Ava's Blog

Another Satisfied Home Owner Using The Avar Realty Flat Rate System

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:55:45 -0500

Avar Realty and Ava Terry are proud post another reference concering our services

I have referred a few couples to you that are planning on listing their house soon!

Nobody believes me when I tell them how sweet of a realtor you are! I guess most realtors are like the ones that kept banging on my door! HAHA!

Have a great day!

Donna M.

Avar Realty is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service. We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents. All of our listings are posted on ValleyMls.com, Realtor.com and several other national websites for maximum exposure.

Ways to NOT sell your home when you are in MLS

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:29:45 -0500

Avar Realty is the Huntsville Flat Fee Mls Listing Service that makes a difference. Out system eleminates the risk to the seller by offering a money back guarantee.

Just being in MLS helps to sell your home, but make sure you don't make these common mistakes:

Use a yard sign that says "By Owner". When agents see your home in MLS, they will set up a showing, comfortable that the home is listed and their commission is protected if their buyer buys the home. When agents show up for the showing and see a "by owner" yard sign, they are taught to immediately cancel the showing with their buyer and show the next house. Why? Because it could mean one of two very bad things for the agent: (1) the home is no longer in MLS, so if their buyer wants to buy it they have no guarantee of their commission being paid or (2) their buyer may see the "by owner" sign and cut out the agent in order to save the commission. These are very real fears that agents have, and this explains why "drive offs" are a common occurrence when you have the wrong sign (drive off=the agent and/or their buyer show up for the showing, see the sign, do not enter the home, and drive off).
Don't use a key lockbox. Agents are used to viewing homes with access by a key lockbox and the seller not being present. Why? Because this is the best way to get the buyer to buy the house. Study after study has shown that if the buyer sees the seller, they hurry through the home and feel like they are imposing on the seller's time. This occurs even if the seller is leaving, out of sight, or insists that the buyer take their time. Agents don't like it when the seller is present because they know it is a crucial distraction to their buyer focusing on the house and a comfortable, unhurried showing at the buyer's own pace. Lockboxes are the industry standard for 30+ years for a reason, and there are easy to use security procedures that have been established that have kept problems virtually unheard of for 30+ years of lockbox use.
Don't display a state-specific disclosure. Agents and buyers are used to examining the disclosure in every other home they view. When a home doesn't have a disclosure, they wonder: Is the seller hiding something? Or are they just unprepared/breaking the law with regard to the (often legally required) display of the disclosure.
Over price your home. Listings in MLS that are overpriced sit on the market without showings or interested buyers. When in doubt, get a home valuation report to help price your home and listen to what the market is telling you.
Allow showings only when convenient for you. It is difficult for an agent to schedule a time that works for them and their buyer (often both spouses work and children may need a sitter). When they request a showing time and are asked to change it by an hour, they often just forget about that house and look at the others on the market.
Refuse showing requests. Refused showing requests send a clear message that the seller is not really interested in selling the home. Allowing a showing of a home that is not clean or has something else less than ideal is not good, but it does give the buyer a chance to look past the dirt/problem and possibly buy the home. If you don't allow the showing, you can be 100% sure you won't get an offer from that buyer.
Hover or "take over" the showings. Study after study shows that buyers are more likely to buy a home when the seller is not their for the showing. Buyers need to think out loud with their spouse/friend and agent, freely airing feedback. A seller that insists upon being there or showing what the seller thinks are the best or "hidden" parts of the home is a huge distraction for the buyer. Getting an offer on a home requires knowing the buyer and what is important to them more so than knowing every last detail of the home. The buyer's agent wants nothing more than to write an offer, sell the home, and get their commission, so let them do their job without interference or distraction.
Return showing request calls slowly. Agent and buyer schedules are tight, so quick showing confirmations are important to make sure the buyers and agent can make it to the viewing. Think of the best buyers, buyers relocating from out of town. They often have a day or two to buy a home, so nearly all their showings will be last minute, short notice requests to show.

New to the Flat Fee MLS Concept?

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:57:11 -0500

Avar Realty is the Huntsville Flat Fee Mls Listing Service that makes a difference. Out system eleminates the risk to the seller by offering a money back guarantee.

A Flat Fee MLS Listing enables you to take advantage of the power of the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Thousands of Realtors will be working to sell your property while you still retain the right to sell yourself and pay NO COMMISSION. You may also cancel your listing at any time without penalty. FACT: 85% of home buyers hire a Realtor to find a property for them. FACT: The Flat Fee method uses the same MLS as the local Realtors use. FACT: If a Realtor brings a buyer and you accept their offer, you'll only pay an agreed upon commission to the buyer's agent. FACT: The Flat Fee MLS method eliminates the Listing Brokerage Commission. FACT: Avar Realty is a LICENSED MLS BROKER. Maximize your profit and safeguard your equity by listing with us. To list your property on the Realtor's MLS Now and Save Thousands of Dollars see our contact information below.

