There’s a quiet, almost invisible crisis unfolding in Jamaican real estate.
No walls are cracking, no foundations crumbling — not physically, at least.
But make no mistake: the very foundation of value is being eroded.
It began with a simple gesture — a few agents lowering their commissions to appear “competitive.” What started as a tactical move to win listings has now become an infection spreading through the industry.
Five percent — once the golden standard — became three.
Three became two.
And now, unbelievably, some agents whisper about one.
They tell themselves it’s temporary.
They tell themselves they’ll make it up in volume.
But they’re wrong.
Because this isn’t just one agent’s problem. It’s everyone’s.
Once the first domino falls, the rest can’t help but follow.
The Moment It Begins
It always starts the same way.
A developer offers a prime project — maybe a row of modern townhouses, or a high-rise overlooking Kingston. The figures sparkle: J$100 million per unit. A life-changing opportunity.
Then comes the catch.
“Can you do it for two percent?”
The agent hesitates. They think, If I don’t, someone else will.
And so, to keep the client, to protect the relationship, to look flexible — they agree.
It feels like a small sacrifice for a big reward.
But in truth, it’s the first tile tipping.
Because the moment that deal closes, the developer brags. They tell others.
And suddenly, the new rate isn’t a favour — it’s a benchmark.
Now, every agent who comes after must play by the same rule.
The Chain Reaction
One agent’s decision becomes every agent’s burden.
Developers begin to expect less — and demand more.
Brokerages start adjusting policies to remain “competitive.”
Franchise networks quietly lower their thresholds.
Younger agents enter the field thinking this is how it’s always been.
And just like that, the standard that took decades to establish collapses in a single year.
This isn’t competition — it’s cannibalism.
An entire profession eating away at itself, bite by bite, in the name of “winning.”
What none of them realise is that once you let the first domino fall, you lose control of the direction it takes.
The Cost of “Being Flexible”
At first glance, two percent on J$100 million seems generous enough.
That’s J$2 million. Decent, right?
But when you peel back the layers — the co-broke split, the broker’s cut, the franchise fees, the desk rent, the petrol, the marketing, the endless phone calls — what’s left isn’t profit. It’s pennies.
And yet, agents tell themselves the same comforting lie: I’ll make it up in volume.
But that’s not volume — it’s velocity.
You’re running faster to stay in the same place.
The truth is, there’s no volume big enough to fill the hole you’ve dug when you halve your commission.
You can’t build stability on shrinking margins.
You can’t fund excellence on fumes.
Sooner or later, something gives — service quality, client care, your own energy. And when that happens, everyone loses.
The Fear That Fuels It
Beneath it all lies fear.
Fear of losing the listing.
Fear of losing the developer’s favour.
Fear that if you don’t say yes, someone else will.
But here’s the irony: every time you say yes to less, you’re guaranteeing that fear will follow you forever.
Because once the developer learns you’ll work for less, they’ll never pay you more.
Once the market knows agents will cut rates, that’s the new expectation.
Fear creates the fall — and it never stops falling.
The Market Doesn’t Forget
Once a precedent is set, it becomes permanent.
Developers talk. Investors talk.
They compare notes. They remember.
And the next time you mention five percent, they’ll smile and say,
“Oh, but the last one did it for two.”
It’s not arrogance. It’s economics.
When the market realises it can pay less for the same service, it will.
And that, right there, is how entire industries devalue themselves — not through greed, but through appeasement.
A handful of agents thought they were being clever, but they’ve set the standard for everyone else.
That’s the domino effect. Once one falls, you can’t ask it to stand up again.
The Industry Lock-In
Here’s the terrifying truth: once a market resets downward, it rarely resets back up.
The moment two percent becomes normal, no developer will willingly return to five.
You’ll be trapped — permanently — in a system you created.
The industry will call it “market correction.”
But it’s not correction. It’s capitulation.
And when that happens, even the best agents — the ones who never compromised — will suffer. Because the value of a profession is collective.
When one falls, all are forced down with it.
That’s why this isn’t about one agent’s rate. It’s about protecting the very ecosystem we all depend on.
The Road Back to Value
There’s still time to stop the fall — but only if agents stand firm.
That means saying no to low rates, even when it hurts.
It means educating developers about what fair commission really covers — the marketing, the fuel, the professional hours, the team.
It means reminding everyone that professionalism has a price because it delivers value.
And if you’re unsure what that value looks like in real terms — check it for yourself.
The Developer Commission Calculator lays it bare.
It doesn’t flatter or exaggerate. It shows you the truth — what’s left after every fee, every cost, every deduction.
It’s a mirror. And for many, it’s a wake-up call.
Holding the Line
This isn’t the time to chase shortcuts. It’s the time to rebuild standards.
Agents must hold the line — not because five percent is magical, but because it’s meaningful. It represents sustainability, dignity, and respect for one’s craft.
If you hold the line, you stop the fall.
If you refuse to play the game of undercutting, the dominoes can’t keep falling.
But if you don’t — if you keep saying yes, keep lowering the bar — then don’t be surprised when developers expect nothing higher ever again.
You won’t just have devalued yourself.
You’ll have rewritten the rulebook for the entire industry.
The Final Word
Jamaica’s real estate industry stands at a moment of truth.
Every agent must now decide whether to be the domino that falls — or the one that refuses to move.
Because if the fall continues, there will be no going back.
The industry will have trapped itself in a low-value loop where excellence no longer pays, and mediocrity becomes the norm.
But if even a handful of agents hold firm, everything changes.
The line steadies. The market resets.
Respect returns.
It’s that simple — and that serious.
Because this isn’t just about percentages.
It’s about the value of a profession, the worth of integrity, and the courage to stand for both.
And if that sounds grand — good.
Because the future of Jamaica’s real estate market depends on it.