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Hope,
Just go to google, type in 'flat fee mls', and your city, you can see if they are available. Usually seller must pay $400-600 up front, and that will get you on the MLS. In some cities there are many, and I would make sure there is a local address where you can go talk to someone, look at papers, and write a check (don't use a web-based one). You still have to offer a 'co-broke' commission if the buyer comes thru another broker. But if the buyer sees your MLS listing and contacts you directly, . . . no additional commission. This does require some business savvy because you will have to be able to understand pages and pages of offers, counter-offers, etc. The fee must also be paid up front and is not refundable if your property doesn't sell. This is not for everyone, some buyers prefer to deal thru a broker, it makes the transaction 'faceless'. Hope everyone doesn't misunderstand my previous posting, brokers do provide a service. My point was that they are not the gods that we all need to bow down to, as some may be implying. Everyone on this board works hard for their money too, and we don't really need everyone coming here telling how great they are. Just my humble opinion. Good luck in your endeavors (and price aggressively low if you want to sell).
Posts: 859
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I do have to say that 2 years ago the Real Estate Agents were very hit and miss, it took us 3 agents to buy a house.
I don't think the first one wanted to deal with a 200k to 300k deal, so they did not do any follow up after our first visit to the island.
The second would not stop showing us kit homes with no style at all.
Its funny how "we" (my wife and I) found a house to look at that might be the one, but the Second agent did not have the 15 minute it would take to let us look at it. Literally, they were showing us another kit home on a flat treeless lot 2 blocks from this house and did not want drive us by and look at it because they were to busy with something else. So we went an looked by ourselves and ran into the selling agent. This one showed us the house and then proceeded to show us 4 or 5 more houses in the styles we were looking for. This third agent spent more time with us in that 1 day the other 2 combined over 6 months.
We bought that house that we found ourselves and went though the selling agent. We never heard a word back from the other 2.
You might think this third agent made out well getting both side of the sale, but we used him for price negotiation, pushing paperwork through and training us on Hawaii Real Estate law/procedures. They also managed things at the house for us as we were out of state. So they earned their money dealing with us.
Finding a good agent is a key. Educating yourself is another.
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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
The Wilder Side Of Hawaii
Posts: 2,314
Threads: 59
Joined: Jun 2003
quote:
Originally posted by Dave M
.. and over a year ago I contacted Rabbi and told him that I would be using a local agent because I was smart enough to know that I wasn't as Hawaiian/local smart as a "good" agent. That in and of itself says that I practice what I preach. (It would be nice if Rabbi could confirm that conversation right about here).
It's confirmed Dave, and don't forget we pay referral fee too! [  ] BTW, it's "Rabi" and not "Rabbi."
PS. For those of you wondering, you can't put your property in MLS here, you would have to hire one of the brokerage companies to provide you with this limited service.
Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,ARB,BFT,CM,CBR,FHS,PB,RB
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
Posts: 2,466
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Wow, away for a few days and miss all the fun!
The problem is GREED, pure and simple. The American way is to see hwo quickly a buck can be made. Real estate agents: get those listings and make commissions as fast as possible, lenders: create those loans as fast as possble and turn the paper quickly. Home buyers: get the "look" of being "someone" cause I have this awesome house. City, county, state: grow fat on the "phantom" property tax windfall and pad your budgets. It goes on and on.
When I first started seeing the ads for "borrow up to 125% on your house/equity", I KNEW something was up.
Guess we will never learn...remember the 1987-88 and the "S&L' "crisis"? It was GREED then and it is GREED now....
Puna: Our roosters crow first
Posts: 6,214
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If you are posting your own MLS... remember that the fee is an upfront fee...
If you use a real estate agent, the fees are only paid upon successful completion of the real estate transaction...
Real estate agents also have some liability (& most have insurance for this liability) that you will also be taking on if you are representing the sale of your house. Make sure if you are representing your house that you have full, open & written accounts of any potential defects with the property.... (you may think "I have never seen this"... but look closely at all of that paperwork you signed, your contracts... & make sure that the contracts you use are up to date, legal documents for the transaction....