75% of home sales take place through the MLS Alabama Avar System Works!

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:25:51 -0500

What does a listing on the Realtor® Multiple Listing Service and on Realtor.com mean to you selling your home in Alabama According to recent studies, over 75% of home sales take place through the MLS Alabama . Unless your home is listed in the MLS you are missing out on over 3/4 of the New York market!

Avar Realty gives your home the same marketing exposure enjoyed by homes listed by REALTORS® in the Multiple Listing Service. More exposure translates to higher demand and ultimately a higher sales price for your home.

With flat fee MLS, you pay just a fraction of the traditional cost of listing your home in the MLS . Why pay 5%-6% or more when what you really need is marketing exposure? For a low flat fee, you now have access to Realtor's number one selling tool.

To order a flat fee MLS listing for your North Alabama home for 499.99 go to our Help Me Sell Website to order program.

MLS Listing- Listing in the exclusive Realtor® MLS - the nation's number 1 real estate resource responsible for over 80% of home sales nationwide .
Realtor.com Listing- Listing on Realtor.com, the official website of the National Association of Realtors®. The world's largest database of homes for sale with more than 350 million page views monthly and over 2.2 million property listings nationwide.
Property Webpage- Free webpage on Help Me Sell Website and upload of up to 17 color photos. Your Help Me Sell Website allows visitors to preview your home online, make online inquiries directly to you. , slide show photo images, hear audio podcasts, view your contact phone number, print PDF flyers and more...
NEW! - Google® Street View / Satellite Mapping
Satellite and street level view mapping of your property allows home buyers to pan around your neighborhood to get a clear picture of your property location and even the surrounding neighborhood. Street level mapping, where available, shows your property's photo as well as homes surrounding your property.
*Listing on Leading Search Engines and Real Estate Portals- Property webpages submitted to leading search engines and real estate portals like Google.com, Yahoo Real Estate, AOL real estate, Microsoft Windows Live, Cyberhomes.com, Edgeio, Hotpads, Homescape, MyRealty, Oodle, PropSmart, Trulia, VAST and more...
RSS Feed- Exclusive ClassifiedFlyerads.com Distribution to leading real estate web portals and desktop feed readers.
Lockbox- Supra MLS The only MLS Authorized Lockbox to make showing your home safe and convenient
Yard Sign- Professional real estate Sign with Contact Owner at (your phone number)" riders. Lead-in signs available.
Full access to Local Agent
CMA is included
Color Flyers- Print unlimited color flyers from 3 different templates with photos in PDF format. Flyers can be distributed via Information tubes attached to real estate yard signs or handed out at Open House.
Member's Only- Exclusive Member's Only area for access to professional real estate listing and disclosure forms, home selling checklists, and more. Filled with tons of tips, tools and tactics for selling your home.
HomeSelling Tips- Avar Exclusive Home Selling E-Guide in PDF format for download.
And more...

Avar Realty 102% Money Back Guarantee - Try Our System Without Risk!

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:17:33 -0500

Avar Realty is the Huntsville Flat Fee Mls Listing Service that makes a difference. Out system eleminates the risk to the seller by offering a money back guarantee.

If you feel you are not happy with Avar Realty LLC the Huntsville area affiliate for HelpMeSell.Com and decide you want to list with a traditional agency, Avar Realty LLC will gladly refer you to a traditional Agent / broker. You may select any agency you want as long as you let us know prior to contacting or listing with the traditional agency. Once you have been in discussion with the traditional agency about listing your home we will be unable to refer you. After they accept our referral in writing and the confirmation of your homes closing with that particular company, we will send you a 102% refund our flat fee MLS listing fee.

In other words, tell us which Real Estate Company you want to list your home with, we will call them, and have them contact you about listing your home.

Please note that when we refer you to the agency of your choice we will receive a referral fee from the traditional agency who lists and sells your home. The money received from the referring broker will be applied to the refund amount we will give you.

With this concept you have the opportunity of trying the new modern way of listing a home on the mls with the confidence of having a back up plan if needed.

Sell your home with state of the art Flat Rate MLS marketing concepts. Visit our webpage www.huntsvillehelpmesell.com or contact Ava Terry by phone 256-726-9206 or email ava@rocketcityland.com Our method saves you thousands without scarificing quality.

Avar Realty Benefits of Flat Fee Listing Service to Sellers and Realtors

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:53:18 -0500

Ava Terry, Broker for Avar Realty is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service.

We are specialists in the state of the art flat fee method of home selling!

Benefits of Flat Fee Listing Service to Sellers and Realtors

The REALTOR®s MLS is far and away the best way to sell properties fast and for a good price. The Internet ranks second (ahead of other media) in value and power vs. reasonable cost.

Approximately 80% of buyers nationwide arrive via the REALTOR® Multiple Listing Service. Getting your property listed on the REALTOR®s MLS is the key to sales success. That's because thousands of real estate sales persons will be working for you. There is no real estate commission to pay unless there is a successful sale at the sales price you approve, payable at closing.

