About Us » Frequent Questions - $399 Flat Fee Listing
What is the difference between a "traditional" full service broker and your $399 flat fee listing service?There's virtually no difference. Sellect Realty's $399 listing is full service. We represent our sellers and perform the same duties as a traditional broker such as determining your selling price, listing your home on the MLS, negotiating the contract 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 (e.g. showing your home yourself to buyers not represented by agents). You will not be paying the full normal commission (typically 6%). The only commission you will pay is to the broker of a buyer's agent (typically 3%), if an agent brings you a buyer and sells your home. If your home is sold to a buyer not represented by an agent, you pay absolutely no commission.
Which multiple listing service will my property be listed? In Athens and the surrounding areas, there are two multiple listing services. One is called Athens Area Association of Realtors MLS (Athens MLS) and the other is called Georgia Multiple Listing Service (Georgia MLS or GAMLS). Sellect Realty is a member of both and, therefore, your property will be listed in both multiple listing services. Because not all realty companies belong to both and it is hard to guess which MLS system an agent will use to search for properties for sale, your property will be listed in both systems to ensure maximum exposure.
Will my listing look the same as “traditional” brokers’ listings on the MLS? Absolutely. It will have the same information as other sellers paying full commission to their brokers.
Will agents with buyers pass up my home if it is listed flat fee? No. Agents will be paid the same selling commission as any listing offering a competitive commission so they will show your home.
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, unless otherwise you terminate your listing.
How many photos will you put on my listing? Sellect Realty will display up to 25 photos on Athens MLS and up to 16 photos on GAMLS. Photography of your property by Sellect Realty is included in the $399 listing package so you do not need to pay an additional fee. You may also submit your own favorite photos to Sellect Realty (all photos must be “horizontal” shots and approx. 600 pixels X 400 pixels in size).
Can I still sell my home “by owner” while it is listed on the MLS? Yes. Through our $399 listing service, you will sign an Exclusive Seller Listng Agreement and an Addendum which gives you the right to sell your property yourself. With a “traditional” brokerage agreement, you sign an Exclusive Seller Listing Agreement only and pay the broker full commssion, even if you found a buyer.
If I find my own buyer, do I pay any sales commission? No, if you find a buyer not represented by an 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.
How do I determine the listing price for my home? Your Sellect Realty listing agent will assist you in determining a listing price for your home. Your agent 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 3%.
How long should I expect my home to be on the market before it sells? If your listing price, the condition of the home and the location meet a buyer’s criteria, your home should sell quickly in a normal market.
How are showings arranged? Who will call me to show my home? MLS listings have “Showing Instructions” printed for agents. Your name and phone number will be printed on your listing for agents to call you directly and follow your instructions, such as “Courtesy Call Owner” (this is the most common method), “Lockbox,” “Caution Pets,” etc.
How does a buyer with no agent contact me to see my home? Any home showing requests that we receive from buyers not represented by agents will be referred to you with their names and contact information. You contact them and make arrangements to show your home yourself.
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 buyer clients’ criteria, we will show your home.
How can I make changes to my listing? Just notify your Sellect Realty agent of your changes at any time by email. Your agent will make any listing changes, including price change, revising the wording in your public remarks, etc., 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). Georgia MLS will charge you a “withdrawal” fee of $25. Sellect Realty does not charge you anything.
What if I want to transfer my listing to another 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 another real estate broker. Almost 100% of the time, it is the buyers’ agents who find your listing on the MLS and sell your home and not the realty company that listed your property.
May I advertise my home for sale in a newspaper or other media at the same time my home is listed with the MLS? Of course! The more exposure the better! You may also advertise your MLS listing #s on the ads.
Does Sellect Realty provide a “For Sale” yard sign? Yes. It is a professional real estate For Sale sign in a metal frame.
Whose phone number is on the For Sale sign? Sellect Realty brokerage firm’s phone number is on the For Sale sign. The Georgia Real Estate Commission requires that a licensed brokerage firm display the name of its realty company and phone number on the sign. Through our flat fee service, any calls we receive from buyers not represented by agents from the sign will be referred to you to give you the opportunity to sell “by owner.”
Do you provide a Brochure Box for flyers? Yes. It is an information box with a lid and stand.
Will you provide flyers? We will provide flyer templates, free of charge, for you to make the flyers yourself. You may also create an original flyer with your own design. It will be your responsibility to keep the information box filled with flyers. If you would like Sellect Realty to custom-design a master flyer for you, it is an optional marketing service for a fee.
Whose phone number is on the flyer? Your phone number will be the one printed prominently 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 working with an agent and you will not have any commission to pay.
Do you 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 Supra electronic lockbox that holds your door key securely inside is available to you for a one-time lease fee of $100. You may use the lockbox 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 home 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.
Can I show my home by “Appointment Only?” Yes. However, the majority of agents do not 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 showing instructions to agents on your MLS listing. Agents will call you directly and let you know the date and time frame of their visit. They will usually call the day before and give you a window of two hours on when they will be arriving.
A better way is to select “Courtesy Call Owner” on your showing instructions to agents on your MLS listing. Agents will call you directly and let you know the date and time frame of their visit. They will usually call the day before and give you a window of two hours on when they will be arriving.
Can I contact agents myself who have shown my home to get “feedback?” Yes, as the seller you may, however, Sellect Realty can set you up on an automated Feedback System, free of charge, to obtain comments about your property from showing agents. You will receive their responses by email.
Do you negotiate the contract? Yes. Your Sellect Realty agent who represents you will negotiate an offer directly with the buyer’s agent, on your behalf. An offer is sent in by fax or email to your agent who reviews the offer and presents it to you. Your agent will discuss with you the best counter offer strategies and negotiate the contract for you.
What do I do if a buyer not represented by an agent wants to make an offer? You may negotiate with the buyer but do not sign anything until you have contacted your Sellect Realty agent to review the offer for you. As your representative, your agent will assist you with the negotiations as well as provide all necessary contract forms, free of charge. Your agent will not represent or advise the buyer.
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. We will work with you every step of the way, which includes representing you at the closing. Other flat fee companies do not attend closings or charge between $150 – $300 for the service.
How can your Company charge so little and make any money? We make it on “volume.” Also, our flat fee service approach is to market your home in the most essential advertising venues only and not waste money on unnecessary advertising.
Where are you located? Sellect Realty is a brokerage firm based in Georgia. Our agents are located in the Greater Atlanta area and the Athens area. Note: Often, other flat fee brokers are national franchises and located out-of-state so that you do not receive real live agent support or you are assigned a local agent who has been contracted that may be inexperienced or one that may give higher priority to a full-commission paying client.
How do I list my home with Sellect Realty? Just go to “Listing Appointment” on the menu and fill out the easy form and submit. Or, you may call us at 770-509-0265 to set up an appointment or send us an email to: info@SELLectrealty.com
Do you also represent buyers? Yes. In fact, you can use your listing agent to be your buyer’s agent to help you find your next home and take advantage of our popular 1% Cash Back rebate program.