The prospect for disintermediating real estate brokers looks to me about as realistic as the prospect for disintermediating investment bankers who provide M&A a

The prospect for disintermediating real estate brokers looks to me about as realistic as the prospect for disintermediating investment bankers who provide M&A advice for fat fees. I say this because the services provided by real estate brokers on the purchase and sale of properties are similar to the services provided by investment bankers on the purchase and sale of whole businesses. Just as no two companies are the same, no two properties are the same (even when they have the same square footage, style, location, etc.). Just as every industry is different, every neighborhood is different. Just as every M&A negotiation has its own unique cast of characters, every negotiation for the purchase/sale of a property has its own unique cast of characters. Just as every M&A transaction must accommodate for unique circumstances, so does every real estate transaction. Just as large M&A transactions (e.g., sale of a multinational corporation) can be very complex, the acquisition of large properties (e.g., sale of a skyscraper with thousands of tenants) can be very complex. Most people are too busy with their lives, and they're not in the business of buying and selling properties, so they need expertise to navigate all this complexity.