A FSBO Listing The chance of a buyer reading your newspaper ad or driving by your house is slim. Plus, if a Real Estate Salesperson drives by your house with clients, they will normally only show your home if it's listed on the MLS, as for various reasons they prefer not showing FSBO properties. So using our MLS Flat Fee Service will give you the necessary MLS exposure to sell your home quickly and save big money at the same time. Also, most showings occur via the REALTOR®'s on-line computer system, and not drive-bys or attributable to open-houses, media or marketing ads.

Newspaper and glossy home magazine advertising is generally speaking not too effective but statistics from National REALTOR®s Assn (NRA) indicate about 12% of home buyers arrive via newspaper advertising.

Open-houses, occasionally a buyer does come via an open house, only 5% from open houses according to statistics from the National REALTOR®s Association will bring a buyer.

We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. We are experts in the flat rate mls method of home marketing.

Avar Realty Shares Tips to Successful Negotiations

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:04:25 -0500

These tips are brought to you by Avar Realty the leader in discount flat fee brokerage service in North Alabama. Visit our Website www.HuntsvilleFlatFeeMLS.com.

Very few offers are accepted as written. Purchase contracts usually need to be negotiated and diplomacy is essential in order to keep things moving in a forward direction.

While the bottom line (price minus seller expenses) always seems the most important element; the remaining ingredients in the contract need a thorough examination also

•· Is the buyer pre-approved with a local lender?

•· What personal property is included in the contract?

•· When is closing date and how soon must you give possession?

•· Are inspections required and what will they include?

•· What are the terms of financing as presented and will they impact the net proceeds?

•· What earnest monies are being given, who holds them and what happens to them in case of a dispute?

•· How are the taxes to be prorated?

•· What additional contingencies need to be met?

•· What areas are important and non-negotiable to the buyer

•· Will you have to make any repairs?

These are standard questions and probably only a few that need to be addressed and put in writing.

Every transaction is different and every transaction comes with its own set of questions and concerns that need to be carefully considered, negotiated and reduced to writing. Give and take is necessary ... compromise is essential.

Visit our web sight www.huntsvilleHelpMeSell.com or contact one of our agents. We are experts in the flat fee discount real estate listing process.

Benefits of Flat Fee Listing Service to Sellers and Realtors

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:27:18 -0500

Benefits of Avar Realty, Huntsville Alabama Flat Fee Listing Service to Sellers and Realtors

The REALTOR®s MLS is far and away the best way to sell properties fast and for a good price. The Internet ranks second (ahead of other media) in value and power vs. reasonable cost.

Open-houses, occasionally a buyer does come via an open house, only 5% from open houses according to statistics from the National REALTOR®s Association will bring a buyer.

More information is available on our websites Avar Realty and http://www.huntsvillehelpmesell.com We abide by all Alabama Real Estate Commission laws and guidelines. We cooperate fully with all real estate professionals. We are Members of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service.

AVAR 10-Step System For A Top Dollar Fast Sale

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:46:06 -0500

1) Put Your Self in the Buyers Shoes. Imagine you are the potential buyer. What questions would you ask? What are the positive features in your home? What are the negative features? Be prepared to overcome these objections. Understand that the potential buyer is looking for reasons not to buy! Use this information to your advantage and have a counter move prepared to overcome the objection.

2) Expose Your Home to the Maximum Number of Potential Buyers. The more people who know your property is for sale the more potential for offers. Remember maximum exposure will create the possibility of multiple offers. This allows you to pick the offer that is best for. Listing in the MLS will literally expose your property to thousands of professional trying to get your property sold.

3) Maximize your homes sale potential
Appearance is critical, and it is foolish to ignore this when selling your home. You may not be able to change your home's location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response then any other factor.

Clean like you've never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, uncluttered, scrub, scour, and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get a "wow" response from buyers.

4) Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home
The decision to buy a home is based on emotions, not logic. Prospective buyers want to try on your home just like they would try on a new suit of clothes. If you follow them around pointing out this improvement and that or if your decor is so different that it's difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind this makes it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves owners.

5) Make it easy for Buyers to get information on your home
Buyers calling for information on your home probably are looking for information on your property. The last thing that they want to be subjected to is a game of telephone tag. Make sure your phone has a voice mail message that give the highlights of your property, also tell them to please leave a return phone number for further information or to request a private showing

6) Know your buyer
In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. Does he or she need to move quickly? Does he or she have enough money to pay your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want.

7) Make sure the contract is simple
For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. Smart sellers pro-actively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers by putting them in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, he can't come back with a lawsuit later on. Make sure that all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out it the contract of sale and resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

8) Don't move out before you sell
Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant- it looks forlorn, forgotten, simply not appealing. It could even cost you thousands. If you move, you're also telling buyers that you have a new home, and are probably not highly motivated to sell fast. This gives them an advantage at the negotiating table.

9) Know why you're selling and keep it to yourself
The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What's more important to you: the money you walk away with, or the length of time your property is on the market?

