“[U]nless you’re the kind of person who needs a little help through a ‘stressful and maybe difficult period,’ and unless you’re unwilling to wait a little longer to sell your house, then the commission that you pay your Realtor is in essence a big fat tip.”
Freakonomics Blog, commenting on a new paper “measuring the sale price of homes sold by Realtors and those sold directly by owners.”
There’s also a report in The New York Times.