Sorry to drag this thread off subject here - I'll just make a few more minor points and then won't comment on this again (we can always make another thread to discuss the merits/detriments of realtors versus FSBO transactions).
The reality of my own situation is that although I'm certainly looking at and scouring the FSBO listings, most really ARE too high. There are a few good deals, but mostly the owners are dreamers, even the ones about to get f/c-ed on. Two I've talked to seemed like nice people but really got a little offended when I told them straight-up I thought their price was too high and I was thinking more in the neighborhood of such-and-such for price. I guess pride trumps common sense sometimes. But those are the breaks. I guess I'll always get my shot at their place in a few months after they've been foreclosed on, right?
Back to the subject of realtors:
What (seriously) is the "value added" service that they provide? Really. You call up some slick-talking sales guy (which is what they really are), give them a list of parameters which they spend about 15 minutes programming into a search program on a computer. The computer then spits out about two dozen "hits" (same thing that realtor.com, homes.com, etc. will do). They hit the "print" button, call you with the listings and spend a few hours on a Saturday tromping around empty houses they know actually very little about with you, then expect to be paid a king's ransom for it? Seriously - there is absolutely NO WAY someone can make the case that a realtor's job is really worth 3 (or 6) percent. Not a chance.
By contrast, an architect's typical fee on a residential job is around 5-7% (one of the reasons we don't like to do residential). For that, you get us to conceptualize the design, draw it up, revise it. Revise it again. Revise it again. Get it through development boards and planning commissions. Size the structure. Research utility connections with often-unresponsive municipal agencies. Generate a set of buildable construction documents (including specifications). Get everything permitted through Building & Safety, Fire, Planning, Water Reclamation and whoever else wants their pound of flesh. Coordinate consultants, oversee construction and deal with all the headaches and B.S. that fickle, cheap residential owners can dish out (which is often a lot). And most importantly, we accept the liability for full compliance with applicable codes and associated life-safety of the public. This is really what an architect's fee is for - because we are charged with DIRECTLY looking out for the safety and welfare of the public. In the words of one of my professors years ago, "an architect who makes a mistake can kill thousands of people at a time in a single moment. A doctor (who is paid a lot more) can only kill patients one at a time with their mistakes". What does a realtor do? Oh yea, they hit a "print" button. Tell me who earns their keep in this world more again?
Are there some architects who are better than others? Sure. Are there some really good realtors? I'm sure there are. However I'm speaking from my own personal experiences here - I've dealt with no less than a dozen different realtors over the last few years (that's the ones who would even bother to return my calls - most won't). They are ALL to some extent "sleazy" and set off warning bells in my head. To varying degrees, yes - but they all did it. I never, EVER felt that any of them was working hard enough to have earned $6,000-$10,000 of my money. I CERTAINLY never, ever felt that any of them really was working hard with MY interests truly at heart. I guess I'm not really worth their effort since I'm not looking at seven-figure-price-tag properties, hmm?
I have no problem paying someone for a service, but they better (1) damn well earn it and (2) damn well better provide me with "value added".
Why do you think everyone and their brother was kicking the door down the last few years to get their realtor's license? Hmmm. EASY MONEY brother! A 12-hour course and a few "click-click-clicks" on the computer and you could be raking it in! I don't know too many people who were kicking the door down to be architects with our 5+ YEARS of academic training and 8+ YEARS of apprenticeship required and ARE examinations (nine grueling separate exams of several hours in length EACH). Tell me again who earns their keep more?
(off soapbox)
The reality of the situation is this - I've finally found a guy in my target market who is "okay". He at least picks up his phone when I call and he at least sends me decent listings targeted to my parameters (i.e. he set up the search program well). I don't get the typical "shotgun listing approach" that a lot of guys have given me in the past. He's not too much of a slick-talking, pushy salesman, which I respect. But neither do I think he's doing anything NEAR worth the money he'd demand. Not by a longshot. Sadly, I suspect that I will end up going through this guy rather than an FSBO deal. Not to say for sure - I might get the best FSBO deal of a lifetime fall into my lap tomorrow, but statistically speaking, it is more likely we'll go through an agent-brokered transaction. I WILL do my damndest to make this guy earn it however. I will be a pain in the arse, I'll innundate him with questions, I'll push EVERYTHING I possibly can onto him. Even so, I still doubt it'll be worth what he'll get paid. I'll DESPISE the thought of paying him for his "service". But in the interest of getting things done, it's small change considered over the long term, so I can probably just do it and move on without having too much of a mental meltdown over my inherent loathing to do so.
One parting thought - who really cares about realtors being able to find "the best deals" before they even hit the MLS? Maybe that counts for something in a high-demand market with a lot of properties flying off the shelves and people in bidding wars and what-not, but in today's market BUYERS are clearly in the driver's seat. There's NO WAY I'd want to be looking at or making offers on a place that had only been on the market for less than a day. It'd be akin to hanging a sign around one's neck saying "OVERCHARGE ME - I'M DESPERATE!" The average length of time the places I've been looking at have been on the market is in the triple-digits for # of days. Average. And that probably includes several "relists" in order to reset those numbers (another game agents play that I'm well aware of).
I await your various rationalizations / rants in response, but I'm done with this thread. There is very little chance anyone is going to change my opinions on this subject. But you're welcome to try. I just call 'em as I see 'em.