re: How do realtors get paid?

This is a perfect example.

You saved 3% commission, this is not the same as your net.

Did you get full listing price? Did you get max value for the home? What amount of closing costs and pre-paids did you get roped in for? Who paid for marketing? Who paid for professional pictures? Who paid for staging?

I'm glad it worked out for you, it sounds like you are happy.

But not having to pay a sellers agent 3% does not show that you got the best deal....

You saved maybe $5000 on that commission, but perhaps you listed for $5,000 too less, and the buyers agent squeezed a few extra thousand off the top by showing you pages of "comps" and powering you down on value. Maybe they shaved another few thousand on you for closing costs, forced you to leave the fridge and dining room table.

etc.etc. PS - not saying any of this happened to you, but this stuff happens all the time.

How do I know? because I force my realtors to do this very thing. I am an investor, not a realtor. If anyone should dislike realtors --- it is me. I paid almost $80,000 in realtor commissions alone last year.

But believe it or not, they saved me a shite ton of money!