FAQ’s About Our Listing Service
Q: What is the MLS?
A: The term MLS stands for “Multiple Listing Service” and is a database of properties currently on the market in the area. It’s only available to Realtors and not to the public. The MLS allows participating Realtors (which includes virtually all Realtors in the area) to list their homes for sale and agree to share in the sales commission of the properties. The MLS feeds data to many sources including Realtor.com, most broker and agent websites, and many large franchise sites like remax.com. The exposure your FSBO home will get with our service will increase your chances of finding a buyer faster. And remember, the faster the better. Buyers are less likely to make a low offer on a newly listed home that’s price right for the current market!
Q: How long will it take for my home to appear online?
A: Once we receive your order, listing paperwork, MLS data, and photos we’ll get right to work entering it on the MLS (usually the same day). After we complete your MLS listing, we’ll email you a copy of the listing to verify all is correct. We ask that you carefully examine the sheet and promptly notify us of any errors. Your listing will be live on Realtor.com in 24 to 48 hours. Once it goes live, we need to enhance it with photos, property details, and custom content. If you’ve ordered a Video Tour, we’ll get to work on that when we receive all of your photos. That can be uploaded on Realtor.com quickly once completed.
Q: After I list, what websites will my home appear on?
A: Visit our Marketing page to see the current list of websites your home will appear on.
Q: Can I cancel my contract?
A: Yes. You are free to cancel your contract at anytime during the listing. The exception would be while your home is under deposit you can not cancel.
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Q: How can your services help sell my home for more money?
A: If you list with a traditional Realtor and pay a 5% or 6% commission, you may need to increase the price of your home to defray your high commission expense and try to end up with the healthy bottom line you desire. With our Flat Fee MLS service, you practically eliminate the Listing Commission. This allows you to lower the asking price of your home, making it available to more buyer’s and more competitive with other properties currently for sale. A lower price will help sell your home faster and closer to full price, while beating out your competition!
Q: Will agents show my home if I list flat fee?
A: Yes! Buyers agents just want to find a home for their clients. If your home suits their needs, is priced right, and is offering a competitive standard “co-broke” commission there should be no reason they wouldn’t show it. We’ve heard stories from some of our clients telling us other agents said they needed to list with them to sell. This statement is not only NOT true, it’s unethical! I wouldn’t trust any agent that tells you this… they only want to get your listing so they can fill their pockets with your hard earned equity. We provide the same online marketing for only a fraction of the cost.
Q: Won’t a traditional Realtor sell my property faster?
A: No! It’s a fact that listing agents rarely sell their own listings anymore due to co-broking with other Realtors through the MLS. The majority of traditional Realtors simply place your property on the MLS and waits for other Realtors to call with potential buyers. However, for access to the MLS database, traditional Realtors will charge you from 5% to 6% of the selling price of your home in commissions. Additionally, you most likely will have to agree to pay this commission even if you sell your home yourself, without any Realtor involved.
Q: How will buyers be able to get in touch with me?
A: We have some unique solutions for this. Let’s start with Realtor.com, since they do not allow any owner information, we’ll create an extension on our toll free number so callers may contact you direct. Our “Direct Connect” transfers these callers from our toll free number DIRECT to your phone! We’ll also post your contact info within your listing on our website. This way buyers reaching our site from any other public source can obtain your contact number or be able to email you. Also, if anyone emails us about your home, we’ll forward that email on to you. We hope you’ll find a buyer not working with a broker so you can save the whole commission. Good Luck!
Q: What is Realtor.com? Is it the same as the MLS?
A: It’s important to understand that the MLS is not the same as Realtor.com. The MLS is what Realtors use to list homes and can only be accessed by licensed Realtors, while Realtor.com is the public website run by the National Association of Realtors and is primarily used by consumers to search for homes. In fact more than 85% of buyers use Realtor.com as their main property search service! The only way to get your home on the site is through a Realtor.
Q: Shouldn’t I list with a Realtor that sells a lot of homes?
A: The plain truth is that less than 5% of listing agents actually sell the homes they list themselves. Why? They simply use the power of the MLS by listing the property for thousands of agents to bring their respective buyers. 85% of home buyers use a Realtor to help them locate a property. Why is this important? Most Realtors use to the MLS exclusively to search properties for their clients. Our Flat Fee listing method places your property on the same MLS as the local Realtors. Put the power of the MLS to work for you and save 1/2 the commission! List on the MLS Today!
Q: Why should I use CTFlatFee.com as opposed to other online companies?
A: Unlike most other online companies, CTFlatFee.com is owned by CT Realty Services which is a licensed real estate broker covering all of Connecticut. Many of these other online companies are simply referral websites, NOT brokers, and therefore they refer their business out to someone else. Most of them also charge higher listing fees than us. By listing direct with us you will effectively be eliminating the online middle man and saving money!
