NotLurking said:
Carina, I think gringo said it best and I think it is worth repeating it below.
When you rent an apartment or house from a real estate agent you are using his/her service and you need to pay for it! How is that a rip off? You want free service? I suppose if someone uses your service you would want to get paid too. Correct? What's the difference?
You can test this yourself, call a few agents in SD renting apartments, ask what they are charging as their broker fee and who pays.
I don't know what the big deal is it is the same thing in the USA. You pay the broker for his/her service both when buying or renting.
NotLurking
Larry answered on the question who pays the laywer for a contract.
He rents out his apartments,as well as work in real estate, so he would
know. But I am also sure, if he works with commissions, those are included in the rental cost, not put on top.
I am not asking for free service. There is always a commission involved, but it is taken off the first rent in case it is a house/apartment rental, it is not put on top. It is the landlord/owner who pays it.
This works exactly the same, if it is a real estate agent renting out, or if I find an apartment for someone. The owner pays 60-100% of 1 month rent to the one referring the renter.
The renter pays the contract though.
This system is the same as elsewhere in on the island. If someone books a client on an excursion he/she gets a commission of the amount the one going on the excursion pays, it is not put on top.
If a taxi driver takes you to a furniture shop, he can pick up a commission as he referred you.
Neither is put on top, the commission is always included in the price the buyer pays.
So call anyone of the serious agents, big or small, Juan Perdomo, Larry (Gringo ) etc. they pay commission, not the one paying the rent.