In our experience with Real Estate agents, we have never had a good experience. We pay them 6% of our selling price, and have never received in value close to this commission that we pay. We actually had one house where we called the picked a realtor, they came in placed a sign in our yard, and the house sold that evening. Our realtor never actually handled anything other than placing a sign in the front lawn, and not even a thank you note after the sale. Which by the way they did not even attend.
At Austin real estate they are challenging the model of 6% commissions, and are providing a 1.5% rebate back to their customers that list with them.