The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-06-14
The Agent A necessary 1nstitutlon.


We have come to the conclusion that
the real estate agent is both necessary
and useful sort of person, in any growing
community. There are many reasons
why this is the fact, and we are finding
out new reasons nearly every day, that
probably never would have occurred to
US had we not gone into that line of busi-
ness. Most immigrants know nothing
about this country, and want without loss
OF time, information about 1t, the sell, eli
mate, products, localities, prices Of real
estate, schools, churches, bridges, taxes,
&C., and the real estate agent is as rule
the only person whom the immigrant can
go to for such information, which has to
be furnished free. How many Of the peo-
pie who re anxious to avoid paying an
agents commission for selling their prop
erty, would De willing to spend years Of
time and labor IN gathering and dissem-
minating all sorts OF information about
Kansas, for no direct pay in any case?
Yet the dissemination of this Information
is a very necessary thing, very useful in
securing and holding immigration, and
no one can afford to spend half his time
in gathering and distributing such infor-
nation and get no pay for 1t. And agents
have no pay, direct or indirect, but their
commission on the sales they effect. To
deny them commissions, would be to close
\ up their offices, drive them out Of the bu-
sIness, and leave every immigrant who
wanted TO buy land to go around hunting
It like a tin peddler for old iron. Now
most immigrants don't want to hunt land
In that way, and won't do it. They don't
know the roads, or the fords, or the To-
calities, or with whom or what they have
to deal. They mnst deal at headquarters,
in the city. with somebody who has got q
place to do business. and is doing it there,
In business manner. They don't want
TO take up the time and attention of people
from whom they have no right to expect
time and attention. Hence they go to the
land agent, and feel free to ask him for all
sorts Of information that they would not
expect any one else to furnish. They
find he has list Of all sorts Of real estate,
IN every locality. They can there with
very little time and trauble find out more
about the various tracts that are for sale.
quality, price, terms, &C., than they could
j by knocking around the country for q
month, and they generally prefer this way.
They want to buy from the men who
want to sell, and they know that as rule,
men who want to sell put their property
In an agents hands, and such men are
ready to sell at moderate figures. The
business Of an agent is simply to effect .
trade b etween the seller and the buyer,
and being provided with list of the sell
iers and their lands. the buyers can save
time, money and trouble, by going to him.
Nine buyers out Of ten know that, and go
to the agent, and nine sellers ont Of ten
know it and put their property in agents
hands. his commission cuts but small
figure in the matter, and Is rarely more
than his services are really worth to both
parties, 70 say nothing Of the numerous
eases In which he goes to considerable
trouble and expense and receives no pay
whatever. II any one imagines that com
missions are, higher than they really
need to be, or that taking one trade and
one year with another the real estate bu.
slnes Is any more profitable for the labor,
ability, and time IL takes, than other kinds
OF business, all we have 60 say Is 20 try It
tits free 70 every body, no one has ans
right to object to anybody else going int
any business in this country, and the hes
way 70 And out whether or not real estat,
agents can afford "a work for less thai
they dc, Is TO hire an ONCE and pitch In
Meantime II youwsnt to sell or buy any
thing in the real estsse line. cali On us
and We wiz try 70 ind the seller q custo
mer, and the buyer = bargain.