Experiences with Full Service Realtor, Assist to Sell or listing on MLS yourself...

[Kari C in SC]

It looks like we will be putting our Florida house back on the market. Originally, in 2007 I listed it ourself with a flat rate MLS service. I did have quite a few showing with realtors bringing their clients. Just no sale. Then we hired an Assist to Sell office. IMHO, this woman didn't do much to help sell my house. Here I am now, with a different Assist to Sell office trying to get me to list with them. I have also contacted a full service realtor that was suggested to me by a friend. AND - I still have the option of listing the house myself in the MLS. I have a realtor friend that would do any "by owner" showings and handle all the paperwork for just 1% if she sells it. If another realtor sells it, then I just pay them the 3%. I guess my main question is if you used a Full Service Bells and Whistles realtor - did you think it was worth it. In my case it is about an extra $6500 in fees. If you used Assist to Sell - how did that work out for you? If you listed on the MLS yourself - did you find that really it is just getting it out there for other realtors to sell that sold your house? Any input would be great it helping us make this decision. Thanks!

[Christy B]

This is a tough call.

 

We have listed two houses FSBO -- absolutely NO realtor support. With both houses, we had a contract within 45 days. The first house closed easily, no complications. We *sold* the house (not listed, sold) for about $25K more than a realtor wanted to *list* the house.

 

The second house, there was a problem with the inspector falsifying the inspection and the buyers breached the contract and refused to buy the house. Would a realtor have made a difference? Quite possibly, but maybe not. After that sale fell through, we listed with a realtor, who really and truly did. not. help. (He is one of the greatest guys we know, a friend, but he just wasn't at all aggressive, and I don't think he had much advertising budget to work with). Honestly, we had a lot more (and a lot better) showings on our own.

 

I would be inclined to suggest the "realtor lite" option that you seem to have (with the realtor who would only charge you 1% or another realtor 3%). Here again, though, you mention that this person is a friend. We've had two experiences with "friend realtors" that ended up going badly.

 

One option would be to put your house on the market FSBO fairly early in the season (does FL have a real estate season, or does it all pretty much stink?). Give it six weeks or so, see if you catch the right person and get a contract. If not, go ahead with a realtor (and I might be inclined to suggest the recommended realtor, as opposed to someone you're friends with). It will look "new" on the market because it will be advertised differently, etc.

 

Best wishes to you, I have a love/hate relationship with real estate. I used to think I really wanted to be an agent . . . we've had two attempts to move fall through in the last two years . . . I think I'm over it.

[Melissa B]

The Assist 2 Sell in Fort Myers was excellent. I sold two houses through them. And both times they did a wonderful job. Now we have a house for sale way out in the boonies, nowhere near an Assist 2 Sell office, so I am using a full service realtor. Based on past experience, I would use Assist 2 Sell again if it were an option for us.

 

Assist 2 Sell should have your home listed on their website (MLS is generally optional, I used it) with several pictures including inside pictures. They should have a full page flyer in your yard, kept stocked at all times. And your house should be listed on the back of any flyers of other houses for sale by Assist 2 Sell in the area. In Fort Myers, they also do open houses at your request. In our case, they also sent our listing directly to other agents and invited them to tour the house. I think that is what sold our second house. A realtor that toured the home returned a couple of weeks later with a potential buyer who eventually bought the house.