Different goals dictate different strategies. However, don't reveal your motivations to anyone, or they will certainly be used against you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed.

10) Do your homework before setting a price
Settling on an offering price shouldn't be done lightly. Once you've set your price, you've told buyers the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home, but pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low.

Remember that the average buyer is looking at 10-20 homes at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a basis of comparison and if your home doesn't compare favorably with the others in the price range you've set you won't be taken seriously by prospects or agents. As a result, your home will sit on the market for a long time and knowing this, new buyers on the market will think there must be something wrong with your home.

Do your homework. Find out what homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past six months and research what current homes list for. That's certainly how perspective buyers will assess the worth of your home.

$499.99 Avar Realty Flat Fee MLS Listing Service

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:13:18 -0500

SUPREME Multiple Listing Service Program Includes

With our system save 50% to 95% over traditional real estate agencies
Full access to your Avar Realty listing agent.
Avar Realty LLC, 102 % Money Back Guarantee of Services
You may withdraw your listing at any time
We assist in completing important disclosure forms.
You set the selling (Buy Side) commission to what ever you choose
No buy side commission due if you find the buyer yourself
Website placement on Valleymls.com, Realtor.com, Google, MSN, Yahoo, AOL.com any other portals that accept MLS data.
Other services Available: Auction – Short Sale, Investment Purchase
Home Market Analysis (CMA)
We abide by all laws of the Real Estate Commission
A menu of options to choose from to customize your needs
MLS Listed until sold
We take photos and/or you furnish additional photos
MLS created property flyers printable document
Sign, high quality with posts installed
Personal broker meeting and interview.
CAP (½% at closing). This valuable professional negotiation feature gives you assistance in dealing with prospective buyers and agents. Avar Realty’s primary responsibility is to the seller. This feature also includes
Preparation of offers and sales contracts
Agent Signage - full service listing appearance
You choose how inquiries are to be managed: direct to you or to real estate agent buyer brokers

OPTIONS

Lock Box -NARIS Supra electronic rental: $99.99 one time fee. (Tracks showing activity)

Brochure Box - Directional Signs - 2d Yard Sign: $30 each

Home Owners Warranty Option

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Code of Ethics

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:46:19 -0500

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Code of Ethics:
What Does it Mean for Consumers?
How does the Code of Ethics affect everyday real estate practices?

If a REALTOR® represents you, whether you are buying or selling a home, you can count on that REALTOR® to:

1. Be honest with all parties in the transaction - not just with you, as his or her client, but also with the other real estate practitioner and his or her clients.
For example, if REALTORS® represent a buyer with a spotty credit history, they can't be dishonest with sellers about this fact. At the same time, REALTORS® can help their buyer clients collect and assemble information, such as credit reports and audited tax returns, to demonstrate that the buyer has addressed the problem and improved their situation.

2. Put your interests ahead of his or her own, at all times.
A REALTOR® makes every effort to understand the housing needs of his or her client, thoroughly researches available inventory, and shares all relevant information with the buyer so that he or she can make an informed decision. This service is provided regardless of the compensation available.

3. Disclose all pertinent facts regarding the property and the transaction to both buyer and seller.
If a REALTOR® believes information provided by a seller is questionable, the REALTOR® is obligated to investigate. REALTORS® should recommend that buyers consult their own experts, such as home inspectors, to address concerns. For example, if a home seller asks his or her REALTOR® to conceal the fact that the roof leaks, the REALTOR® cannot comply; if the seller insists, the REALTOR® should end the business relationship with that seller.

4. Be truthful in all communications with the public.
When REALTORS® distribute newsletters, create Web sites, or place advertisements, they must be careful not to represent other real estate professionals' work product as their own. If recently sold or listed properties in the community are publicized, it must be clear whether the REALTOR® was actually involved in the transaction, or whether that data came from the local multiple listing service or other source. This ensures that the public understands the REALTOR®'s experience and can make an informed decision when choosing real estate representation.

Read a summary of the principles embodied in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®' Code of Ethics

Avar Realty offers flat fee discount brokerage services in North Alabama. Avar Realty complete abides by the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics.

Sell your home with state of the art Flat Rate MLS marketing concepts. Our method saves you thousands without scarificing quality.

Avar Realty Flat Fee System Working Well In North Alabama

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:39:06 -0500

Ava Terry, Broker for Avar Realty is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service.

Since we started our flat rate MLS Service in 2008, we knew that there was a need for a true locally operated flat fee real estate brokerage in North Alabama. We have been continually improving our system since its inception as we have learned what is needed to meet the needs of the home seller who is interested in a cost saving program like ours. It is this type of home seller that is interested in saving thousands of dollars on listing commissions. This is also the same person who realizes that the power of the MLS and the education and experience of real estate agents will work to his benefit in a real estate transaction.

