My recent experiences with realtors show me that: most of them don’t know very much about buildings; waste your time by lying in descriptions; seem to be the last people on earth to use email and digital cameras instead of time wasting phone calls and expensive on-site visits.
Realtors charge up to a quarter of what architects do, without most of the skill, service or liability. The reason that this happens is that they own the customer. By extension, if their services don’t benefit customers then this will change.
Why hasn’t the Internet destroyed the current hopeless realtor merry-go-round. Perhaps a listings service could be built where data can only be submitted if:
1. the realtor or seller lists a contact email(rather than them contact you, or by phone).
2. all listing have digital pictures of outside and all rooms.
3. all room sizes are listed in square foot.
4. visits can be arranged through a third party key holder rather than with the agent. (Most of the time having a realtor show you round is a waste of money. Why not distribute keys to security companies and have someone less annoying show you round.)
5. all listings allow feedback from registered users who are prospective buyers/renters.
this would allow people to rate realtors, rate properties and upload their own pictures of properties.
NB. Here is a realtor tip that a friend told me about:
In the US it appears that some contracts require a licensed broker at both ends of a deal. Given that that can be one person – threatening to bring in a second broker results in the first reducing fees automatically because they will have their fees halved by the mere presence of another broker.