The Steinmetz Realty Blog

Your source for national and hyper-local real estate news, Vermont lifestyle and tips & professional advice from Broker Brian - everything from packing smart to making investments.

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Real Estate Brian Steinmetz Real Estate Brian Steinmetz

NAR Settlement

One of the key points of contention was the commission structure for real estate agents. Typically, the seller pays a commission that is split between the seller's and buyer's agents. Although this and everything else in real estate has always been negotiable, critics claimed that this system discouraged negotiation on commission rates and kept them artificially high, reducing the overall competitiveness of the market.

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Brian Steinmetz Brian Steinmetz

Unpacking the Housing Crisis

In Vermont, regulatory burdens like Act 250 have also played a significant role in limiting the production of new housing units over time. One of the most egregious examples is that of the 10-5-5 rule, which requires developers to seek additional regulatory review if they wish to build more than 9 units within 5 miles within 5 years, adding cost and time to developments with higher density.

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Local guide, Vermont Brian Steinmetz Local guide, Vermont Brian Steinmetz

Living in Vermont

Perhaps best known for it’s ice cream and jam-band rock music, Vermont was the fourteenth original colony, joining the United States on March 4, 1791. At the time, many settlers from France occupied the territory, and so the name is derived from a mash-up of two French words: “vert,” meaning green, and “montagne,” meaning mountain.

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