Q. How can you offer the MLS Flat Fee Service?

A. We keep the cost low -- Only $297 prepaid flat fee to save you thousands of dollars, and not charge the typical listing agent commission of 3%. One reason we can keep the cost low is we do not do costly television and radio commercials and glossy home magazine ads. This form of marketing is done to advertise the real estate firm and benefit them. 7 of 8 homes sell via the MLS, not attributable to expensive advertising traditional Realtors do; thus we can sell your home fast and for a good price, saving you thousands of dollars in the process!

However, we still offer typical services other Realtors offer, such as open houses when requested and possible, in-print marketing, for sale yard signs, lockbox, extensive internet marketing, help and advise, handling of inquiries both via Phone and the Internet. As an Optional Service - $200 to 1/2% of purchase price paid out of your Close of Escrow Funds - brokers will handle the purchase contract and possible counter-offers, placing the contract in escrow, contingency issues, misc closing and settlement matters.

Q. What is the Multiple Listing Service?

A. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is an extensive database of information on real estate properties listed by real estate brokers and their agents. The MLS is a tool available exclusively to the members of the MLS, it provides the biggest market advantage in selling houses. When anyone contacts an agent regarding a home purchase, the agent will search the MLS for properties meeting their criteria. If a Realtor® finds a buyer for your house, you will only pay a 3% commission of the sales price and never a listing commission.

FACT: Less than 5% of listing agents actually sell the homes they list. Why? They put it on the MLS and use the power (thousands of agents) of the MLS data base to attract all of the agents with matching prospects in the area.

FACT: 85% of home buyers use a Realtor® to help them locate a property.

FACT: 100% of residence Realtors® use the MLS database.

FACT: The flat fee listing method lists your property on the same MLS as the local Realtors. You can put the power of the MLS to work for you and save 3% commission.

Q. Is it true that most houses are sold through Realtors® and they usually sell for more?

A. It is true. According to the National Association of Realtors homes listed on the MLS average a higher net of 7% more.

Q. Is the MLS really going to help me sell my house?

A. Yes, Listing in the Realtor's MLS is crucial if you are serious about selling. 80% of home buyers use the services of a real estate agent, and real estate agents use the MLS to search for houses on the market.

Q. How can your services help lower the price of my home?

A. If you list with a Realtor and pay high commissions, you may need to increase the price of your home to defray your high commission expense. With our program you practically eliminate the "Listing Realtor's" commission. This will help you lower the asking price of your house making it available to more buyer's and more competitive with other properties currently for sale.

Q. How long can my property be listed on the MLS for flat fee?

A. The listing is good for up to 6-months. The choice is yours, list for 6-months (or less). Just fill-in Selling from and to date. The cost is the same whether you list for 6-months or 3-months or anything in-between.

Q. Will my house be listed on the Realtor.com web site and others?

A. Yes. Realtor.com is the largest online property listing site with more than one million five hundred thousand available houses nationwide. This accounts for about 80% of all available houses in the U.S. More than five million potential buyers visit the site each month.

Q. "Can I arrange for you to meet me at the property to discuss the listing, pricing, comps, etc?"

A. We basically do our work either via website marketing online, fax, email or phone, in most cases all of those. These communications methods are the main reasons we can avoid charging you a listing commission, normally 3%. By not doing much in-person contact, meeting with the homeowners, and doing one-on-one hands-on personal interaction, we have time to do online and website marketing combined with Realtor.com, to sell your real estate and get buyers to call, and most importantly the MLS.

By avoiding traditional but poorly beneficial time intensive work we can save you $1,000s of dollars. We are currently doing many sales per year and millions of dollars in listings, and have saved clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions. There's no way our staff of Real Estate Agents could possibly handle all that volume if we visited in-person as traditional Realtors do.

All the personal stuff traditional Realtors do is mostly wasted time and effort as by far the main way properties sell is via the MLS and thru another Realtor, rarely the listing broker. We also let the homeowner decide on the listing price as frequently the owner knows their market value better than a Realtor Market Analysis will reveal, especially since Realtors are very rarely licensed appraisers anyway. We also provide access to an electronic appraiser at low cost.

