What is the difference between a “traditional” full service broker and your flat fee listing service?

There’s hardly any difference because Sellect Realty is full service and we represent our sellers.  We perform the same duties as traditional brokers such as determining your selling price, listing your home on the MLS, negotiating the contract on your behalf and attending the closing.  The biggest difference is in the savings for you, if you are willing to invest some of your time and effort in marketing your home. You will not be paying the full normal commission (typically 6%) that a traditional broker would charge. The only commission you will pay is to a buyer’s agent (typically 3%), if an agent brings you a buyer and sells your home.  Moreover, if you find a buyer with no agent and you sell your home yourself, you pay absolutely no commission.

What is MLS?

Multiple Listing Service is a computerized database of homes for sale.  It is used by real estate agents to market and promote their own listings and to cooperate with other agents in selling each other’s listings.  By listing your home in the MLS, it will be exposed to thousands of agents.  A large portion of real estate transactions is a direct result of having been listed in the MLS.  In Metro Atlanta, there are two competing multiple listing services.  One is called First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) and the other is called Georgia Multiple Listing Service (Georgia MLS or GAMLS).  Sellect Realty will list your home in both because it is hard to guess which multiple listing service an agent will use to search for homes for sale.

Will my listing look the same as “traditional” brokers’ listings on the MLS?

Absolutely.  Your listing will be identical.  It will have the same information as other sellers paying full commission to their brokers. Agents will not be able to tell that you paid only a flat fee to get listed on the MLS.

How long does it take for my property to be listed on the MLS, once I sign up with Sellect Realty?

We will place your property on the MLS within 24 hours.

How long will my home be listed on the MLS?

Your home will be listed on the MLS until it is sold.

How many photos can be displayed on my listing?

Sellect Realty will display, free of charge to you, up to 8 photos on your FMLS listing and up to 16 photos on your Georgia MLS listing.  These are the maximum number of photos allowed by the multiple listing services. Your Sellect Realty agent will photograph the exterior and interior of your home but you may also submit your own favorite photos to Sellect Realty (all photos must be “horizontal” shots; vertical shots will appear distorted on the listing).

Can I still sell my home “by owner” while it is listed on the MLS?

Yes.  Through our flat fee listing service, you enter into a contract with Sellect Realty called an Exclusive Right to Sell with Open Listing which gives you the right to sell your property yourself while your home is listed on the MLS.  With “traditional” listings, you enter into an Exclusive Right to Sell contract and the broker is guaranteed to be paid the full commission, even if you found a buyer.  You will pay no commission whatsoever if either you find and sell to a buyer not represented by an agent or if Sellect Realty shows and sells your home to a buyer not represented by an agent, under our flat fee listing agreement.

If I find my own buyer, do I still have to pay a sales commission?

No, if you find a buyer with no agent on your own, you pay no commission whatsoever.

Will my listing appear on other real estate company websites?

Yes.  Through a broker reciprocity system, Sellect Realty gives permission to all other Georgia real estate brokers and agents to display our listings on their websites “Courtesy of Sellect Realty.”  Buyers can search on any real estate company website with online MLS listings on the Internet and find your home for sale.

Will my listing appear on Realtor.com?

Yes.  Only homes that are listed on the MLS may appear on Realtor.com.  It is the largest consumers’ national real estate website to search for homes on the market.  “For Sale by Owner” homes are excluded.

How can I make changes to my MLS listing?

Just notify your Sellect Realty agent of your changes at any time.  Your agent will make all listing changes, including price change, revising the wording in your public remarks, or anything else, free of charge.

What if my needs change and I want to terminate my listing?

You may terminate your listing at any time for any reason by communicating to Sellect Realty in writing your termination request (email or fax is acceptable).  FMLS and Georgia MLS each charge a $25 withdrawal fee.  Sellect Realty will not charge you a fee.

What if I want to transfer my listing to a traditional real estate broker?

You can transfer your listing at any time but remember that your listing will end up on the same MLS system when you re-list with a “traditional” real estate broker that charges the normal full commission.  Most of the time, it is the buyers’ agents who bring buyers to show and sell your home and not the realty company that listed your property.  It is extremely rare for buyers or agents not to see or show a home based on the name of the realty company that listed a home.

How do I determine the listing price for my home?

We will assist you in determining a listing price.  We will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and suggest a price based on past sales and current competition in your neighborhood.

How much commission should I pay the Buyer’s Agent?

It is totally up to you to decide on the commission.  Commission fees are not fixed and it is against the law for agents to demand a certain commission.  The vast majority of sellers, however, are offering to pay a 3% commission to the buyer’s agent.

How long should I expect my home to be on the market before it sells?

If your home is priced right, shows well, and in a good location, it should sell quickly.

How important is it for my listing agent to be located near my home to sell my home?

Sellect Realty agents list homes all over Metro Atlanta and are therefore familiar with many areas and neighborhoods.  Keep in mind that most of the time it will be the buyers’ agents who will show your home.  A buyer rarely hires a listing agent.  A buyer hires a buyer’s agent who usually specializes in a specific area.

How are showings arranged?  Who will call me to show my home?

Your MLS listing gives instructions to agents on how and when to show your home.  The most common showing instruction to agents is “Courtesy Call Owner” and the owner’s phone number is printed for agents to call the owner directly.

How does a buyer with no agent contact me to see my home?

Any requests for home showings that we receive from buyers not represented by agents will be referred to you.  Also, your flyers in the Information Box outside will have your phone number printed for buyers to call you directly.

Will Sellect Realty show my home to a buyer with no agent if I can’t?

Yes, Sellect Realty will show your home to a buyer not represented by an agent, on your behalf, if you are not available (for instance, when you are away on vacation, on a business trip, or you and the buyer are unable to schedule a mutually convenient time).

