: For my first 12+ years in real estate sales, there was a keen appreciation for my skill to understand risk and leverage for all principals and guide the negotiations accordingly for MY CLIENT. There is never ill-will or unethical actions but my seller or buyer needs to RAVE about my skills. If I don’t represent MY client, I don’t deserve their business.

The value in my skill to negotiate is now being diluted. New-fangled online “sales” services combine the buyer’s rights and duties with the buyer’s agent’s rights and duties. If the seller says the “buyer’s agent gets $1.50”, then that gets integrated with the purchase agreement from the buyer. Combining these elements of the buyer’s terms with the seller’s LISTING terms makes for a new situation. Lawyers will soon inhabit this realm because it is becoming “caveat EVERYONE”.

As these online listing services grow, it will help me focus on the value I add, not just the value I promise. That is a good thing for my clients. My trepidation comes when a past client gets fooled into believing their agent is their fiduciary. Most online listing or “iBuyer” services can’t: 

• chauffeur clients,
• meet face-to-face,
• build a vast team of Gold Team services,
• be a fiduciary, or
• understand the relevant market.

When an agent is a salaried employee, it begins to erode the exclusive relationships and VALUE that I provide clients. It’s not the salary, per se, it’s a different mindset when you’re getting paid regardless of any value you provide. I’ve been salaried and the mindset can make one lazy.