Limited service real estate agents are right for many people. I can offer local expertise to Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. This seems to be the future for those who want to go the “FOR SALE BY OWNER” route. Paying a real estate agent 6% commission is too much for many sellers these days. Maybe you think real estate agents aren’t adding adding much value as they charge. Or maybe you have very little equity in your home (or are upside down) and would not want to come out of pocket to pay real estate agency fees. I can help you get top dollar for your home without paying out a huge commission to a real estate agent. There are so many deceptive ads on TV and deceptive real estate agents (essentially salespeople selling themselves) that say they can get more for your home because of some magic they do. This is simply isn’t true. It’s just good salesmanship magic they are working on YOU. I offer you comparable service in a “virtual” form for a low flat fee. The main difference is that I’m available to you by only phone and computer, not in person. I help you with professional valuation assistance, negotiating contracts, transaction management, and putting in place a system for scheduling showings. With todays technologically advanced society almost all of us are connected to our computers and phones. This service option is almost considered a For Sale By Owner, but with me as your real estate agent simply advising, coaching, and assisting with the paperwork and transaction all the way through. The process sounds complicated to most people who aren’t in the real estate agents, but let me assure you, I can walk you through the process, step by step, and it will be as smooth and stress free as possible. MLS is short for Multiple Listing Service. This is a computerized database that displays your detailed property information so that all cooperating real estate agents and the public can see your property online. The MLS is the service that Realtors use to share and disseminate information to other real estate agents and across the internet for the public. For most real estate listings, simply posting your property for sale or for lease on the MLS is sufficient to bring a buyer. Once your property is listed on the MLS is syndicates to almost all other real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Zillow, and all the big name real estate agency websites such as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, and Re/MAX.
Real estate agents don’t have a magic wand they use to find buyers any other way. The most essential function of a real estate agent is to find and connect a buyer to a seller. This is almost always done simply by listing property on the MLS. With the limited service listing you get this most important, primary function to help sell your home for a LOW FLAT FEE. Do the math to see the savings compared with paying the traditional 5%-10% fee that real estate agents charge! Beyond making that connection, real estate agents near me help their clients through the complicated sales process and complete all required paperwork. There’s a tremendous amount of paperwork that needs to be completed and signed throughout the sales process. Real estate agents make your life easier by sending these doc’s to everyone for electronic signature. Very few doc’s in the process require wet ink signatures and must be notarized.
If you like the sound of this service option, here is a brief summary of how it works:
- We talk about important details like how much you want to ask, and what’s a realistic sale price. I will run a comparable sales report for you and help you price your property in line with the market. This helps you avoid complications later. If you price too high, likely few to no buyers will look at your house. Even if a buyer wanted to overpay for your house, most of the time they can not. Lenders and appraisers keep everyone honest and will not finance property for more than it’s worth. I can add a lot of value for you here as your real estate agent. Those online estimates or “Zestimates” aren’t accurate. They are sometimes WAY off.
- You sign a listing agreement (for any length of time) with me and decide how much (if any) commission you are willing to pay out to a buyer rep real estate agent. You can offer a buyer broker a flat fee as well, or a percentage of sale price. Two to three percent is the standard offering. I sometimes require payment of $1,000 upfront. If you can’t make the payment then, we can agree to a $1,500 FLAT FEE to me at closing. Call me for current pricing options please.
- You e-mail me, or upload photos of your property to my website.
- I list the property online on the MLS, get a yard sign up, and lockbox on your door if you want. *Additional fee for lockbox rental.
- You handle showings (we can talk about this in detail) but buyers and real estate agents near me will contact you directly to coordinate showings. Basically: I place your contact information on the MLS under “Showing Instructions” section of the MLS for real estate agents to see. It’s a violation of the MLS for me to Post the seller contact information in the public remarks section (where we write a description of the house). I post your direct contact information wherever I legally can. If a buyer or real estate agent calls my office, I tell them that you, the seller are responsible for setting up showings, and I give them your contact information. All calls and e-mails for the property are directed to you. Another option for you is an APP called “Showingtime.” This is for the more technically savvy of you.
- When we get an offer I help you negotiate it and sign electronically.
- Once offer is accepted, I open escrow for you, and set you up with a title insurance company.
- I help you with addendums, amendments, and disclosures and provide the needed legal forms. I send them out for electronic signature.
Your home listing will show up all over the internet in about every place a buyer or real estate agent could possibly look.
Photos you provide will be converted into a “virtual tour.”
I will have a real estate agent “FOR SALE” sign put up in your yard. Calls will come to me and I will then refer them directly to you.
I will advertise Open Houses for you any time you want to do them.
I will assist you with purchase agreements, negotiations, and property disclosures in order to make sure everything is done properly and legally. I monitor the transaction timeline progress to make sure your deal is tracking properly, and set up inspections and help you negotiate repairs. I will work up estimated closing statements for you to show you what you will NET after the deal is completed at the contract terms.
I can relay showing feedback from the buyers real estate agents so we can understand if we should change or do something better. Lockbox must be installed on your door for me to offer this service.
I send out a property flyer e-mail blast to roughly 2,500 local Albuquerque, New Mexico real estate agents individually ($100).
I advertise on Craigslist (25 each), and Facebook ($50 each).
I e-mail you a property flyer which you can print up for potential buyers.
Optional services you can pay for additionally and a la carte: 360 degree virtual home tour ($300), 100 “Home For Sale” postcards mailed to your neighborhood, and Facebook and Craigslist ads. Realtor Supra Lockbox rental.
Here is an example of the savings you can realize by working with me as your flat-fee real estate agent vs. traditional full service real estate:
We list and sell your home for $500,000
Typical full service real estate commissions of 6% would be $30,000! You can buy a very nice car for that, or certainly think of something to do with all that cash. I would work up a proper “NET Sheet” for you with all the standard fees that you can’t really avoid in a real estate transaction, but for simplicity let’s just say you would walk away with $470,000 after 6% commission.
My limited service flat fee of $1,000 -$1,500 would leave you with roughly $499,000! Most likely you still often want to incentivize buyer brokers with offering 2% to them ($10,000). In this case you would walk away with $489,000. This is STILL $19,000 more in your pocket than if you paid the regular market rate commission to a real estate agent. The choice is a no-brainer to me, but if you need the in-person, top-tier service through the entire transaction I’m happy to do it. As a top real estate agent I charge 5%-10% depending on transaction type and circumstances.