Buyers Find Real Estate Online - That's Where You Need to Market
When people start hunting for homes for sale, they almost always begin their search on the internet. On the internet, through IDX feeds, everyone is able to view the same MLS listings that real estate agents have access too. Most of the time now, it's the buyers who tell their agents what homes they want to tour . For this reason, the best thing you can do to sell your home, is to have it listed on the MLS.
In the past, the only way to get your home listed on the MLS was to hire a real estate agent and pay them a six percent sales commission. You contact to pay the listing brokerage the selling fee regardless of who actually findsthe buyer . But now, you can get all the marketing available by selling your home as a MLS listing, for a lot less money. Flat free MLS listings allow you to list homes by your self, and also to have the right to sell by owner if you can find the buyer yourself.
The "Flat Fee" Isn't the only charge if a Buyers Agent Brings Your in the Buyer
Most of the parties who will view your home are already represented with a buyers agent. You will be required to pay a buyers agent a 3% commission, if they bring you a buyer. Even if you have to pay the buyers agent commission will still save you nearly half of what you would have paid with a full service brokerage. But, in many cases, the future buyer will approach you directly when they see that the home is listed by owner, even though they found your listing off of a brokerage website. Most buyers don't enjoy contacting Realtor's either, until they absolutely need them. They often do drive by's of the homes they see online, before they ever call a Realtor. In these cases, you will be able to save almost 6% when using a flat fee mls listing.This could bring you a savings of nearly $3,000 for every $100,000 worth of house. Not exactly chump change.
Flat Fee Brokers Offer Little or No Actual Representation
Listing with a flat fee brokerage can save you a lot of money, but it also doesn't offer the support and advise full time Realtor's give. The brokerages that use flat free MLS service usually offer little or no service. Only savvy sellers, who understand the real estate transaction and contracts should use flat fee MLS services.
If Your Home Doesn't Sell, you still pay for the Flat Fee Listing
One of the disadvantages flat fee brokerages offer compared with traditional real estate listings, is that the fee is paid upfront. With flat fee service, the fee is paid when you list your home, and it doesn't matter whether it sells or not. With Traditional real estate brokerages you don't pay cash anything. The only thing you will pay for is the commission if your home actually sells.
