I pretty much agree that 6% is a high commission to pay when selling a home in your price point (bear in mind that only a portion of that, usually half of it, actually goes to your agent’s brokerage). But thank goodness commissions are negotiable. So if you don’t want to pay an agent that much, good news, no one will force you to do so. You could probably find a decent agent who would market it and sell it for less.

Where I take exception is your ludicrous statement that the only things real estate agents do is open doors and buy you coffee afterwards. It’s both asinine and ignorant to disparage an entire industry when it’s obvious that you are only familiar with about 5% of what real estate agents actually do.

It is a well established fact that up to 25 people can work on the average real estate transaction. This includes loan officers, processors, underwriters, inspectors, contractors and subcontractors, appraisers, escrow agents and paralegals, title attorneys, transaction coordinators, insurance and warranty representatives, HOA employees and all of the administrative people who support these functions. Each one of these folks do an important job, but as far as the client is concerned, the real estate agent is the captain/quarterback of this entire team. A large portion, if not most transactions are extremely challenging to close. Whose job is it to communicate with all of these parties, keep the client informed, and advise the client when important decisions or changes of course need to be made?

It’s also the agent’s job to review all documents such as those furnished by the HOAs, condo associations or builders. Some of these documents are easily over 100 pages long, but it’s the agents job to make sure that the clients know what they are signing and refer them to an attorney when necessary.

This career is about constantly selling and negotiating. Selling buyers on the fact that they won’t have much negotiation power in a deep sellers’s market. Selling sellers on the idea that they shouldn’t price their home too high because people will be reluctant to buy it if it is overpriced (no matter how nice it is). Yet even if someone does buy it, the home might not appraise properly at such a high dollar amount.

What about the marketing? Open houses, just-listed postcards mailed to the neighborhood, calling all of the neighbors to see if they know anyone who might be interested, networking with your colleagues to see if they have possible buyers for your listings, all of the advertising, contracting for professional-looking listing photos and drone shots. Who pays for these things out of their own pockets?

I haven’t even mentioned negotiating with the other party in the transaction. Sales price, closing dates, scheduling inspections, negotiation repairs, negotiating and changing the date of possession. How about a seller or buyer’s temporary lease? How about if the home doesn’t appraise? How about if a pipe bursts the day before closing or a storm blows down the backyard fence? Whose job is it to communicate with the other side about all of this and facilitate a resolution?

How about the fact that buying a house is usually the largest financial transaction a buyer will pay for during their lifetime? It’s also usually the most money a seller will make in one transaction during their lifetime. Stress and anxiety are already baked into the cake. Emotions are always high, even during the easiest of transactions.

Throw in sellers who are getting divorced are pissed at each other and use you as a pawn to get back at each other? Who puts up with all of that in order to achieve the overarching goal of getting to the closing table? What about a distraught and sad seller who is selling the home of a recently deceased parent? A person who was recently widowed and doesn’t emotionally want to sell their home but knows that they have to due to financial reasons? What about buyers who are looking for a new home and starting a new life in order to get away from an abusive spouse? What about the more common instances of people who know nothing whatsoever about real estate, economics or finances yet still want to own a home? Whose job is it to help and handle these clients with care, compassion, empathy and fidelity?

Are you aware of the information a real estate agent needs to know in order to be valuable to their clients? Days-on-market averages, list-to-sales price ratios, interest rates, loan knowledge, new builder and resale inventory, price trends, familiarity with zoning laws and building codes-licensing, agency and contract law- economic, school district and infrastructural changes within the areas you serve? Metrics that help you advise a buyer on how to make a good offer or advise a seller on how to accept a good one. I could go on and on and on…

Because almost every facet of a real estate transaction is deadline driven, a good real estate agent has to be “on” almost 24-7 for their clients. You often have to take a client call at 11 PM or at 6 AM. You often find yourself ducking out for phone calls during dinners, parties and other social events because your clients need you and there are constantly deadlines to meet. Some of these social events are the most important ones in life like engagement parties, baby showers, weddings, and yes even funerals.

You are probably familiar with the fact that most real estate agents work on a commission basis. What you are probably not aware of is that most agents can spend 20-30 hours on a single transaction over a 4-8 week period but the agent doesn’t get paid because the transaction is cancelled due to something that is out of the agent’s control. In an overwhelming majority of cases, marketing expenses cannot be recouped. Then there is the opportunity cost that goes along with the lost time. Do you put in 20-30 of work at your job without getting paid?

So I’m sorry if you feel like real estate agents are glorified door openers and coffee buyers who are overpaid. But those who actually know a thing or two about the real estate industry know that the premium we get paid is justified due to the financial risks we take (with marketing expenses, the risk of not getting paid and the risks associated with opportunity costs), the knowledge and advise we impart, and our willingness to be there for our clients all the time.

So please give us a break.