To sell fast and for a good price plus save the owner almost 50%, a great deal of effort has gone into automating much of our unique flat fee listing process, with most everything done online, via telephone or fax. We will get involved personally when we get calls from Realtors and private parties for more information and availability, or private party showing requests, where we (or an associate) will meet them and show properties.

If you have more questions or wish to communicate more you can do so by email, or give us a call at 1-800-657-9711.

Q. If Real Estate Listing Broker sells my home will I owe a commission?

A. Yes. If Real Estate Listing Broker finds a buyer for your home we are entitled to the commission for selling your home. It does not matter which Realtor sells your home, you only pay the Realtor with the buyer. When a Realtor sells your property, you never pay more than 3%, plus our low flat fee. .

Q. If I sell my home by owner how much will it cost me?

A. If you sell your own home without the assistance of the MLS, Realtor.com or other Agents - you only pay the initial Flat Fee.

Q. Will my listing be different than other listed properties paying a full commission?

A. Your listing will appear the same as all other listings.

Q. How long does it take to get my house in the MLS?

A. It will take about 24-hours after you sign your Listing Contract.

Q. How long does it take to get the sign & lockbox if ordered separately?

A. It will take about 2 to 5 days for the sign and lockbox - the sign & lockbox are sent UPS ground with easy instructions for installation of the lockbox.

Q. Why do I need to be listed in the MLS?

A. To gain the greatest exposure! Listing in the MLS advises all the local Realtors that your house is for sale and will bring qualified buyers to you as soon as possible.

Q. Can I use my own "For Sale" Sign?

A. Yes. You can use your own "For Sale By Owner" sign unless not permitted by local association rules.

Q. Will Real Estate Listing Broker help with the purchase contract, placing the contract in escrow, contingency issues, closing and settlement matters.

A. To a degree, they do. Real Estate Listing Broker does not help with all the paperwork involved but will handle the offer and contract. If the Seller requests that broker does assist in the purchase contract, placing the contract in escrow, contingency issues, closing and settlement matters -- Real Estate Listing Broker will provide these services for an additional fee which all parties agree to, only due upon sale and payable at Close of Escrow.

Q. Will you hold open houses and do extensive media advertising for me?

A. Normally No, some Real Estate Listing Broker may travel within 5-miles of our location, where we will occasionally and upon request conduct open-houses. Regarding extensive advertising it's time to reveal the so-called "Realtors' Secret." The plain truth is Realtors primarily use costly media advertising and also frequent and poorly advertised open-houses mainly as marketing tools and as a significant source of new business for themselves. They know there's little chance of getting a buyer for your property using those methods . . . in all likelihood your buyer will arrive thru the Multiple Listing Service. Thus, they frequently lead sellers to believe the media, in-print ads and open-houses will likely bring results. The real truth is the Real Estate Multiple Listing Service is the only proven effective method available for selling houses. However, we will do everything possible to offer effective exposure and marketing via Realtor.com, and possibly open-houses or door flyers, depending on the property location.

Q. I own a Condo, can the MLS help me be more competitive?

A. Yes! If a condo owner needs to sell fast they could lose money on the sale. On a $100,000 sale price you would save about $3,000 by not paying a listing commission.

Q. How do I know the MLS information is correct?

A. We will email you a copy of the MLS listing for you to review.

Q. Can I make changes to my MLS listing?

A. You can do as many as four changes after reviewing the MLS Listing - there is no charge for them.

Q. May the MLS Listing be cancelled by sellers for any reason?

A. No, the contract may not be cancelled by the seller unless the listing broker agrees to do so. Sometimes the listing broker may ask for additional compensation if there is no standard Realtor® Referral done. The possibility of permitting seller cancellation also depends to a degree on the circumstances involved, including the reasons for asking a contract cancellation be done, and also how much time and effort the broker has invested in the listing.

Q. When broker enters my listing in the MLS, is there a special number to identify my property?

A. Yes. The Local MLS assigns an MLS Number so Realtors can easily identify your property.