Commission, what are we talking about? The worst part of not being understood
What someone who thinks a real estate agent is a thief should know
I want to bring to your attention something that happened a few days ago while trying to acquire a property. I called a lady who is selling a house in Valnerina, which, by the way, is affected by a boundary issue, a “dormant” practice in the municipality that needs to be resolved if you want to complete the sale... After half an hour of talking, trying to untangle the mess, when discussing the price, I mentioned that she would need to factor in my 3% commission, a flat fee of 3,000 euros plus 22% VAT for anything under 100,000 euros. You wouldn’t believe it! The tone changed immediately, and I could even hear her husband in the background saying, 'No, no, no...' I tried to explain myself, but it was impossible; the call ended abruptly, basically, she hung up on me... This calls for some reflection. The belief still runs strong among many people that we real estate agents are greedy thieves who take advantage of clients. I think it's time to debunk this absurd and defamatory misunderstanding. You don't just improvise as a real estate agent, and that's the first fact—behind it, there's work, training, resilience, ethics, and competence, obviously if this job is done by a well-prepared professional. Often, an agent's work isn't just about bringing parties together; there's much more, because guiding a client from A to Z, from choosing a house to closing the deal, is often a path full of obstacles that require skills, calmness, and problem-solving attitude. And it's not over. The client has to consider the financial effort the agent puts into advertising the property and spreading it through their channels, both physical and digital, the network of relations they create with technicians and professionals, from surveyors to notaries. I'll stop here, but there's much more to say, dear madam, if instead of hanging up on me, you had listened... All the best!