And then be ready willing & able to be available whenever a potential buyer, & any just wanna look around-ers are around... knowing that you may miss those that are not looking at your listing (and no, I am not a real estate agent... it is a totally commission based job that has a high turnover for a reason... it takes a very special person to weather the real estate market for any length of time... these are normally the top in the field for a reason...)
Posts: 2,314
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quote:
Originally posted by StillHope
John,how much your firm charges for MLS listing?
From our "Menu of Services:"
C. FSBO PROGRAM: $500.00 plus Co-op Fee
The For Sale By Owner program includes the property is placed in the Multiple Listing Service until it sells, therefore reaching several thousands of real estate agents and buyers. Our real estate sign will be provided. All advertising is paid by the seller in advance. (We shall provide information on real estate publications and costs of their various ads.) If the seller sells the property privately, the only cost will be the $500.00 up front fee. Property will be placed on two Internet sites, including Realtor.com® (Over 1,300,000 agents/brokers belong in the U.S. making it the largest MLS site in the country.)
Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,ARB,BFT,CM,CBR,FHS,PB,RB
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
Posts: 414
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Joined: Jun 2006
Title policy isn't that hard to read.
Nope not for me..ric, but I know what I'm doing and to this day I've never seen two just a like, have you ric?.
I've found that in MANY of the commercial deals that I've bought and sold, the broker was useless. With one drive by of the property, I was able to know more about the property than the broker. This has also happened here in Hawaii. I'm still waiting for info from one broker about some land here, over 3 weeks to get the plat of the CPR.
Whatever dude. We just can't all be ric..
Still, you make the argument that brokers know everything, No I don't believe I did ric. yet there were all kinds of non-pro's becoming brokers in the past 5-7 years. Again, you make the point that you are better than them, (I am better than them ric) but that just supports the argument that many are worth less (or worthless). Great I never said there weren't some crappy Realtors. Maybe you would humor us all by showing me where I said that, ric) I've made many agents "good clients", when I needed to. But I've never felt their fee (sometimes $60-75k) was worth the few hours they put in. And furthermore, I've seen more mistakes made on deals because the brokers are confused, don't know the deal well, and don't have their motivations aligned with either the buyer or seller.
Again, before you beat your chest, I still think most people should use one, (but you're much smarter than most people, now who's beaten their chest ric?) but brokers are not the savior of the world, as some may think they are.
Nobody beaten their chest around here except you ric. Again I'd like you to show me all these places where I said all this savior BS, ric..
The trend on the mainland is starting, that many are listing thru flat-fee services, and selling successfully. There are many other people out there, just as smart as the 6% brokers, who would like to make a living, and will do it for less.
Sorry but I'd think a savvy Real Estate guy like you would know that discount and/or flat rate Realtors have been around since the 70s. They tend to come and go every 10 years or so. I don't and have never seen them as a threat to me or my profession. There's a reason you don't see them stick around on a national level for any length of time.. You tend to get what you pay for.
Ric, there's no doubt that I'm proud of what I do but I have not said anywhere here that I think all RE agents are great. You tend to agree that Realtors are somewhat of a necessary evil for other people, but not you. Then you go off on a rant about a bunch of stuff I just never said. I've said that there are good and bad in all fields. You have tried (to no avail) to I guess convince me that I'm over paid or convince everyone else here of that.
If people want to use a flat rate brokerage I say more power to them, and I mean it. I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of discount brokers. It is important to note that if you pay someone to put your property on the MLS you should be very certain of your price point because when the listing expires you wont get you money back, although I assume that they may have a list it until it sells option.
Blessings,
dave
"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young
Blessings,
dave
"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young
Posts: 8,470
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Communication is not a win/lose game. It is an art that requires listening as much as, if not more than, talking.
Punaweb moderator
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 414
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob Tucker
Communication is not a win/lose game. It is an art.
Punaweb moderator
Message received..
Blessings,
dave
"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young
Blessings,
dave
"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young
Posts: 2,019
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Joined: Jan 2008
John Rabi, thank you for the explanation of your company FSBO policy.For how long MLS can be listed without "renewal fee" and how much is the co-op fee?
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