OK, I've read through some posts, time permitting, emailed back and forth to wonderful, helpful people in the group and tried to contribute my 2 cents worth.

Here's my basic questions:

1. If working with Sellers, are the options the traditional structure, flat fee and the hourly structure. If you explain to them that if you are using the traditional model, you will be acting as a salesperson and not as a consultant after telling them that is what the traditional structure is all about? What percentage of the normal fee structure is used for a flat fee? How do you convince them that after being paid, you will actually follow through and do the work promised?

For buyers, if they pay up-front a fee that would be less that the unofficial 3% fee for acting as a buyer's agent, do you rebate the 3 % commission to the buyer to cover their up-front fee and get additional commission off the price or in their pocket (is that legal?).

So many questions, so little time. I'm going in to talk to Prudential for the third time. The broker called me again today. I said I needed to describe my new business model to her, of which I know very little at this point.

I still want to go out on my own, but I don't know if the timing is right.

HELP