Our system is modern, efficient, cost effective and very successful in the local market area. But most important, our satisfaction level from our clients and customers has been near if not at 100%. This indicates to us that we are offering a valuable service and meeting the expectations of our clients. We will keep improving our system and continue to raise the bar on our services.

We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents. Sell your home with state of the art Flat Rate MLS marketing concepts. Our method saves you thousands without sacrificing quality. www.HuntsvilleFlatFeeMLS.com

Charles Schwab vs. Flat Fee MLS Pioneers

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:42:36 -0500

In 1971 Charles Schwab incorporated First Commander Corporation and in 1972 he bought out his partners and renamed it Charles Schwab and Company. In 1974, Schwab had the good fortune of an SEC pilot program that deregulated some brokerage transactions and in 1975 the SEC mandated negotiated commissions for stock trades. At this point most brokerages raised their fees. Schwab in contrast started what he called a discount brokerage.

Schwab’s discount brokerage was really an unbundling of trading and advice much like Flat Fee MLS Listings are an unbundling of marketing and transaction management. This meant that instead of Schwab supporting a force of trained advisors that demanded high pay, he could use back office staff to place the trades and investors would be free to do their own research. For investors that wanted research and advice, he offered separate services.

To understand how this compares to Real Estate, one has to examine the different structure between the stock brokerage industry and the real estate brokerage industry. Stock is largely national. The National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) is a trade group that is closely supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In contrast the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has little or no oversight. State Real Estate Commissions have power over licensees but little power over National, State or Local trade associations.

Schwab got his start in a nationally (or even internationally) regulated medium. Flat Fee MLS Pioneers, immediately came up against the wrath of local Realtor® associations. Schwab was free to grow without persecution where Flat Fee MLS Brokers were taken out back and tarred and feathered. Sellers were told by local brokers (and still are as of this writing), you can’t List in the MLS for a Flat Fee; that’s illegal. Sellers were told by traditional Realtors® (and still are as of this writing) if you list with a flat fee firm, we won’t show your listings. Perplexed sellers asked….Why? We are still offering you a 3±% commission? Traditional Realtors® rarely have a response. However, Realtors® did not count on one major change; Realtor.Com. Realtor.Com empowered buyers to begin telling Realtors® what they wanted to see. Realtors® were no longer picking the houses. This was the gateway that opened for Flat Fee MLS Listings

Ava Terry Broker with Avar Realty and www.HuntsvilleFlatFeeMLS.com are Members of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service. We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents. Sell your home with state of the art Flat Rate MLS marketing concepts. Our method saves you thousands without scarificing quality.

Look out for flat fee listing services with hidden agendas!

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:44:04 -0500

Why Avar Realty the premier flat fee service in North Alabama. When shopping for a flat fee service
you should make an informed decision. Not all flat fee services work the same because there are a
variety of reasons that companies decide to provide these services. Here are the red flags to look for
before you list.

Competitor #1. These companies have the hidden agenda of capturing the buyer and selling them any

property, not necessarily yours. Often they send out a referral based on the phone traffic created by

your listing at their office. The longer your property sits on the market the more leads they get and

the better it is for them. Rule #1: Make sure when you pick a flat fee service that ALL phone traffic is

routed directly back to you.

Competitor #2. Agenda to capture the loan and avoid agents whenever possible. If an agent brings

the buyer they won't get the loan because that agent will already have that buyer pre-approved with

a differn't lender. Like competitor #1 these services thrive on leaving you on the market for as long

as possible to bring in leads. Rule #2: Make sure the flat fee service you pick isn't also a lender

looking for loan leads generated by your listing.

Competitor #3. Non-licensed "fsbo" website that falsely gives the impression they can actually provide

direct access to the MLS. You never know up front who will be processing your listing and you could end

up listed with one of the listing services mentioned above! Often they offer a phony money back

"guarantee" that requires you to list with a full service agent so they get a 20% referral fee out of the

huge commission you will have to pay in the end. Rule #3: Make sure you know exactly what company

is placing your property into the MLS when you sign up!

Competitor #4. High priced flat fee services that offer to "match any competitors price." It's always

better to go with the company that actually is holding the price down.

Competitor #5. The 'Full Service' company. For many people the security of having a full service

agent represent them is worth the listing commission cost. We understand that our service is not

for everyone. However, if you are worried about the paperwork you might want to compare the cost

of an attorney vs. the full service agent. Avar Realty provides you with all the disclosures and forms

you'll need. If you need expert advice to complete your transaction we always recommend that an

attorney look things over for you anyway.

Avar Realty is a premier flat fee service. As a premier flat fee service we offer a menu of high level of

quality services that you can choose from a menu. We have every incentive to make sure your

home sells in a timely manner so you will tell all your friends how well our service worked for you.

We believe our program is an unbeatable value for the homeowner that desires to sell with a

minimum of transaction costs.

