We read all the personal finance news for you. Then we tell you what you need to know.

Ask Your Real Estate Agent for a Break

Want a price break when selling your home? Try asking your agent.

According to a Consumer Reports survey released earlier this month, of the thousands of sellers who were interviewed who attempted to negotiate a break in real estate commissions, 71% succeeded.

Of course, you’re likely to get some pushback in this slow market. An agent will argue - correctly - that if homes take longer to sell, then he or she is investing more time, and wants to be paid for it.

Still, that doesn’t mean you have to pay the top rate. It’s like buying a car: the first thing you have to do is to ask for a discount off list. And according to Consumer Reports, more than half the sellers surveyed didn’t even bother to do that!

One more tip: once you’ve asked your real estate agent to justify his or her commission, get some specific commitments. If her response is “ads sell houses, and ads cost money,” get her to agree – in writing – to a specific number of classifieds or web banner ads that showcase your property.

–Alison Rogers, FiLife’s Real Estate Guru

* Have a real estate question? Ask Ali and read more of her answers here.