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The Incentive Effects of Flat-Fee and Percentage Commissions for Real Estate Brokers

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Author Info
Thomas S. Zorn
James E. Larsen
Abstract

This paper analyzes the incentive affects of flat-fee and percentage commission systems from the perspective of the economic theory of agency. Under a plausible set of assumptions the systems provide equivalent incentives. However, the relative desirability of the two systems depends upon the pricing strategy employed and factors specific to the individual. In general, neither system perfectly aligns the interests of the agent with those of the property-owner. A surprising result of the analysis is that the optimal listing price when an agent is employed may be below the first-best price. The first-best price, or residual maximizing solution to the principal-agent problem from the perspective of the property-owner, is the solution that would occur if the agent's interests were perfectly aligned with those of the principal. This study suggests that the use of a percentage versus a flat-fee commission may be due to information costs rather than price discrimination on the part of brokers. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

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File URL: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1540-6229.00367
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Publisher Info
Article provided by American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association in its journal Real Estate Economics.

Volume (Year): 14 (1986)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 24-47
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Handle: RePEc:bla:reesec:v:14:y:1986:i:1:p:24-47

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Web page: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1080-8620

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  1. Vickie L. Bajtelsmit & Elaine Worzala, 1997. "Adversarial Brokerage in Residential Real Estate Transactions: The Impact of Separate Buyer Representation," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 14(1), pages 65-76. [Downloadable!]
  2. Biqing Huang & Ronald Rutherford, 2007. "Who You Going to Call? Performance of Realtors and Non-realtors in a MLS Setting," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 77-93, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Terrence Clauretie & Nasser Daneshvary, 2008. "Principal–Agent Conflict and Broker Effort Near Listing Contract Expiration: The Case of Residential Properties," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 147-161, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Marcus Allen & Sheri Faircloth & Ronald Rutherford, 2005. "The Impact of Range Pricing on Marketing Time and Transaction Price: A Better Mousetrap for the Existing Home Market?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 71-82, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Timothy E. Jares & James E. Larsen & Thomas S. Zorn, 2000. "An Optimal Incentive System For Real Estate Agents," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 20(1), pages 49-59. [Downloadable!]
  6. John D. Benjamin & G. Donald Jud & G. Stacy Sirmans, 2000. "Real Estate Brokerage and the Hosting Market: An Annotated Bibliography," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 20(1), pages 217-278. [Downloadable!]
  7. John D. Benjamin & G. Donald Jud & G. Stacy Sirmans, 2000. "What Do We Know About Real Estate Brokerage?," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 20(1), pages 5-30. [Downloadable!]
  8. Roy T. Black & Hugh O. Nourse, 1995. "The Effect of Different Brokerage Modes on Closing Costs and House Prices," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 10(1), pages 87-98. [Downloadable!]
  9. Thomas Miceli & Katherine Pancak & C. Sirmans, 2007. "Is the Compensation Model for Real Estate Brokers Obsolete?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 7-22, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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