[sittnick]

Here in Rockford, Illinois, the realtors want SEVEN PERCENT! That was understandable a few years ago, but they forgot to drop the rates when things picked up a bit. We bought some land in the country to build, and when we sell our house, we will do it ourselves (FSBO).

The main reason is NOT because of the commission, however. The local realtors' organization, Rockford Area Association of Realtors (RAAR), is always out in front FUNDING SCHOOL TAX INCREASE REFERENDA CAMPAIGNS! I suspect they want taxes to go up in order to create churn. Whatever the motivations, if that is how they spend their commissions, I want no part of it.

[righttackle44]

". . .we will do it ourselves (FSBO)."

My wife used to sell real estate. Do you know how many panicked families called her because they'd fsbo'd their house themselves and made a major error and hoped someone could bail them out?

Sometimes the error was reversible if the buyers were reasonable. Often, the seller had to live with the error.
When you fsbo it yourself, there is no errors and omissions insurance agent standing by to hear from you.