Seller finds higher commissions move houses

Here's a tidbit from Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle on the benefits of sellers offering a higher commission for the sale of their home. It makes sense; money motivates in a work setting so it comes as no surprise that real estate agents would be more motivated to show a house offering a higher commission than one offering a lower or no commission.

However, is there a gray ethical area here for buyers agents? If the buyer rep gravitates toward homes with higher commission splits, is the buyer getting the best representation in his own interest? Some Inman News readers have said before that this very situation points to the need for buyers to pay their own agents separately.

Any predictions on where commissions and brokerage business models are headed as the downturn continues to shake out the loads of people who entered during boom years? Will more sellers motivate with cash or brave the new world of Internet offerings for less? Will brokerage models take on new shapes? Tell us what you're seeing.

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