Select Realty's Menu of Services

Choices for Sellers - No More "One-Size-Fits-All"

Even though all commissions are negotiable, the most commonly seen  real estate listing arrangement is a straight "one-size-fits-all" proposition, usually at 6%. However, we have departed from this practice of forcing sellers into a "standard" listing. Our goal is to fit our services to your needs. For more on our philosophy, click here: The FSBO Revolution.

We offer an ŕ la carte menu of services, which is set out below. Should you start with one level of service and then wish to upgrade, we will agree a fair fee for what you need. 

And, if you start off on your own but find you need professional assistance along the way, we'll jump in and help you out - also for a fair fee.

Service Selection

To understand and analyze your service requirements, click here for Select Marketing & Action Plan.

1.    Open MLS Listing (Including a Comparative Market Analysis)

Get a 6 month "open listing" on the Desert Area MLS for a low flat fee. This will include a CMA and your FREE access to our valuable reference library of Seller support information and documentation.  This is our FSBO Support Package.

An "open" listing, as distinguished from an "exclusive right to sell" listing, gives you the right to sell your property direct to any buyer without having to pay a commission to the listing agent. You only pay a commission if your buyer is introduced by a licensed Realtor®. And you control the amount of commission you are willing to pay.

All commissions are negotiable. However, the industry expectation for a buyer's agent's commission is 3%. If you want this agent to be really motivated, you could offer more. If your home has a solid price tag, you could offer less. It's your call. 

And there's more! Because you are able to reach buyers directly, you can even save the commission altogether. Here's how: 

Your listing on the Desert Area MLS actually allows you to compete directly for buyers with the local Realtors®.  As you can see from the  Search the Desert Area MLS link at left, anyone can search the MLS. Furthermore, your listing information on the Desert Area MLS is also supplied to such large internet real estate sites as Realtor.com, Homeadvisor.com, and Homeseekers.com.

The MLS authority will not permit us to put your contact information in the public part of the listing, but buyers who are not represented by agents can contact you through us or can go to your property and call you from your yard sign. 

However, we do recommend that you cover yourself by offering a decent commission to the buyer's agent. You need to make sure that the offers keep coming in. After all, you are not obligated to accept any of them. And be aware that commission information is not visible on the public access part of the listing.

We will come to your property and take photographs for posting on the MLS.

Preparing the CMA requires a visit to your property. While there we will verify information for inclusion in your MLS listing, provide general marketing counsel, and go over any special needs you may have relative to your FSBO efforts.

Click here to list your property.

Fee Schedule

2.     Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

When you select our Open Listing service, we will provide a CMA at no additional cost. This is based on the most current information, which is recent sales in your area as reported in the Desert Area MLS and from the tax records. This is objective data for you to use in pricing your property to sell. But remember that the actual list price is determined by you, the seller.

Beware of the "optimistic" CMA a listing agent will provide for you, just to get your business. Many listing agents will do this in the full knowledge that they are going to have to get you to lower the price later. They are wasting your time and, if you are making house payments, your money too!

Your CMA, which is essential for establishing the right price, is included in the flat rate listing fee. We will also include a Property Profile.

Fee Schedule

3.    Sales Tools 

• SUPRA lock box: This is the electronic lock box used by the local Realtors®. We can provide a SUPRA electronic lock box for a rental/setup fee, which will increase showings. Or you can obtain your own combination lock box. You will just need to be sure to give us the combination code, so that we can include it in the MLS listing.  Bear in mind that real estate agents tend to be lazy. They prefer using the SUPRA key.

Lock box information only appears in that part of the listing record that is accessible solely to licensed agents who subscribe to the MLS. This information is not available to the general public.

Your MLS listing can specify "by appointment only." But bear in mind that providing easy access to Realtors® with buyer-clients will greatly increase their willingness to show your property.

• FOR SALE yard sign: This will attract local interest. You can use your own sign or we can provide a "Listed By Owner" sign, for a modest charge, delivered to your home and placed in your yard.
  
• Virtual Tour: A virtual tour is a must for the "By Owner" seller. Click here to find out why.
   
  For a high quality virtual tour and great additional exposure in parallel with the MLS, go to independenthomeseller.com. 
  
  Alternatively, or in addition, we can link your listing in the MLS to a virtual tour like this one. This will also get your property listed on  HomeDebut.com.
  
