Have you ever searched the Internet to find homes for sale? Of course you have…And, it is amazing how many homes you can find from just one website. The reason that you are able to see all of these listings in one place is because that website has access to MLS real estate listings. The MLS real estate listings are a compilation of homes for sale that are either localized by county or are regional and include several counties within one MLS.
Not only are the MLS real estate listings going to allow you to see homes for sale, but obviously, if you want to sell your home you are going to want be listed in MLS as well. The fact is, if you are positioned properly within the MLS, or multiple listing service, your home will be available to view through a variety of popular websites as well as through any real estate brokers that may be working in your area.
In order to get one of these MLS real estate listings though, you are going to need to go through a licensed real estate agent or broker. They are the only ones legally allowed to list your home in any MLS. When using a real estate agent to list your home in MLS there are two routes you can choose. You can hire a full service real estate agent and pay them 6% of the selling price of your home. Or, you can hire a flat fee real estate listing service that will list your home for a one-time flat fee which may cost as little as $300. Using a flat fee listing service can literally save you thousands of dollars.
Traditionally, flat fee listing services did nothing more than list your home on MLS and it was up to the homeowner to do everything else, including marketing, open houses etc. These days though, with the real estate market so tough, some flat fee services are starting to offer more…some include lockboxes, “for sale” signs, contract forms, virtual tours, listing syndication to countless other websites, and even open houses. In fact, some flat fee agencies now offer better service than a traditional full service real estate agent. In the end, it is best to shop around and do what you feel most comfortable with, but remember, using a flat service will always save you money. And, if you can find one that does more, then it is a win-win situation for the seller.
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