One of the things I like the most about being a broker is that I can structure my services to fit the situation. Back in the days when I was with a big franchise type company I was limited to selling homes for a commission based on a percentage of the sale price. With one company I was told not to charge below X amount. In general we provided the same services to all of our clients and treated all properties the same.
Properties and their owners are all unique. I am able to unbundle my services and provide the services that are needed for a fee that isn’t necessarily based on the value of the property. Sometimes people want to try something different. There is actually more than one way to sell a home.
Sometimes home owners come to me after they have identified a buyer because they just need some help with a purchase agreement or maybe they are not sure how much to ask for their home and want a price opinion. Unless I am just too busy I rarely turn work away.
There are a couple of real estate companies that specialize in for sale by owner type listings. These homes are listed on our MLS through an agent who is providing limited service instead of full service. The advertising and even the company names can be a bit deceptive.
Real estate agents are taught to ask for a certain percentage as a commission and explain why they are worth it and will state that agents who will accept a lower commission may not be good at negotiating a higher sale price for a home. Since I have no way of knowing what other agents are charging for their services I don’t have anyway of gathering any actual data to prove that people who will work for a lower commission have trouble negotiating.
Occasionally I encounter homeowners who will sell their homes for significantly less than what I could have gotten for them just so they don’t have to pay a commission. All I can say is that isn’t the kind of person I want to work with. I’ll never understand why someone will accept 10% to 20% less for their home but won’t pay a commission that is a single digit percentage but I have seen some people do just that.
If you have a unique property or situation call me or write. Maybe I can help.
