Fee-for-service concept may lead to choices Source: Chicago Tribune ©2001 Most of the time, news of a continuing-education seminar for Realtors would be a "so what?" for consumers. But one that's planned for next month might be a different story. It might mean that locally, more consumers could see an alternative to paying that structured commission of 6 percent or thereabouts that riles so many of them. For the Realtors, it might be a tool for getting the compensation that they say they deserve -- and sometimes lose out on because customers walk away from a deal. In a nutshell, the Chicago Association of Realtors will offer its members a course on fee-for-service real estate practice, a relatively controversial concept in the industry. Fee-for-service means that the Realtor may be willing to work by the hour, by the day, by the task, or whatever combination that's mutually agreeable to the client and the agent. The Chicago course will be taught by Julie Garton-Good, a former broker and agent in Idaho who has become the nation's leading booster of the fee-for-service concept. About a year ago, Garton-Good founded the National Association of Real Estate Consultants, which sponsors the C-CREC (Consumer-Certified Real Estate Consultant) designation that is given to those who have successfully completed the course. Garton-Good says that in the last 12 months, about 700 people around the country have earned the certification. She says that Chicago's isn't the first Realtor group to offer the designation, but it's by far the largest, and thus serves as kind of a breakthrough for the concept. She says that there's a growing demand for an alternate business model -- from consumers and agents. "People want options," she explains. "Whether they actually end up taking the options, that's for them to decide." She also says that agents are looking for ways to capture some of the growing for-sale-by-owner market and for ways to serve a knowledgeable clientele that only wants a consultant. Connie Pierrepont, who is organizing the course for CAR, said the class requires the students to create a formalized business plan. "They learn how to create the business plan and break down all the things they do, and decide how much they're worth per hour," she said. That said, consumers shouldn't look for any wholesale change in Realtors' fees: The CAR expects about 50 agents to take the course next month. But the timing adds an interesting dimension: The seminar is set for Nov. 1 and 2, and coincides with the annual convention of the National Association of Realtors, which will begin in Chicago on Nov. 2. Garton-Good will appear at an educational program at the convention, making her pitch for the fee-for-service business model. I've agreed to be a neutral panelist at Garton-Good's seminar on Nov. 4, and I'm aiming to bring consumer questions and concerns to the table. What would you like to know about the prospect of buying and selling property this way? Would consumers be better off with the traditional full-service model? Drop me a note at realestate@tribune.com.