The original flat fee MLS was created to cut out the listing commission that Realtors made just for placing the property on the Multiple Listing Service. Lets face it, when the real estate market is strong the MLS is really the only marketing tool that a seller needs as long as the house, condo or vacant land is priced right. Avoiding a listing agents 3% commission in a sellers market is what made Florida flat fee MLS so popular! So in the past the whole concept was to pay a flat fee to get listed on the MLS and offer a commission of about 3% to the agent that produced a buyer, saving the 3% listing fee and keeping the money in the family!
In the market today there are a couple of creative ideas to consider in order to compete with a larger than normal inventory of real estate in Jacksonville. Again, there just ideas that may help you sell a little faster.
Take Advantage Of The Realtor Services…
There are thousands of Jacksonville area real estate agents who are working harder than ever before. They are all competing to find the good qualified home buyers. And they don’t do this for the fun of it either. They have families to support and bills to pay just like you and me. So we know that they look at the bottom line potential of every real estate deal. The bottom line in this case is the amount of commission that is being offered by the seller. The usual amount is 3% of the sales price of the property. Your neighbors and other competing properties are already offering 6% because they listed with a traditional Realtor! The traditional commission split is usually 3% to the listing broker and 3% to the selling broker.
With Florida flat fee MLS you are already a step ahead of the neighbors because you have 3% commission to play with that they don’t have. Sure its going to cost you a few more dollars to sell your real estate with this strategy but can you see the advantages that you can create?
Lets go over it again!!! What do you think would happen if you offered a 5% commission to the Jacksonville Realtor that sells your home? Do you think that they just might take a greater interest in your property? Do you think a 5% commission would make you stand out on the MLS and in the real estate offices? If a Realtor has a buyer for a property that fits your homes description do you think they would show a whole lot more enthusiasm about your property over the neighbors?
I think the answer to all the above questions is a huge YES…
It is an option to consider. You may want to just offer the typical 3% in the beginning and if you can’t get a buyer that way, increase the commission or use other incentives such as offering a bonus to the agents if they sell your property.
Remember you are serving as the listing person and have the options to also advertise your real estate by owner. You can always list your home in local newspapers, magazines, and send flyer’s to real estate agents offering an incentive to sell your property. When an agent shows your home its always a good idea to contact them the next day and find out what the potential buyer thought of the property. Ask the agent for their opinion and recommendations as well.
When you market you home for sell, you should always make sure that the exterior is clean, the lawn is trim, and the interior is in superb condition. If you plan to live there until it is sold, you’ll want to make sure that you have the interior of the home staged as best as you can. You want to give the buyers a great feeling, so they’ll stay and won’t want to leave. If your home is visually appealing both inside and out, a buyer will want to see more and take a much serious interest.
Selling property in a sluggish market can be a disappointing process but it is often necessary for one reason or another. Having a few options to consider just may end up being the solution to a successful sale and closing. Keep an open mind and an optimistic outlook!
