Interesting question regarding an "agent bonus"...

[Jonathan Bowen]

One of the Realtors in my office is about to have an offer accepted, on behalf of her buyer, on a single family property in Brockton. The listing agent is offering a $500 bonus to the selling agent with stipulations. It's illegal in Massachusetts to deal in net listings so the $500 offer is, on its face, illegal. It's a too common practice though... We deal in percentage bases here in Massachusetts to avoid the practice of net listings. It's also illegal to offer bonuses directly to agents; all commissions flow to the brokerage. As a broker, do you think I should take my office's cut of the "agent bonus". If not, why?