Granted, it is natural to extend the online franchise of RealEstate.com to downstream services, but without offering discount on commissions, can this move really attract many buyers? After all, those RealEstate.com visitors are internet-savvy and know comparison shopping very well.

RealEstate.com, a unit of IAC/InterActiveCorp, plans to offer residential real-estate brokerage services in four Western cities by mid-May, a senior company executive said in an interview -- part of a trend of companies trying to capture brokerage business from people browsing the Web for information on homes.

IAC, based in New York and run by Chief Executive Barry Diller, is trying to use its Internet and call-center expertise to grab a chunk of the more than $60 billion a year Americans spend on commissions for buying and selling homes.

Tom Reddin, chief executive of IAC's financial-services and real-estate arm, said RealEstate.com has begun offering brokerage services in Portland, Ore., and Denver in recent weeks. Within the next few weeks, he said, the services will be offered in Seattle and Salt Lake City. "If it's as successful as we think it will be, we'll expand" to more cities, Mr. Reddin said.

Unlike many other Internet-based brokers, RealEstate.com isn't offering discounted commissions. Mr. Reddin said the commissions would be in line with local market norms. He said the bulk of consumers are looking for "great service" rather than "discounted service." But, he added, the pricing policy could change. "Check back with me in a year," Mr. Reddin said.