Ava Terry, Broker with Avar Realty and www.HuntsvilleFlatFeeMLS.com are Members of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service. We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents. Sell your home with state of the art Flat Rate MLS marketing concepts. Our method saves you thousands without scarificing quality. www.HuntsvilleHelpMeSell.com

Ava Terry
Avar Realty
1580 sparkman
huntsville, AL 35816
256-726-9096 - Contact Me

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Ava Terry
Avar Realty
1580 sparkman

huntsville, AL 35816
256-726-9096 -

Save on Real Estate commissions!

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:14:33 -0500

In these tough economic times that we are all facing, we know that many of you are at the point or near the point of not being able to keep the home you are in. Are you facing foreclosure? Are you considering a SHORT SALE on your home? First, we recommend you call your Mortgage Company and see if you can make arrangements to reduce your mortgage payments to something you can afford now. If they won't work with you then perhaps Avar Realty llc can help!

The biggest expense in selling a home is the commission you have to pay the REALTOR^® Avar Realty can help you cut your real estate commission by thousands of dollars by providing you the power of the Multiple listing service and acess to a professional REALTOR^®. Avar Realty is a Flat Fee Listing Company that provides the home owner a turnkey solution to list, market, sell and close on your home for one Flat Rate. All REALTORS^® use the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to list your home and 87% of homes sold in America are listed on the MLS and REALTOR.com^®. Until now, the only way for you to list your home on the MLS and REALTOR.com^® was to use a traditional REALTOR^®. Now you can list your home on the MLS and REALTOR.com^® with Avar Realty and save thousands of dollars in commissions. Visit our website for full details

Why The Avar Realty Flat Rate System Works

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:31:23 -0500

Why The Avar Realty Flat Rate System Works

By law, real estate commissions are negotiable. What this means, is that commission rates are determined or set independently by individual real estate companies (brokerages) and are not set by any govermental body, real estate board or association.

Additionally, some real estate companies will allow their sales people (agents) a certain degree of latitude in negotiating the commission rate to sell your home. So, just as it is prudent to shop around for the best deal when you are buying a car, it is equally important to shop around when you are hiring the services of a Realtor.

The good news is that real estate commissions seem to be falling. The monopoly that Realtors have held over the MLS system is weakening as a result of comprehensive Web Sites that enable the public to access this information.

Web services are creating new competition to the industry which will ultimately lower commission rates. More, specifically, it is the listing side of the commission that is feeling the downward pressure.

Our MLS Flat Fee program starts at just $329.99.

This allows you, the home seller, to save on fees and commissins and still attract all the potential

buyers for your home through effectiveuse of the MLS system. It really is the best of both worlds.

Don't wait another day, take advantage of this great exposure!

How the MLS Works

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:41:47 -0500

Realtor.com and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are two tools traditional agents use to find homes for buyers. The MLS is the local listing database that all agents use to find homes to show buyers. Realtor.com is a national website where the public can view MLS listings.

Now you can List your home on Realtor.com or MLS + Realtor.com for one low Flat Fee. Choose Realtor.com Showcase if you mostly want to reach individuals searching online. Choose the MLS (which includes a Realtor.com listing) if you also want to reach local agents looking for homes for buyers (4 out of 5 homes are sold through the MLS).

You can choose how much commission to offer a buyer’s agent (typically 2% - 3%), but that is about half the commission cost of hiring a traditional agent

FSBO Selling Tips

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:48:43 -0500

FSBO Selling Tips

Step 1. Prepare your home before putting up a "for sale" sign.

PAttract buyers and sell your own home with low cost cosmetic steps. Cut the grass, clean up the outside, paint drab walls and remove inside clutter. Why? Because people buy homes that appear clean, solid and well maintained.

Step 2. Set your price right and sell your own home fast.

Find the true value of your home by comparing it to similar homes recently sold in your neighborhood. In one of her best home selling tips Flatfeemlsdirect.com describes where to find recent selling prices and how to compare your house to other homes in your neighborhood.

Step 3. Good Advertising sells Homes

New low cost web sites will put multiple pictures of your house on the Internet. Use Internet ads in combination with local newspapers and neighborhood flyers. Newspaper ads and Internet ads both require headlines that grab attention, a few lines to describe key features of the home, and closing lines that get buyers to call.

A good ad grabs the reader's attention with a catchy headline. Remember what motivated you to buy your home and put it in a headline:

A Gourmet Kitchen and More!
Snuggle by the Fire!
Solid as a Rock!

Step 4. Assemble a team of professionals to help you

While it's nice to think that you can handle things on your own, selling a home takes specialized knowledge. It's more than just writing up a sales agreement. Depending on what part of the country you're in you'll either need to find a real estate attorney or a title/escrow company to help with the legal details.

As a rule of thumb, if you're east of the Mississippi it's usually a real estate attorney. If you're west of the Mississippi, it's a title company. Either way they'll be an indispensable part of your home selling process. Another important partner to consider is a reputable mortgage banker/lender. They can assist in helping you prequalify buyer prospects. We'll talk more about qualifying prospects as you read on.