Will Sellect Realty show my home to your buyers?

Yes.  We are licensed agents that represent buyers as well as sellers, so if your home meets our buyers’ criteria, we will show your home. 

May I advertise my home for sale on other real estate websites or in a newspaper at the same time my home is listed on the MLS?

Of course!  The more exposure the better! There are many websites out there where you can post your home for free (i.e. Craigslist.com).  Below are some samples.  Sellect Realty will automatically advertise your home for you, free of charge, in numerous popular consumer real estate websites (i.e. Zillow.com, Trulia.com, etc.)

Placing an ad in a newspaper can be expensive and you may end up getting nothing but calls from listing agents wanting you to list your home through them.

Does Sellect Realty provide a“For Sale” yard sign?

Yes.  It is a professional real estate For Sale sign in a metal frame.
Note: You may not display both a real estate For Sale sign and a For Sale by Owner sign at the same time due to regulations; no yard sign is permissible.

Who’s phone number is on the For Sale sign?

Sellect Realty brokerage firm’s phone number.  The Georgia Real Estate Commission requires that a licensed brokerage firm display the name of the realty company and the phone number on the For Sale sign. Through our flat fee service, any calls we receive from buyers not represented by agents will be referred to you to give you the opportunity to sell “by owner” so that you will not have to pay any commission.

Does Sellect Realty provide an Information Box for flyers?

Yes.  It is an information box with a lid.

Will Sellect Realty provide flyers?

We will provide flyer templates, free of charge, for you to make your flyer yourself as well as a sample flyer for you to follow as a guide.  You may also create your own flyer with an original design.  It will be your responsibility to keep the information box filled with flyers.  If you would like Sellect Realty to make a master flyer for you, it is an optional marketing service for a fee.

Who’s phone number is on the flyer?

Your phone number will be the prominent one printed on the flyer.  Potential buyers who drive by and pick up your flyer will call you directly.  It will give you the opportunity to sell “by owner” to a buyer not represented by an agent and you will pay no commission whatsoever.

Does Sellect Realty provide a street directional sign?

Yes.  We provide the first one free of charge to you.

Do you provide a lockbox?

Yes.  An agent-access electronic lockbox that holds your door key securely inside is available to you for a one-time lease fee.  You can lease it for the entire time your home is listed for sale.  Sellect Realty will monitor your lockbox regularly to check dates, times, and names of agents who entered to show your property and their realty company names and contact numbers.  We highly recommend leasing a lockbox because the more accessible your property is to agents, the better the opportunity to sell your home.  Sometimes a homeowner fears that an agent might show up without notice with a buyer and enter the home using the lockbox.  This situation can easily be avoided by keeping the lockbox inside the home until the homeowner receives a call from an agent and then the homeowner can set the lockbox outside next to the door close to the agent’s visit time or whenever the homeowner will be away from the home.

Can I show my home by “Appointment Only?”

Yes.  However, in general, agents do like to show homes that are by “Appointment Only” because it is difficult to schedule it with the number of other homes that they show in a day.  For this reason, there is a possibility that if yours is by “Appointment Only,” agents may pass up on showing your home.

A better way is to select “Courtesy Call Owner” on your MLS listing.  Agentys will call you and let you know the date and time frame of their visit.  They will usually give you a window of two hours on when they will arrive at your home.

Can I contact agents myself who have shown my home to get “feedback?”

It will not be necessary for you to contact agents yourself. If you lease an agent-access electronic lockbox from Sellect Realty, we will be able to obtain feedback from agents for you through the HomeFeedback system.  We will be monitoring your lockbox and whenever your home has been shown by an agent, we will request a feedback and let you know the response.  In general, it is better for us to get feedback for you because agents may not be as open and honest to a homeowner as they would be to us.

Do you negotiate the contact?

Yes.  Your Sellect Reatly agent who represents you will negotiate an offer directly with the buyer’s agent, on your behalf.  Usually, an offer is sent in by fax or email to your listing agent and then your agent will send it to you. Your agent will review and discuss with you the best counter offer strategies and negotiate the contract for you.

What do I do if I get an offer from a buyer who doesn’t have an agent?

Your listing agent can provide a Georgia Association of Realtor’s approved Purchase and Sale Agreement (commonly called a contract) to the buyer and explain the purchasing procedures in order to prevent the buyer from hiring an agent to save you from paying a buyer’s agent commission.  You may also take an offer written in any form from the buyer.  Have the buyer sign the offer but we would like to strongly urge you not to sign any offer until your listing agent, who is the most knowledgeable and qualified person, has reviewed the offer for you.

Will you go to my closing?

Yes.  Even though you list through our flat fee service, we do not treat you any different from our higher commission paying clients.  As your representative, we will work with you every step of the way through the entire selling process. Occasionally, though, there may be a conflict in scheduling and we may not be able to attend your closing.

How can your Company charge so little and make any money?

We make it on “volume.”  Our agents list a far greater number of homes than other real estate company agents.  Also, our flat fee service approach is to market your home in the most essential advertising venues and not waste money on unnecessary advertising.

How do I list my home with Sellect Realty?

Just go to Listing Appointment on the menu.  Fill out the easy form and submit.  Or, you may contact Sellect Realty by phone at 770-509-0265 or email your request to info@sellectrealty.com

Do you also represent buyers?

Yes.  In fact, you can use your Sellect Realty agent who listed your home to be your buyer’s agent to help you find your next home and take advantage of our popular 1% Cash Back rebate program. We have many satisfied clients who have saved thousands of dollars both ways – selling and buying. To learn more, please click on Cash Back on the menu.  Currently, we are offering a 1.5% Cash Back Special!