You are ikely to get lower fees from independent

A study released Monday by Consumer Reports found 71 percent of sellers who negotiated for lower commissions with their brokers were successful. But only 46 percent of sellers surveyed tried.


Those who paid commissions of 3 percent were just as satisfied with their broker's performance as those who paid 6 percent, the study found.

The lesson? Haggling won't hurt.

In fact, those who paid higher commissions were more likely to have regrets about the selling experience. Nearly one-third of them said they should have been more aggressive in negotiating a fee.

Sellers were most likely to get lower fees from independent said the director of survey research at Consumer Reports.

"But they will all negotiate. Just ask for it," he said. "It's like buying a car. A lot of people think (the price) is set, but it's not."

Independent brokers may be more likely to negotiate fees since they keep their entire commission, while those who work for other brokers typically split commissions with the broker in exchange for marketing and office support.

About half of home sellers surveyed paid less than 6 percent in commission. The study will be in Consumer Reports' September issue. The issue includes tips on which home improvements offer the biggest payoff. (Hint: What's on the outside really does matter.)

The study found no significant gap in services for those who paid lower commissions. For example, 81 percent who paid 3 percent or less said the agent gave a competitive market analysis of their home, compared with 87 percent of people who paid 6 percent or more.

Such houses sell faster, meaning the agent has to spend less money on marketing the home.

"If I could sell a house in two weeks rather than six months, I'd be more willing to negotiate," Wright said.

When looking for an agent, Consumer Reports suggests asking around for recommendations and interviewing multiple candidates.

Agents should clearly explain how they plan to market your home and handle open houses and newspaper and Internet advertising.

Most respondents to the Consumer Reports study said they found service from the larger real estate chains and independent brokers to be "very satisfying."

The survey was based on 9,141 responses to a questionnaire about selling or trying to sell homes from 2004 to 2007. Despite the shift in the housing market in that time span, Kotkin said there was no significant difference in the outcomes by year.