Step 5. Marketing your home

Every home seller likes to be assured that their listing agent or the real estate company will run ads featuring their home. Newspaper ads could be large display ads with lots of listings or small classified ads featuring just your property. Ads may also appear in local real estate magazines and your listing will also show up on the Internet.

Of course the agents and companies will run ads featuring your house, but not for the reasons you expect.

You see, the main job of advertising is not to sell your house directly. Advertising creates phone calls and some of those callers become clients of the agents answering the calls. This builds up a pool of homebuyers looking for property in general, all represented by selling agents (buyer's agents). Multiply this by all the agents and companies who also advertise homes, and there is a large pool of homebuyers in the market at any given time – all of whom are represented by selling agents.

The agents representing those homebuyers know about your home because it is listed in the Multiple Listing Service, has been on office and broker preview, and because your agent may have also sent flyers to all the local real estate offices.

The agents match up their clients with available homes, one of which may be yours. Then they show the homes to their clients, who eventually make an offer on one. That is how your house gets sold.

Ads create a pool of clients, one of which buys your home. Ads do not usually sell your house directly.

Step 6. Knowing a few, negotiating skills will get you a long way.

It's not necessary to become the next great diplomat. You will want to keep in mind that it's necessary to keep your emotions and personal feelings regarding the negotiating price of your property in check. When discussing the selling price it's important that your calculations and numbers are correct. This allows you to have greater flexibility and leverage and you can negotiate from a position of strength.

Step 7. Home inspections

All standard real estate contracts are going to give the prospective home buyer the right to inspect your property - so be prepared. Under a general inspection you are obligated to make major repairs to appliances, pluming, septic, electrical and heating systems - or the buyer may cancel the offer. The inspection will also include your property's roof, as well as a termite inspection (in some states, home sellers must provide proof that the home is termite free).

If you are concerned about how your home will fair when inspected, you may want to contact a local home inspector. They can conduct an inspection for you before a potential buyer has one done. This way, you can address the problems before a buyer stumbles upon them. Contact your lender or Loan Officer for a referral.

Step 8. Buyer appraisals and other details

The mortgage lender will order an appraisal of your home to make sure they are not paying more than the house is worth. They'll also order a land survey to make sure that the property boundaries are properly laid out. They will also order a title search to determine if there are any liens against your property. These tasks are all the responsibility of the buyer and/or their mortgage lender.

At this point too, the mortgage company will issue a loan commitment. Again, the buyer must complete all conditions listed on the mortgage commitment.

Prior to closing, you should notify your lender that you will be paying off your mortgage to find out if they will apply your escrow to your balance or mail a check. The title company can do this for you and get an approximate payoff.

Step 9. Closing the deal and selling your own home.

The day of the closing, the home buyer will do a "final walk through" of the property to make sure all agreed repairs are completed and that the home is in the same condition as when the buyer made their offer. If problems arise at this point, the closing can still take place with funds held in escrow to remedy the problem.

Closings usually occur 30 - 45 days after you have signed the sales contract. Depending on what state you reside in, you may close with an attorney, or with a title company. At the closing, all monies will be collected, any existing loans or leans will be paid, the deed will be transferred, and insurance will be issued insuring a free and clear title. The home seller will receive the proceeds of their home equity at the closing although it can take one to two business days after the closing.

THE LITTLE EXTRAS

Here is a list of the little extras that will make people remember your home.

The smell of fresh bread, coffee or the smell of simmering water on the stove with cinnamon, orange peel and cloves.
Towels folded neatly on the edge of the tub, lit candles in the fireplace if summer and a fire burning in the winter.
Fresh cut flowers
A breeze through an open window
Have a glass jug of iced water on the kitchen table with glasses.
Offer them a glass of water, coffee or tea ( be sure it is ready when you offer) The idea is to try to keep them in the house for a few extra minutes to make them feel at home and encourage questions.
Shake hands as they leave and watch them at the door when they get into the car, you would do this for a friend. Most of all, thank them, tell them to call anytime should they have any questions and ask them to let other know of the property.
Call them within three days to follow up on the viewing, they may be just waiting on the bank.

Real Estate Statistics for Huntsville, Alabama June 2009

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:13:08 -0500

JUNE 2009

Brought to you compliments of Horton Appraisal and Inspection.
Phone 256-582-5256 * FAX 888-355-5070

INCH BY INCH, STEP BY STEP

Every indicator is going the right direction. Unlike your neighbors over in Marshall County every thing improved from last month. The Market still has a ways to go to get back to where it was but I would rather see it slowly work it's way back than suddenly.

Compared to April sales are up 14% with 385 homes sold. Average price was up 3.4% and the median was fairly steady with an increase of .07%. Days on the Market are down from 94 to 89.

Of course sales are still down 22% from May of 2008 and the Average and Median prices are down 5% and 8% respectively. So there is a lot of ground to be made up.

With that we will just go straight to the charts.

Jeff Horton

If you prefer not to receive this or have received it by mistake, just follow the directions below to remove your name from the list.

