All the If’s and but’s of flat fee MLS Colorado
As the saying goes: if “ifs” and “buts” were buyers and offers, we’d all sell well above asking. Not entirely the original idiom, but it’s certainly relevant for those in the process of selling their Colorado home.
Over the last few years, the Colorado property market has fared well, resulting in many homeowners being in possession of a gold mine if they choose to sell. The only caveat is that with the average home price established at above $600,000, at least $36,000 of that asset will go to realtor commission, a hefty price to pay to sell your home during a market boon.
These figures make it easy to understand why homeowners consider Flat Fee MLS Colorado sellers have used to sell their homes.
Now that homeowners have more options at their disposal in terms of MLS listings, there’s far more hesitation about whether using a flat fee MLS Colorado homeowners use is the right choice. The “ifs” and “buts” start to creep in.
The “Ifs” Associated with Conducting an FSBO Sale in Colorado
Being hesitant about conducting an FSBO sale is natural. However, many of the most pressing concerns aren’t a factor because of how flat fee MLSs operate. Nevertheless, to put your mind at ease, we address your greatest “ifs.”
What if I Don’t Get as Many Offers?
This is a common misconception with FSBO sellers.
If you’re listing with a reputable Flat Fee MLS Colorado property owners swear by, you shouldn’t expect any difference in the interest and offers you receive, as it’s the buyer’s agent that does all the convincing.
The flat fee MLS allows you to access the place buyer agents go to find homes for their clients: the MLS.
What if I Don’t Have the Time to Invest in Showings?
You don’t need time to learn how to list on MLSs or time to get buyers interested in your property, or — most importantly — time to show the property. The flat fee service should help you with the two first concerns, and a digital lockbox will sort out the third.
What if I Get Offers, But They’re Lower?
The buyer agent still gets commission from the sale of your property, so it’s highly unlikely you’ll get lower offers solely because you’ve listed on a flat fee MLS.
Instead, the contrary is more likely to happen: you could get higher offers if you choose a competitive buyer agent commission and list at a fair price. You don’t have control over these elements when you list with a traditional agent, but when you go the flat fee MLS route, you’re in control, enabling you to determine a commission structure and property price that’s going to get the most interest.
The “Buts” of Selling a Home on a Flat Fee MLS Colorado Homeowners Swear By
As is common with any worry, once you sort out the “ifs” you have to address the “buts.” These buts can stop you from making the most lucrative decision you’ll make when selling property in Colorado, to cut out the listing agent commission by using a flat fee MLS.
But I don’t Have the Experience to List Property
You don’t need the experience to list your home on the MLS. With digital-first flat fee services like Houzeo, you get a walk-through detailing how to list on MLS local to your area. This walk-through contains tips.
You also need experience dealing with closing or escrow, as services like Houzeo and Flat Fee Group will provide the necessary paperwork and an escrow agent.
But I’ve Never Sold a Home Before
Although first-time buyers get much of the attention, it can be stressful being a first-time seller, as you aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of selling property. Thankfully, most Flat Fee MLS gives detailed instruction on how to set up your home for a successful sale.
But Buyer Agents Don’t Want to Work With Sellers Directly
This is a misconception stirred up by seller agents to make you more hesitant about discovering how simple an FSBO sale can be.
But an FSBO Sale Makes Me Appear Desperate
Every day millions of real estate investors and house-flippers sell their home FSBO, but no one thinks they’re desperate. While you may think an FSBO sale signals desperation, it can signal the opposite: you have experience selling homes. The most experienced home sellers — investors and flippers — choose FSBO over listing with an agent, which puts you in a better position to negotiate as many buyers will think you’re an investor or flipper.
You can relieve the concern surrounding the “ifs” and “buts” by choosing a reputable flat fee MLS service. While there are dozens of MLS options in Colorado, only a handful stand out as being worthwhile to sellers: Houzeo, Flat Fee Group, and HybridListingMLS are among the top contenders.
Each of these has tailored the selling experience to enable sellers to get better offers.