What's the Going Rate for Property Finders?

[Joel Block]

If someone brings us a deal, what is a reasonable commission that we should expect to pay in today's market? We recognize that some finders do a lot of work and package the deal so that it is ready to go while others do little more than provide a phone number so that we can do it ourselves. But on average, is there a consensus?

[D.L. Berry]

Our standard Bird-dog fee starts at $500, but often that's for little more than an address. Our compensation is a sliding scale. If the deal's a home run, I want my Bird-dog well compensated ($5,000+), in that way he'll remember me when the next deal comes along...