<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>518795-00374</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Received Date:</b></TD> <TD>11/28/2005 10:37:32 AM</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Organization:</b></TD> <TD>Benson &amp; Larkin Unique &amp; Fine Properties</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Commenter:</b></TD> <TD>Leonard, Jr., Robert F.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>State:</b></TD> <TD>CT</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/> My personal experience indicates that the real estate industry in Eastern CT is very competitive. After working the chemical industry for 48 years (46 years as an employees and 2 years as a consultant), I became a real estate salesperson in 1999 and became one of 750 agents in the Eastern CT Association of Realtors. In 1999, the AVERAGE commission charged sellers was 6%. Noe in 2005, there are over 1250 Realtors in Eastern CT and I estimate the average commission is less than 5%! I think that my experience definitely illustrates the Competition that exists in the retail real estate market. </body> </HTML>