Avoid broker fees?

I would say you have commissioned the broker – even if not in writing – by requesting the exposé and getting to know the property and the seller through him. Does the exposé mention a commission? A commission from the seller side is not necessary!

Of course, you can try to buy bypassing the broker. If the seller has not commissioned the broker, he might not even notice. How exactly did it actually go??

I wouldn't know how the broker should find out who bought the property? At most through the land register, but they don’t give information to just anyone...

But I would set aside the commission for now... If the claim expires, you can go on vacation with it.

I haven't signed anything, but he sent me a brochure of the property and arranged the appointment with the owner.

A broker is an intermediary – he has already fulfilled his role with you. And probably very successfully, because you apparently have now found your dream property.

I think it’s pretty unfair that people always like to sideline professions like that of a broker, just because it hurts to pay in the end. But everyone is happy to use the service ;)

But everyone gladly accepts the service afterwards ;)

No, not gladly, but probably out of necessity.
For example, I find €5000 too much for:
- taking one (!) photo
- scanning a location plan
- placing an advertisement (online)
- making a phone call
- arranging an on-site appointment
- being present at the notary appointment completely unnecessarily
- a bottle of cheap sparkling wine and a bouquet of flowers :)

No, not gladly, but probably out of necessity.
For example, I find €5000 too much for:
- taking one (!) photo
- scanning a site plan
- placing an ad (online)
- making a phone call
- scheduling an on-site appointment
- being unnecessarily present at the notary appointment
- a bottle of cheap sparkling wine and a bouquet of flowers :)

Yes, that's how it looks to a layperson.
And of course there are dedicated real estate agents and agents who just jump on the bandwagon.
But I can get a small insight into this work, also only because I offer services for real estate agents, for example.
There is an enormous amount of work and time behind it nowadays if you market a property that does not exactly benefit from location, location, location and at the same time contemporary features. Four weeks of preliminary work is nothing. And I can calculate how much time is spent if you only accompany interested parties every two weeks, and that for half or even a whole year.
But of course, I can only speak from the work of those I accompany. And these agents book me because they market the property with appreciation.

And honestly: I marketed my property myself and without an agent, I was ready for vacation after 3 weeks – not to mention the requirements that I could not provide but the agent could.
Another client of mine also wanted to market his property himself. Many things went wrong, and in the end, after 3! years, he sold his house through an agent – unfortunately, it was completely burnt three times on the internet because it came with wrong price expectations and probably also a wrong sales strategy.

And in the case of the original poster: let's assume that without this agent, there would not have been any meeting at all.

You only see yourself in a case of contract conclusion – what was worked on before, you do not see.

No, not gladly, but probably out of necessity. For example, I find €5000 too much for: - taking one (!) photo - scanning a site plan - placing an advertisement (online) - making a phone call - arranging an on-site appointment - being there at the notary appointment for no real reason - a bottle of cheap sparkling wine and a bouquet of flowers :)

I would really like to know which degree you completed, or in which profession you work. Combative and ... yes what :confused:

You describe one closing – what about all the other appointments that are fruitless? Preparing the sale of a property requires more than you can obviously imagine. Having the exclusive right to market it is a whole different matter.

Real estate agents surely are not among my favorite companions in the job; there are some I would most like to have the trade banned for. But there are very many who do a very good job and then they deserve to be paid for it. And to be paid in such a way that their existence is permanently viable!

Rhine greetings

I studied computer science and work as a team leader in control technology for high-speed trains. What did you expect? A lawyer? :) My wife is a lawyer, she is by far not as argumentative as I am. May be true for a house, they probably have a harder time marketing it. But building land? I requested the exposé 10 minutes after the listing was online (search agent). There were at most 2-3 parallel interested parties. I bought it. But that was very easy money.