The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

"plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose."

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This saying was first composed by French author, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1849 and has been quoted many times over the years. The meaning is certainly true and can be applied to all sorts of situations.

Recently, the National Association of REALTORS agreed to a settlement of $418 million to avoid a very long and protracted court case. At issue is whether sellers should be paying the agents who represent the buyer of their property. I believe there are good arguments supporting both sides, and certainly reasonable people can disagree.

In the end, if the courts approve of the settlement, starting midsummer, buyers will then be required to enter into a written representation agreement with their agent, and stipulate how they will compensate that agent for representing them.

I believe that many buyers will then negotiate with the seller to credit them for their agent’s fee. In essence, we will likely end up right where we are today, which again proves Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr was right when he penned “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.”

Jonathan R. Krause, President, Gambino Realtors | 815.282.2222 | www.GoGambino.com