You get your house ready for sale, put ads on Craigslist and in your local paper, maybe even put a sign or two out indicating that your home is FSBO and is having an open house, but you get little response! Why? MANY buyers today use the Internet to search the MLS for homes and your home will not show up on that search! Also, many buyers are now using buyer's agents who will not show your home if they don't know about or if they are not offered a buyer's agent commission! So, what can you do? Get your home listed on the MLS! There are many services that can do this for you. If you search online for "FSBO" you will find many websites that offer this service. I also have a tradition realtor website where people can search the MLS directly, but your listing won't show up there if you do not take advantage of the MLS service! Most traditional agents offer MLS access in their local markets! They search the MLS to find appropriate homes to show their clients! I can tell you, as a traditional agent, that I NEVER search the newspaper ads, or Craigslist, or any FSBO website if I am looking for homes to show my clients because I want to get paid for my time...I have no way of knowing or guaranteeing that you will pay me my commission without having you fill out separate forms, etc, which I won't take the time to bother with. If the buyer's agent commission is listed on the MLS, there is no additional paperwork needed to ensure that I will get paid if I represent the buyer! It is not expensive to get your home on the MLS. Do your homework and find a package that fits your needs. Being a traditional agent, I still believe in listing your home the "old fashion" way, with a qualified REALTOR, but if you are going to try to sell it yourself, a little investment can go a long way! |
