inclined to look at state licensing and paperwork standards if you’re looking for barriers to entry.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              I am all for that, but like I said, for now, as far as I can tell, the options are a realtor or you sell it yourself. I would love to hear other options (especially in Indiana) because we will be selling our house next year.

              • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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                19 hours ago

                There are Real Estate Agents that aren’t realtors. But they’re rare because of issues like the lock boxes that prevent buyers agents from being able to show a house if they aren’t a realtor.

                • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                  19 hours ago

                  I suppose you could just make them a copy of your keys. But this isn’t a very populous place (less than 100,000 people in the metro area), so I’m not hopeful of there even being an independent real estate agent here. Worth looking for though, thanks.