Broker for owners - benefits / advantages?

Well then just on the topic: as a seller, I had absolutely no stress selling my house, without having any price losses, only had to choose the buyer and didn’t even have to pay the realtor.

Joedreck; That’s just said easily now...
I mean, if you sold for, say, 400k and the buyer’s realtor received 28k, then you could have gotten those 28k without the realtor. So you missed out on that. But, in return, you got the service you considered very good. That’s fine and I respect that.

Personally, I wouldn’t give up 28k just to give the realtor that for pictures, info, and some viewings.
Everyone as they like. But just sugarcoating it later isn’t right.
As always: He who orders the music has to pay. In this case, it just happens behind the scenes.

I agree with you on the theoretical calculation. It cannot be disproved either. But in my opinion, it does not accurately reflect reality. Because there are many eventualities in practice. Maybe the buyer only searches online for houses up to 400,000€ and doesn’t come across the one for 428 at all. Maybe he doesn’t think that far and says: the house is not worth 430k€ to me but only 410k€ and doesn’t consider the savings (yes, people like that exist...). Maybe I’m a bad negotiator and go too low on the price. Maybe I scare off the buyer because I don’t like him and actually don’t want to give the house to him. None of this is far-fetched and I’m not sugarcoating anything. I achieved a reasonable price. I have been observing the market for years and can roughly estimate what each house is worth. At least when it is offered. Maybe I gave away 5000€. But seriously: that’s nothing with today’s prices.

To be honest, I doubt that you would pay €14,000 (sales price €200k 7% commission) out of your own pocket.

I would offer my house to various real estate agents as a sales object if I had to choose an agent. And then it is clearly dictated that a maximum of 1% is deducted. Assuming I owned a house worth about €450k in a not badly sought-after location. I find even €4,500 a very good fee for the "work" which then is almost a self-runner. For over €30,000 I do it myself and then I also "put up with" weird people briefly (if I don’t sort them out beforehand anyway).

Possible that I have thrown away €5,000. But seriously: those are not big numbers at today's prices

€5,000 is a lot of money. At first glance, that doesn't seem like much compared to the total sum, but I know some homeowners who work for 2 months for that amount (individually). I can't say that about the agent...

I agree with you on the theoretical calculation. It cannot be disproved either. But in my opinion, it does not accurately reflect reality. Because there are many eventualities in practice. Maybe the buyer only searches online for houses up to €400,000 and does not even come across the one for €428,000. Maybe he doesn't think that far and says: the house is not worth €430k to me but only €410k, and does not consider the savings (yes, such people exist...)

Well, if a potential buyer is looking for a house up to max 400k, he might find yours but then click away again because there is the + broker fee. So this "argument" is just eye-washing. It is not without reason that there are sites that specialize exclusively in sales without brokers... There are also some "traps" to watch out for there, but the principle is clear and the majority is also without a broker (whether at the front end or the back end).

Maybe I am a bad negotiator and go too far down in price. Maybe I scare off the buyer because he does not like me and I actually do not want to give my house to him. None of this is far-fetched and I am not sugar-coating anything. I achieved a reasonable price. I have been watching the market for years and can roughly estimate what each house is worth. At least at the offering stage. It's possible that I gave away €5,000. But seriously: those are not sums these days.

If the location is good, nowadays you don't need to negotiate. The price is fixed and that's it. If not him, then the next one. Scaring off a buyer is nonsense! It's business. And if the buyer sees that you offer the property without a broker, he will surely butter you up. And if you do not want to give your house to such an "idiot," then don't. Next one comes. But just because "he" is an idiot, giving up €28k is quite a statement. No matter how you turn and twist it... A broker is an expensive affair. Either way. And whether you want to afford this service or not is up to everyone. In a good location, seeing a real reason for a broker, in my opinion, if you are honest, cannot be found. Exceptions, as already mentioned: - You live somewhere else and have no time for viewings (there are MUCH cheaper options even for that) - bad location - seller is almost 100 years old and physically weak. Everything else is, in my opinion, nonsense. Nonsense doesn't mean you don't do it. To each their own.

And then it is very clearly dictated that a maximum of 1% is charged. ....I myself find €4500 a very good salary for the "work" ...

I can understand your way of thinking, but as a seller of (buttered) bread rolls, you earn better.

Your thinking is naive - it is not about the pure effort in hours, but immense fixed costs are paid from the commission. And I am not talking about the high-quality car they drive up in. (Although, putting that aside... do you respect a broker who shows up in an old tin can?) As far as I know, IS24 charges commercial clients a flat four-figure amount monthly. (At least that was the case in 2005!) Immonet also bills separately, and there are others plus possibly newspaper ads. Training courses and network maintenance add to office costs, the software is also extremely expensive. If the year goes well for a small business, that means plus or minus 4 houses sold. A monthly salary will not necessarily be generous. And those who have it have often been at it for 25/30 years.

Since I also photograph for brokers among others, I used to have conversations with them (now less so, since they also save on service). Besides, I keep an eye on the offers of my clients.

I myself know what it is like when you have to present equipment worth over €10,000, but the customer only wants to pay €29 per hour, if at all.

A good regulation lies in rental: here the ordering party now pays.

I see it differently.

(Although, aside from that... do you respect a realtor who shows up in an old heap?)

Yes, because for me it’s not the appearance that counts, but the quality of the work. My last realtor showed up in a Q5 and was (sorry) a total incompetent and chatterbox.
Well, he shouldn’t show up in shabby clothes and a piece of junk either, but no one does that anyway. But if a big car automatically creates respect, I have a very strange worldview.

As far as I know, IS24 charges commercial users a flat four-figure amount monthly. (At least that was the case in 2005!)
Immonet also charges separately, plus other fees and possibly newspaper ads.

Google says: In 2015, a 3-month celebrity ad (largest package) cost just 400€. Quote: "The Immobilienscout24 costs thus lie in the highest price range."

I myself know how it is when you are supposed to or have to present equipment worth over 10,000, but the client is only willing to pay €29 per hour, if at all.

Looking at the real estate photos, a simple DSLR with a wide-angle lens is sufficient; you can easily find one for 1,000-2,000€. And often the photos are no better than those taken with a phone.

What I want to say is: The cash flow in income and expenses is apparently enormous, but could be relatively easily reduced.

Regarding the small business with 4 properties per year: the market seems oversaturated and/or one is not good enough. My sympathy is pretty limited… there are much tougher jobs with less pay.

I also hope that soon a regulation will be found so that the purchaser also pays when buying. Then the market will finally relax a bit again.