• "Talking House" Lead Generation: We can provide a Talking House transmitter and yard sign to give your property maximum drive-by exposure.
  
• Brochure: We will design, produce and provide 100 full color (or black and white) single sheet 8.5 x 11 feature sheets for your yard sign flyer box. You are free to make additional copies as needed.
  
• Additional promotion and advertising: This is up to you. We can provide it by arrangement. 

Fee Schedule

4.    Qualifying the Buyer & Loan Arrangements

Get greater control of your transaction. Unless financing is already in place, we can help your buyer get qualified and pre-approved for the home loan he or she needs to buy your property. In effect, we originate the loan for the buyer. There is no cost to you for this. We are compensated by the buyer's lender**. Knowing the status of the buyer's financing arrangements is to gain significant control over the transaction.  

Our funding sources specialize in sub prime or "difficult" lending. This means that many of your Buyers very likely cannot qualify for the loan they need anywhere else. 

For you, the Seller, this difference translates into two advantages: 

1. You control the Buyer.

2. You can insist on a price equal to full appraised value. Also, you can influence the appraisal in your favor. The section on appraisals in our Select Reference Library will tell you how.   

We are affiliated with GoLoan:  

We are also affiliated with Easton Mortgage: 

Put your Buyers in touch with us to secure the lending they need. We will provide the follow through.

** Please note that we only offer this service to buyers who do not come to the transaction through us. When we bring our own buyer to the transaction (and therefore also represent the buyer), we refer the buyer to an independent mortgage broker.

5.     Review of Contacts and Disclosures

To avoid the risk of the Buyer backing out of the sale and/or a potential lawsuit, you must ensure that the documentation of your transaction meets the requirements of the Purchase Agreement and the State of California for inspections, reports and disclosures. We can help you with this, for a reasonable fee.

Fee Schedule

6.     Negotiating, Advocating and Troubleshooting the Transaction

Our professional consulting service smoothes the details of the transaction and provides a buffer between you and the buyer/buyer's agent. This eliminates the understandable anxiety FSBOs have about properly documenting the sale. We are here to help you avoid the potential lawsuits lurking in the disclosure minefields of the California residential real estate transaction.  Our flat fee for this service is on a sliding scale. It incorporates 2 through 4 above in one single bundle of services and includes advice and consultation on:

• Guidance through the selling process generally, including guidance through the documentation and mandatory disclosure minefields. This includes making sure that you have insurance protection with respect to the natural hazard disclosure requirements of California.
• Coordination of seller's inspection, appraiser, and termite report activities.
• Advising on the structure of the transaction, the hazards of AITD (All Inclusive Trust Deed) and lease option arrangements, and how to avoid them.
• Resolving possible complications, problems, concerns, or disputes that may arise.
• The various services involved, including title company, escrow company, appraiser, home inspector and home warranty.
• Closing costs and who pays what.
• Managing the escrow to closing and meeting the requirements of the title company.
• Negotiations with the Buyer and the Buyer's agent and advocating your position in the transaction.
• General troubleshooting of the details of the transaction.

There are complexities and pitfalls in selling real estate today. It requires awareness of current law, contracts, and the intricacies of closing the transaction. This is why many homeowners are understandably reluctant to sell without the services of a Realtor®. Our program fills this gap. You can have the benefit of the professional help you need, when you really need it, without paying the standard full commission. 

Fee Schedule

7.    Standard Full Service Listing

Yes, we do this too. Soup to nuts. The fee is by discussion. As we state elsewhere, it takes no more effort to sell a $800,000 home than it does a $400,000 home. On the other hand, a $200,000 condo can be twice as much work as either of them.

Fee Schedule

Agreements

When you select our services, you will enter into an appropriate agreement with us. 

• Rules-of-Agency Disclosure (.pdf)

• Flat Fee MLS Listing Agreement (MS Word .doc)

• Real Estate Consulting Agreement (MS Word .doc)

• Seller's Advisory: This is a California Association of Realtors® document, which we are not allowed to publish here. It advises sellers of issues relating to disclosures, contract terms and legal requirements, and marketing.

Our Purchase of Your Home

And if in the end your FSBO efforts do not work out, we can still help. We can buy your home. Go to: www.deserthomebuyer.com

 Palm Springs Desert Area Homes & Condos - Choices for Sellers & Rebates for Buyers