<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>518795-00202</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Received Date:</b></TD> <TD>10/23/2005 5:33:31 PM</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Organization:</b></TD> <TD>Shorewood Realtors</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Commenter:</b></TD> <TD>Rhees, Jan</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>State:</b></TD> <TD>CA</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/> In my years in this industry, I've come to learn that the more educated, prepared, professional, thorough, and experienced the broker or agent is, the easier, more effective the transaction, and the more satisfied the client. I have watched as agents navigate themselves unknowingly into law suits, observing that the "quantity above quality" approach seems to have brought the level of excellence consumers expect to all time lows. I've been asked to join "limited service" brokers, choosing to decline. I prefer to provide full, time consuming, meticulous, thorough, over and above the call of duty service. I've heard the agents at discount brokers say they want to save the consumer money. I've also heard clients who left limited service brokers to hire full service brokers say they ended up spending much more than they expected by hiring a discount broker. I've inherited clients who were amazed at how incompetant brokers and agents were, and how they wonder if the entire industry isn't like that? My observation is this. It's not about discount or full service, it's about the standards we hold ourselves to. I've worked primarily with clients who believe they get what they pay for, and are happy to put themselves into the hands of seasoned, educated, polished professionals who consider being a Real Estate Professional the most serious, important position they hold. Like other investments, my clients prefer to seek the expertise of a professional who devotes her/his career to knowing the industry. Like government leaders, well respected attorneys, or solid banking institutions, lowering the bar in an industry generates just that, the lowering of expectations. True Real Estate Professionals, like any other educated fields, build careers by negotiating, and brokering solid, legal, complicated transactions for their clients and associates. If anything, I believe the tests agents take to become licensees have become predictable and perhaps easier than is necessary for our field. We are regularly given new forms, new laws, and are rarely asked to prove our understanding of these critical legalities. As an agent who is becoming a Broker, I am committed to growing my brain, aptitude, and capacity for increased credibility in my career. I applaud my Realtor associates for their committment to greatness in this most important profession, where clients recall for an entire lifetime the experiences they have had in buying and selling the places they live and raise their families. In investing in property, our industry ought to hold ourselves to the same standards any Wall Street Broker is accountable to. And we ought to be expected to continue to educate and expand our proficiency in our field, to continue to provide a level of service that consumers trust, and seek out. When consumers won't settle for less than highly educated, professional, accountable, credible representation from their Dr's, Lawyers, CPA's, Gov't Representatives, Investment Brokers and Real Estate Brokers.. we will have succeeded in cultivating a environment of excellence. Demanding rigorous education cultivates the best in us all. The cream rises, good business is done, and consumers are served. In my mind, it's not about competition, it's about continuing education. Knowledge equals value. </body> </HTML>