ACRES - Lawyers Launch New Real Estate Alternative

You may have seen Mike Tolhurst (from www.acres.org.nz/lawyers/ "has been practicing since 1986 – prior to that he worked in a bank for three years as Corporate Solicitor and prior to that he was in the Police." ) on TV One's Breakfst programme this morning.
I say close but still no bananas!
Their rational is sound in why they are trying to provide a real aternative to the traditional way of selling properties & business etc; "network of Lawyers & clients", charging "Based on the principles of quantum meruit (a fair fee for effort expended)", and having a "complete real estate system plus real estate professionals...".
Flat fees (which Acres will accept as a charging system) doesn't work - whether you are a Real Estate Agency or a Lawyer  - it simply does not account for "effort expended" & is therefore not fair & reasonable.
As Acres will contract work out to "Real Estate professionals" they will add costs on top of whatever the law firm you have engaged charges - full stop. Untill lawyers engage/contract sales people into their team (& manage them as a Principal of a Real Estate Agency is required to), Acres are opening a financial can of worms and / or questionable business practise on the part of an unlicensed sales persons.
Having a trained, experienced sales person "selling" your property or business is and will remain the most vital factor in the process. Sales people deserve to be paid accordingly - excellent sale people deserve to be paid excellently.
Yes, commission based selling by Real Estate agencies (& now Mike Pero) is still grossly unfair. When I was working as a sales person in a traditional real esate agency I have spent more time, energy & expertise selling a derelict house for under $200,000 than a $1 m + business, that's how I know it's not fair & reasonable. In a nut shell, one subsidised the other - so I got paid fairly ultimately - but did the client pay fairly?
How do Stewart & Associates, Lawyers & Realtors differ?
We provide excellent sales, marketing and advertising service for a Success Fee of no more than 1% +GST based on the sale price. Other fees are charged but we guarantee you'll still be better off with us.
Over 14 months of actively selling properties with our system & the refinements we've made, we are still your best option for selling in Central Otago. We have faith in our system & will not be joining Acres.

Quotes are from the TV One Breakfast interview (29.03.11) or www.acres.org.nz