I have been giving some serious thought to providing discount listing services for some time now. When I was at my earlier company, our advertising policy prevented us from advertising low commission rates. Now that I’m an independent broker, that issue is no longer a concern. However, I do need to spend some time spelling out exactly what services will be provided at each commission level.

I do think that actually spelling out a fee structure fits in well with what I’d like to see on an Internet site for a Broker that I’d call to list my house with. Let’s face it, the sort of open source, open information, open everything that one finds here doesn’t lend itself well to the sort of vagueness we usually encounter when we talk about commissions.

So — among other projects — I’m off to work on that, but if you can’t wait for the fully developed material because you need to now, give me a call and let’s discuss it.

Meantime perhaps a few words from one of my inspirations in this regard are in order, from one of my link partners, Fraser Beach at the Toronto Real Estate Guide

…So, after years of working with the big names in the business Fraser decided to establish an alternative brokerage service. He would provide a full range of professional services but reduce much of the overhead expenses which burden the established firms. He could then offer the same services at a very attractive price.

Fraser reasoned that if he didn’t have to spend time chasing after listings and could focus on the productive activity of marketing listed properties, he could afford to offer effective service at a much lower fee. And there would be equal incentive for all of the other Realtors to sell the company’s listings because they would get the customary “co-operating” selling fee for their effort.

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