Realtors outsell a FSBO (Part 2)

Who offers the most choice?

There are over 7,000 homes listed for sale in Edmonton on the MLS®. With over 1,000 sales a month that is a six month supply. And over 2,400 more homes are listed each month. The REALTOR® can keep up because MLXchange is updated every three minutes and lists all homes currently available for sale through the Edmonton and Calgary MLS®. The average home is on the MLS® for less than 70 days and many properties sell in less than a month.

If you scan properties in a typical FSBO catalog you’d think it never snows in Edmonton. How long have those properties been languishing on the market? We haven’t seen green grass like that since last November. Why is the FSBO catalog so large? Because the homeowner paid up front for advertising for up to a year with no guarantee of a sale.

A REALTOR® working with marketing tools offered by the REALTORS® Association can outsell a FSBO every time.

Who offers the best service?

Only a REALTOR® can show the home at any time using the secure KeyBox system. Only a REALTOR® can screen potential buyers safely to ensure they have the interest and means to make an offer. Only a REALTOR® can advise on pricing strategies using actual sales prices for similar homes. Only a REALTOR® can assist with price and condition negotiations. Only a REALTOR® can help to overcome or remove buyers objections and conditions. Only a REALTOR® can assist with the conveyancing of documents or the delivery of deposits and keys. Only a REALTOR® can assist the home buyer to become familiar with the neighbourhood using printed maps and other mapping tools provided online. Only a REALTOR® can provide comfort and support to the buyer and seller to ease the strain of making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

The FSBO client gets “training and a manual” from an unlicensed salesperson and “24-hour automated telephone information.” Family members have to admit strangers to their home with no background checks and be available whenever a potential buyer wants to view their home.

A trained, licensed, professional REALTOR® working full-time to match buyers and sellers is able to outperform a part-time, inexperienced homeseller with just one property for sale.

Tell me that I’m wrong!