From the very beginning to the end of the home selling process, we are here to answer your basic real estate questions. Our home selling system is designed for the first time home seller with no real estate knowledge.
Getting Listed
To start the process, you will receive a detailed and highly structured questionnaire about your home. Most sellers complete this questionnaire in no more than 20 minutes. The most challenging questions for some sellers are the room dimensions, but most sellers either have an old listing, appraisal, floorplan, or tax record with the room dimensions, or if they don't we can often find an old listing in the MLS that shows the room dimensions.
For photos of the home, most of our sellers take their own photos, but an option for professional photography is typically available.
For determining an asking price, the seller decides on the price. In most areas, a variety of options for assistance in determining the best price are available.
Marketing Power
We take the information you give us and create the professional presentation identical to what sellers who are paying the traditional huge 6%+ commission receive. We then distribute that listing information on the Realtors Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the only tool most agents assisting buyers use to find properties to show. We also distribute your listing to the most popular real estate websites, and many more. Our typical listing distribution includes nearly one thousand real estate website postings. Your listing is highly visible to both buyers working with agents (which, statistically is about 86% of buyers), and buyers not working with a buyer agent (about 14% of buyers).
Showings
Most of our sellers follow our advice to mimic the industry standard practices for secure agent showings. That industry standard enables sellers to approve each and every showing time in advance, and enables the seller to not be present at the showing because the agent accesses the home through a lockbox.
Offers
98% of our sellers do not need additional assistance with offers beyond what our service includes. Most sellers are nervous about getting an offer until they actually receive an offer. As our sellers read over the offer, they typically notice:
- a standardized, boilerplate agreement approved by the Realtor Association,
- blanks for the key items one would expect: price, closing date, what appliances the buyer is requesting to stay, etc.
- descriptions of the process that explain whether inspections and appraisals will be involved,
- pre-approval letter for the buyer's mortgage,
- reminders that our brokerage is available for basic questions, and
- a calmness from knowing that additional assistance is always an option.
In many areas, we offer a “practice offer” if a seller wants to be familiar with the details in advance—not because it requires preparation, but to help sellers realize it isn't complicated. If you think offers are complicated, contact us and ask us for an example. Remember, one of the most frequent comments we hear from customers is “you made it simple.”
Preparing for Closing, Appraisals, and Inspections
Some sellers have traditional huge commission agents tell them that home selling is more complicated than rocket science and brain surgery, and that home sellers frequently get sued for some error. Not true! The flat fee MLS listing closing process is nearly identical to what sellers paying huge traditional commissions experience, only it takes less time. Why? Instead of a seller communicating with the closing professional through their agent, who is simply relaying information back and forth, they get to communicate directly with the closing professional, who expertly guides the process.
Closing
Some huge commission traditional agents act as if they play a huge role at the closing, when the reality is that the closing professional guides and drives the closing process, regardless of how the seller listed their property. Real estate licensees are not allowed to give legal advice at closing, and generally don't even need to be present. Most agents attend the closing to pick up their huge commission check, and to encourage the seller to refer their friends and family.
Celebrate
What will you do with the money you save from selling flat fee instead of the traditional huge commission? Vacation, new car, or roll the funds into your next home. The savings is real, and our sellers' home sale proceeds check is $8,072 larger than it would have been, on average.
What an actual Flat Fee MLS Listing Seller says...
As for how BuySelf did for me, the experience was wonderful. I was pretty nervous going into this as it's my first for sale by owner (FSBO) experience, but your excellent and knowledgeable staff made it a great experience for us and helped answer our questions along the way.
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