In the 20 some years I've bought and sold homes as an individual I've never meet a agent that charged less than the norm...that doesn't mean it couldn't happen, I've just never run across anywhere in my dealings.

Are you sure that he didn't mean 3% to the listing agent.....and there is a second part to that sentence....3% to the selling agent....a total of 6%?

I would make sure there are no other % % % ;)

No, dabunch, I clarified the commission rates. He said if a another agent brings a buyer, they would each get 1.5%. Actually he said, the listing agent would "probably" get 1.5% and the selling agent would get 1.5%. I may be wrong, but wouldn't the listing agent be the selling agent? He referred to the buyer's agent as the seller's agent.

The house has been on the market for a couple weeks. The listing agent's cousin made an offer and the agent said she would take only 2% if we accepted that offer. The offer was too low though. I guess my cousin is counting on the listing agent bringing in a buyer, but that might not happen.

In Real Estate speak the agent that represents the seller is the listing agent. The agent that represents the buyer is the selling agent.

3% is a great deal if true..I negotiated 4% when i sold in Northern NJ..6% is a crime...That is the stated %, but every single realtor i had in(5 total,2 from same firm different offices), and ALL said they would come down to 5% without me even asking...And i am certain several of those would have gone lower

We sold on Staten Island in '99 in a very hot market..and easily negotiated 4% from 6% without a blink of the eye...and had 22 showings in a little over 3 weeks.

IMO, in the current soft market, 3% does not seem unrealistic. It all boils down to what the market will bear.....as most home prices (especially in places such as SI)are now still so over inflated that the commission on the sale is often more than it would ahve been a few years back even at 5 or 6%.
Everything is relative.