Is real estate service a good value?

These days, the value of any standard form of service has been dropping, thanks mostly to huge productivity improvements stemming from computers and the internet.

Yet, at the same time, the cartel represented by the National Association of Realtor acts as monopolistic giant in conjunction with its infamous Multiple Listing Service, and both seem to be above any anti-trust laws thanks to their powerful lobby that spends in the hundreds of millions a year for what's lucrative for them, costly for consumers and seems to be resisting quite well a few attacks from the Department of Justice.

 So my answer to the title question is a resounding “NO”, and since sellers have no serious or reliable alternative but pay 6% of the value of any real-estate sold, it just feel like hostage-taking at its worst, with the blessings of our government. If a piece of property sells for $100,000, I could see paying $6,000 worth of “commission”, but if it sells for $500,000 or $1 million, the corresponding $30,000 and $60,000 commission checks are totally out of line, especially considering the fact that the “work” involved is dismally the same.

Somehow, this has to change, because the scheme has no legs to stand on, but who will find the magic formula to finaly bring that dispute before the Supreme Court?