Q: I’ve heard that other offices and agents won’t show homes offering a commission less than 3% to them. Is this true? A: False. Agents from both small and large real estate companies have shown and sold our listings. Agents who refuse to show a home that offers a 2.5% commission would be breaking the law and violating their responsibility to the buyer. This simply does not happen, even with the tiny minority of unethical agents, because they want to find their buyer a home, get paid a competitive commission, and move on to the next transaction. Desperate agents trying to get a listing who make statements like this are violating anti-trust laws and are showing you how unethical they are. The Association of Realtors® polices this issue very effectively, so please let us or them know if you hear this from an agent. Q: How do you stay in business with your low commission? A: This is our favorite question! It’s real simple– we want your business and referrals! We cut the fat out and lowered our bottom line. Even though housing prices doubled in recent years why should our commission? We still do the same amount of work. Q: When will my listing be active on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)? A: Immediately! However, it may take up to 24–36 hours before it appears on Realtor.com®. Q: Does my MLS and Realtor.com® listing include 12 photos? A: Yes! Others don’t mention photos because they offer only one photo. We offer the main photo plus 11 additional photos. Additional photos draw more attention to a listing. One photo is worth much more than 1,000 words and helps show your home’s best qualities. Q: Is a “Showcased” Realtor.com® listing with extra information and pictures included? A: Yes! Others may charge extra for a Showcased Listing on Realtor.com®, which is the #1 most popular real estate website. A Realtor.com® Showcased listing is included with us at no additional charge and allows us to add an additional 5 photos and 2500 characters of custom text to the basic Realtor.com® display. A showcased home generates far more traffic then a standard listing. Q: Does my MLS and Realtor.com® listing include room sizes? A: Yes! We will take the time to measure each room and provide them on MLS and Realtor.com®. Q: What is the length of your listing contract? A: It’s negotiable. Most brokers require a listing contract for a period of time, such as 6 months or a year. Our contracts are typically 4–6 months in length. Please keep in mind we will be spending time and money marketing your property and need a period of time to be successful. Q: What happens if you’re on vacation and an offer comes in or settlement occurs on my property? A: We will let you know ahead of time about any vacations, but for some reason we are unavailable, our Broker will fill in and handle your affairs personally. Unlike other offices, you will not be pawned to another agent or the “rookie” in the office. Q. Can you list my house for 3% with 2.5% to the buyer’s agent? A. Nope. We only provide full service and anything less would require a cut in service which is something we will not do. Our clients deserve the best. Q: Am I required to buy my next house with you to get the 4% rate? A: Nope. We would love to assist you in the buying process for your next home but it is not necessary for us to list your house for 4%. Q. Do I have to do any additional work? A. Nope. We’ll handle everything from start to finish. This includes all the marketing, paperwork, hosting open houses, handling appointments, attending settlement, etc. Q: How is the sales price of my home determined? A: Buyers and sellers represent the market and actually determine sales prices. As a gauge, Realtors® pay for access to data that would reflect recent home sales similar to the one you are selling. We use this data to prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) report. This gives a range of value the home may fall into. It is a similar process professional appraisers use but is not as thorough and generally there is no cost to you. Q: Can I save more money if I sell by owner? A: It depends. Many times using an agent can actually make you more money because buyers working directly with owners also try to save money and it’s difficult for both parties to do the same. Realtors® maintain relationships with buyers and are constantly advertising, creating a magnet for serious buyers leaving the bargain hunters for those selling on their own. Q: Do I need to sell my home before buying another one? A: If you can afford to buy your next house without selling then no, however most homeowners need to sell a home to realize their equity before buying their next home. If this is the case, you should consider getting your home sold first. A good agent can protect you in various ways. By selling your home first you are getting the most money for your home and strengthening your negotiating position when buying your next one. Don't see the answer to your question(s) here? Send us your question. We'll respond to your question(s) as quickly as possible! Learn more about our 4% Commission Rate... No hidden fees! No unwelcome surprises! Same services as those charging 6%! How do we do it so cheap? Volume! Contact us today! Real estate commissions and services are not set by law and may vary by agent and/or office. Information deemed reliable at time of publishing but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your home is listed with a REALTOR® this is not intended as a solicitation of your listing.