Department of Justice and Real Estate Brokers Square Off About AntiTrust Laws
Federal antitrust officials oppose real estate legislation that would cause consumers to pay thousands of dollars in commissions to real estate brokers. The Department of Justice contends that the proposed "minimum service" or "limited-service" restrictions for real estate, limit consumer choices and are anti-competitive.
What's anti-competitve about "minimum service" type restrictions? To summarize, legislation in states such as Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah and Alabama effectively ban limited forms of real estate services.
The powerful, real estate trade groups are pushing the new legistlation in an effort to curtail the growing popularity of new ala carte, type real estate companies. The legislation mandates that real estate agents assist home sellers in developing, communicating, negotiating and presenting offers, counteroffers and related documents in real estate transactions. This action requires all brokers to provide the same minimum-level of services, effectively eliminating fee-for-service options.
Fee-for-service, real estate companies offer homeowner's a full menu of services and charge a flat fee for each service. For example, a homeowner may opt to do a full-service listing or they can choose to just list a property for sale in an MLS for $500, or hire an agent for contract negotiations for a flat fee of $250. Flat fee brokers offer substantial savings for the homeowner who wishes to buy only the help they need. In contrast, the traditional, full-service brokerages offer only turnkey assistance to homeowners. The full-service broker handles all facets of the transaction with little to no help from the seller. The charge for full-service is typically 6% of the sales price of the home.
The DOJ is also concerned that the Realtor boards, who own 80% of the MLS's (Multiple Listing Services) in the country, intend to use the passage of this legislation to block limited service property listings from reaching the MLS. Blocking limited service listings means that home buyers and their agents could only access property listings from full-service brokers. Blocking listings from property searches would seriously limit the availability and choices of homes in the marketplace.
The Department of Justice fears that these protectionist laws are not being enacted to protect the consumer. The DOJ believes the purpose is to protect full service brokerages from having to compete with companies who offer more choices in the quantity and type of real estate services that are available to consumers.
A free marketplace requires competition. Legislation that limits choice, decreases competition, increases fee's and blocks housing inventory from consumers must certainly be scrutinized for violation of anti-trust laws. Monopoly, anyone?
posted by Pozos at 12:30 PM
5 Comments:
I recently learned of proposed legislation sponsored by the Michigan Association of Realtors that would prescribe what services must be provided to a client when an agent is to represent them in the sale of real estate (HB 4849 and 4850).
As a licensed Realtor since 1982 and a broker for more than 10 years, I am strongly opposed to this legislation. It is unneeded to remedy any problems I am aware of and is a blatant attempt by one segment of the real estate industry to restrict the choices available to consumers and other real estate professionals.
Industry trends in Michigan and throughout the country have been to provide more options to the consumer in terms of the services to assist them in buying and selling real estate. With widespread use of the Internet and more educated consumers, the home buyer or seller is looking for more customized services from real estate agents.
Real estate consulting, with a choice of services for consumers and specific fees for services, is already a reality. This legislation is an attempt to preserve a system that has already been passed by.
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華燈初上公關小姐工作內介紹
不管是正在看，或已經看完 Netflix《華燈初上》的朋友，應該都對劇情當中神秘的「酒店打工條通」、「酒店上班」文化感到非常好奇吧？日式酒店小姐們酒店上班賣的真的只有「曖昧」嗎？應徵酒店小姐需要具備什麼技能？八大行業裡「這個酒店工作」工作居然最難勝任？今天 MF 請來「酒店工作條通媽媽桑」席耶娜為大家全盤解答，一窺神秘的秘辛！
「條通」在哪裡台北的哪裡？日式酒店和台式酒店差別是什麼？
「條通」係指由台北市長安東路、南京東路、中山北路到新生北路四條路所圍成的一個區域。條通早期稱為「大正町」，是日本高官酒店消費的集會地，此地也以「日式酒店」居多，也是大家熟知的中山區林森北一帶。日式酒店和台式酒店又有什麼差別呢？台式酒店「私檯」較多，而日式酒店則以「公檯」為主。相對而言，日式酒店小姐更需要讓客人印象深刻，才不會在輪調檯的時候被客人遺忘。日式酒店小姐的交際手腕為何，也將在影片中一一介紹。
日式酒店小姐需多才多藝？最難做的八大行業是「這個」？
就跟《華燈初上》裡楊謹華飾演的蘇慶儀一樣，酒店裡不管是大學生郭雪芙酒店兼差小姐或是老闆媽媽桑，除了基本的交際手腕之外，也需要具備高爾夫球、插花等等才藝。
席耶娜也透露，其實八大行業裡最難擔任的職位竟是酒店「男公關」？原因非常簡單，因為他們必須經常面對真實身分為「這行」的客人？答案及為何難對付，也將在專訪影片中揭曉啦！
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