[gist]

> makes it impossible for anyone to shop for a house except for realtors who are 'in the know' and can tell you the real price based on listing.

Impossible and not easy for you?

So that is the harm you are stating? That you don't want to put the effort into understanding the market enough (without a realtor) to know the value of what you are buying? Plenty of people operate fine under the current system.

What's next? Do you want to have a lottery with a fixed and low price. That way people with more money and so on don't have an advantage.

Things are never equal. Some people have an edge. This edge is not entirely a realtor skimming as I think your comment implies.

> This system of listing a price to 'get people in the door' and then igniting a bidding war

Is it wrong for ebay to do this as well?