It is fascinating to watch how their national and local REALTOR Associations' actions undermine their own member's knowledge, expertise, professionalism, continuing education, not to mention the horrendously high fees REALTORS have to pay to their national and local Associations in order to have access to the MLS system, which the public gets for FREE!
NAR and local REALTOR Associations continually marginalize their own REALTOR members in the real estate transaction. They continue to think that by constantly touting that they have a "Code of Ethics", that should be more than sufficient to convince the public that REALTORS are of value! What a joke!!
Now these Associations have finally agreed to aggregate all local MLS systems into a national MLS! YEAH!! The public can now know more about every market in the US than the vast majority of local REALTORS could ever know. Like Craner says, "THEY KNOW NOTHING!"
REALTOR Associations obviously have agendas that are totally out of sync with its members' interests and REALTORS don't even get it.
REALTORS ARE SO STUPID!!!
WHY WOULD ANYBODY USE ONE???
Tee Cee
of TX
@
May 26, 2008 10:59:46 AM
For sale by owners
We did it in 2001 and were surprised how straight forward it was. Yes, this was in a slowly rising market, the home was in a desirable living area in CT and our "for sale by owners" sign sat on the lawn for only three weeks - but it saved us thousands of dollars and easily covered all the costs for our move to Europe. We had our own lawyer at the signing, which is usual anyway. You quickly realise how much "hand holding" the realtors do for the Sellers and our friends in Europe could not believe that commission rates of six percent could even be accepted by Sellers - more than double what it is in Europe. Try it - you will love it!
Bill Holroyd
of CT
@
May 24, 2008 14:08:59 PM
For Sale by Owner
There are too many pitfalls to buy a house directly form the owner without a real estate agent's involvement. Most sellers have no idea of all the legal ramifications involved with selling a house. They are setting themselves up for litigation at a later date. It's not worth it just to save a few dollars. In the long run, nothing will be saved, but trouble.
Brits Donossian
of CA
@
May 23, 2008 14:31:35 PM
Get an expert ...
I'm a private investor and entrepreneur who has made millions in real-estate. I always use an agent when selling, in particular. Here are the reasons why:
Adrian J Cartwood
of IL
@
May 22, 2008 17:27:46 PM
For Sale By owner
The key question is do you feel confident enough to negotiate a sale on your own property. Be honest with yourself. We are not all made the same, and for some people this maybe out of the question. If so - a realtor offers value for money.
The level of access to online visibility and online communication today would suggest that many of the services previously offered by a realtor are easily accessible to all with the pervasive nature of the internet.
My view: Sell it yourself, and save a fortune.
Kind Regards,
Stuart Atkinson
www.offplanpropertyexchange.com - New homes and investment opportunities worldwide.
Off Plan Property Exchange
of CA
@
May 22, 2008 16:32:23 PM
Regional Services Exist To Help Private Home Sellers
As the owner of a company that provides advertising and marketing exposure for private home sellers, I agree that the NAR's version of how many sellers are "unrepresented" is vastly understated. It is difficult to provide an accurate statistic on the number of sellers who have sold without agent involvement. Websites such as the one quoted, does not and cannot track actual sales results, relying on self reporting. The mere posting of an ad online does not equate with an actual sale and listings of many national companies often remain active long after the seller has abandoned them.
Regional for sale by owner services generally do a better job controlling their inventory as they know their advertisers (sellers) and try to track results through deed transfers, follow ups with sellers, etc. They are also a great resource for sellers. Unlike national Internet based companies, regional services often combine print advertising (magazines, buyer's guides, etc.) with name recognition, a brick and mortar office, and other marketing services. Real estate is local, and it is a great benefit to work with those who know the local market, can refer to professional attorneys, appraisers, inspectors, stagers, etc. who they know personally by reputation. The beauty of the Internet today is that small companies can have the same or higher search engine placement than national companies achieve.
Education is key when deciding to sell by owner. Regional services often provide this needed element by hosting "how to" seminars, providing support to sellers in a variety of ways that just cannot compare to posting an ad in cyberspace. Sellers who utilize time saving methods do not need to think of selling their home as a part time job. Proper preparation, including obtaining and using a professional appraisal to set their asking price, getting wide regional and Internet exposure early, can significantly cut down on the time and aggravation that comes with unrealistic expectations.
Tee Cee of TX @ May 26, 2008 10:59:46 AM
Bill Holroyd of CT @ May 24, 2008 14:08:59 PM
Brits Donossian of CA @ May 23, 2008 14:31:35 PM
Adrian J Cartwood of IL @ May 22, 2008 17:27:46 PM
Off Plan Property Exchange of CA @ May 22, 2008 16:32:23 PM
Liz Provo of MA @ May 22, 2008 14:17:41 PM
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