<HTML> <HEAD> <title>WebForm1</title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 7.1"> <meta name="CODE_LANGUAGE" content="Visual Basic .NET 7.1"> <meta name="vs_defaultClientScript" content="JavaScript"> <meta name="vs_targetSchema" content="http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie5"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content='text/html; charset=UTF-8'> </HEAD> <body > <TABLE id="Table1" cellSpacing="1" cellPadding="1" width="100%" border="0"> <TR> <TD><b>Comment Number:</b></TD> <TD>518795-00188</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Received Date:</b></TD> <TD>10/22/2005 11:01:28 PM</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Organization:</b></TD> <TD>RE/MAX Achievers</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Commenter:</b></TD> <TD>Bell, Kay</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>State:</b></TD> <TD>AZ</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Agency:</b></TD> <TD>Federal Trade Commission</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Rule:</b></TD> <TD>Competition Policy and the Real Estate Industry</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Docket ID:</b></TD> <TD>To Be Added</TD> </TR> <TR> <td colspan='2'>No Attachments</td> </TR> </TABLE> <hr/> <b>Comments:</b><br/><br/> Barriers to entry are low ------ and as far as we are concerned as seasoned agents  the bar should be raised as you work with folks who can spend $1,000 and 2 weeks of their time when an appraiser has to spend 6 months working for minimum wage just to tell you what your home is worth when the agent can do that right out of 2 weeks of school without a coach. If you are willing to take the time to learn the business in your local market, pass the state license examination and adhere to the REALTOR&reg; code of ethics, there is nothing to stand in the way of success in this industry. I had to learn the business and pass the state licensing examination, but it is my own work ethic, commitment to professional standards and dedication to client satisfaction that determine my success. We sell over 100 homes per year PROFESSIONALLY in this state and treat it like a business  not a part-time job. It is so easy to get into that in AZ the patrolman should ask for your real estate license instead of your drivers license ---- seems like every clerk or waitress I run into is in school  happens probably 2 days a week here. Even through the economic downturns our country has experienced in the past few years, our industry has continued to provide opportunity -- something I would say is confirmed by the thousands of new agents that join our profession every year and the over 2 million Americans who are now licensed to provide professional real estate services in communities across the country. Nothing encourages a competitive business environment more than providing consumers with choice. In the residential real estate marketplace, consumers not only are able to choose from more than 76,000 brokerage firms and more than 1.2 million REALTORS®, but also from a variety of business models. I think the  CUT RATE ---- lacking in service new organizations ---- show that consumers have CHOICES  maybe not right ones but CHOICES. Take Congress Realty for instance  he will list you for $399 in the MLS  charge you $100 for a lockbox he pays $25 for and then give you the forms to work directly with a FULL SERVICE BUYERS BROKER jut mail the completed contract to his Vegas or Phoenix office please. He sells 300+ homes per year! Not much of a profit in his organization but does make a statement to the public. However, you should talk to the title companies and the agents who work on the buyers side. They are messy transactions as the sellers try to be real estate agents with no education or training. BUT IT DOES GIVE THE CONSUMERS A CHOICE. The beauty of the MLS is that it allows real estate brokerages of every size to compete on a level playing field. It gives all of us access to an inventory of property listings that we are able to show and sell to our clients. We have watched the changes in the industry since 1995 (Brian in Denver and then since 1999 both of us in Phoenix). They are graduating 3,200 NEW REALTORS PER MONTH in AZ! THERE ARE MANY BUSINESS MODELS OUT THERE. I think the ruinnation of our profession was allowing the address out on the internet with the listing. We got the listing  we as any realtors - should be able to control it from the consumers. MAKE THE CONSUMERS COME TO US  DON T PUT THE FULL INFO OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC  what company do you know puts ALL THEIR INVENTORY including the specs out on the internet for the consumer to SHOP THEM!!!!!!!!!!??????????? And I think that any CUT RATE company should still have to offer SERVICE --- there should be uniformitiy in service --- otherwise ---- what good is it to make people get a license and abide by the LAWS AND RULES --- after all  with a cut rate company the sellers are doing it without licenses </body> </HTML>