Asheville Flat Fee Listing
When it comes to listing a house, sellers have a number of options. They can, of course, go the traditional route and work with a seller’s agent for a percent commission, or they can go it alone and attempt to sell entirely on their own. Or, if they are reluctant to pay a percentage of their sale to an agent but aren’t quite ready to take on the challenge of selling entirely on their own, sellers can consider a flat fee listing. Today on Whiteboard Wednesdays, we’ll discuss flat fee listings, what they are, how they work, and who they’re right for.
What is a flat fee listing? Typically, a flat fee listing is an agreement that a seller makes with an agent or a company to list their property on the MLS for a flat fee. This allows the seller to get their property out to a very large audience, including buyer’s agents, without having to relinquish full control (and commission) to an agent.
The flat fee can range from $500 to $1,000 or more, depending upon what is included in the fee. Some flat fee listings include only the listing itself with no other support, while pricier options may include professional photographs of the home, yard signs, and so on. Even at the lowest level, sellers will still have the benefit of exposure comparable to a traditional listing with a full-service agent, which generally makes it well worth the fee even if you do the rest of the work yourself.
If a seller chooses to go with a more comprehensive flat fee option, though, what’s the difference between flat fee and a typical 6% commission? In large part, the difference has to do with how involved the seller wants to be in the process. A flat fee service may be deal for someone who wants to be very involved in the process and who has at least a basic understanding of how it works, whereas a standard commission format is likely better for someone who either doesn’t know how to or simply doesn’t want to do all of the work on their own. The 6% that a seller will pay to an agent is usually well worth it if for a good agent, especially if the house needs work, the seller is uncertain of the process, or they don’t want to do all of the work.
Ultimately, whether a flat fee or commission makes more sense for you comes down to what you’re hoping to get out of the process and what you value in the sales process. To learn more about flat fee listings, visit us at www.AshevilleCashBuyers.com or call us today at 828-222-6443.