I was watching the news awhile ago and they had a feature story on saving money – money the “experts” don’t want you to know about. Of course, one of their targets was real estate commissions.

What the media folks don’t recognize is that real estate professionals work on a percentage. Every time the seller takes a price reduction, so does the agent, because their commission is based on the sales price. If the sales price continues to be lowered, then so is the commission.

That same media person would probably be reluctant to suggest that in these hard times you also shop for the cheapest doctor or that you try to negotiate the cost of a trial lawyer or go with the cheapest accountant.

At a time when selling a home is the toughest it’s been in years, most real estate professionals are working harder and spending more time and money on marketing than in the past and yet have not raised their commissions. Now is not the time to sacrifice quality.

Shop for a real estate professional based on the expertise and services provided, not on price.