Maybe true 20 years ago, but with home prices and demand the way they are today, 6% is alot of money for the amount of work required. Where we live, people are starting to simply demand reduced commissions or they just sell it themselves.
I have sold two house on my own. Put up some signs, ran ads in the Sunday paper, did open houses. When it sold, doing the paperwork was a piece of cake - the buyers bank takes care of everything. If I ever sell our current house, I will do the same thing. Real estate is the biggest silent collusion business in the country. I honestly believe that people think they HAVE to sell their house through an agent. As you said, 20 years ago houses were a lot less expensive. Having to fork over tens of thousands of dollars is ridiculous.