The Charts

Chart shows the number of Residential homes sold in each month along with the average Days On the Market for those properties.

I like to put Median and Average prices together. The main number to watch is the Median Price. It is the better indicator of what price homes are selling for.

This chart is pretty obvious, just the raw number of homes for sale. Number of months of Inventory is a better indicator of the Market.

This is a good indicator of supply and demand since it included the number of homes sold.

More inventory the more it is a buyers market. Less inventory it becomes more of a sellers market. Of course all factors must be considered and you should not just rely on one set of numbers.

This chart is a duplication but I like the way it is laid out. You can see the number of sales each year for each month making it easy to see differences in the past few years.

The Trend Line is important. It averages over the previous 3 months of data and helps to allow for the spikes and dips and shows what I think is a more accurate trend. It is the thin black line at the top of the bars in the graph. It is more important than any single months data.

The data is current as of the day of writing. Every month it seems the previous months sales data has changed since I wrote the previous newsletter. In order to keep the newsletter timely we have decided not to wait but to update the previous months sales data. Please keep this in mind when using the information in this newsletter.

State of the Art Residential Real Estate Marketing with Avar Realty Flat Rate MLS Service

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:36:02 -0500

What is Flat Fee MLS

1. What is the multiple listing service (MLS)?

In very simple terms the MLS allows you to market your home to real estate agents. The MLS is an exclusive real estate agent operated database that is used in a local area to share information about houses for sale.

2. What is flat fee MLS?

Flat fee MLS or flat fee realty is an expanding real estate service where the seller of a property pays a flat fee regardless of its value to have it listed and sold on the MLS. Traditionally a seller would pay a commission to the agent when the house was sold.

3. Why is the MLS important?

The most popular Internet sites used by the consumer to search for properties such as Realtor.com®, Move.com®, Trulia.com®, Google.com™, Zillow.com® etc. are uploaded from the MLS. (Realtor.com®, Move.com®, Trulia.com®, Google.com™, and Zillow.com® are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies listed)

4. Is this really important?

In recent years most houses are sold from an MLS listing.

How Flat Fee Saves Money

1. How does flat fee MLS save money?

Flat fee is a low fixed cost paid up-front instead of paying a percentage of the selling price at closing.

2. What if the buyer of my house brings an agent?

Unless you try to sell your house independently and not on the MLS, you agree to pay buyer commission. An example would be 3%. In some markets, flat fee customers have control on how much commission they will pay to a buyer agent. This will enable 2 house selling strategies.

a. Set the buyers’ commission so low that agents will boycott showing the house. But private buyers without an agent will find the house on the Internet and may buy the house. This strategy takes longer to sell your house since you are cutting out a whole market of buyers.

b. Set the buyers’ commission higher than other competing properties on the market.

However the commission is set, the higher commission attracts more real estate agent traffic to your house and more offers to choose from. The lower the commission the odds are increased for a buyer without an agent which will save thousands of more dollars but take longer to sell.

Avar Realty / Huntsville Help Me Sell 102% Money Back Referral Guarantee

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:22:40 -0500

Avar Realty / Huntsville Help Me Sell 102% Money Back Referral Guarantee

If you feel you are not happy with Avar Realty LLC and decide you want to list with a traditional agency, we will gladly refer you to a traditional Agent/broker. You may select any agency you want as long as you let us know prior to contacting or listing with the traditional agency. Once you have been in discussion with the traditional agency about listing your home we will be unable to refer you. After they accept our referral in writing and the confirmation of your homes closing with that particular company, we will send you a 102% refund our base flat fee MLS listing service. In other words, tell us which Real Estate Company you want to list with, we will call them, and have them contact you about listing your home. We do not guarantee that your home will sell. Too many factors beyond our control affect the sale of your home.

Another Happy Avar Realty Client for Flat Fee MLS Listings In Huntsville

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:41:38 -0500

Ava,

Everything is going well. We are just getting accommodated to living in an apartment again. Thank you again for your help in listing our home and closing. Using your services was truly the best decision I could have made for selling my home. I have been telling everyone I know that is thinking about selling their home about you and Neil and how helpful you guys were, and how fast it sold once I listed it on valley MLS. I wish you and Neil the best, and may come back in a few month to talk with Neil about selling my fourplex. Until then thank you and if you need anything let me know, I am big fan.

Sincerely

Kurt M

Ava Terry Broker with Avar Realty and http://huntsville.helpmesell.com are Members of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service. We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents.

Avar Realty is Madison County's Flat Fee Alternative

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:50:51 -0500

We firmly believe there is a need for an alternative marketing solution for sellers of homes in this market. Since starting the Flat Fee MLS Service a few months back we have received many complements on how well the service works. We are pleasantly surprised to see the positive acceptance by sellers, buyer and agents. Our service allows sellers to minimize the selling costs yet at the same time allow the licensed professional to be properly compensated for their time and effort. Please please visit our website for more details of how our flat fee MLS service works or contact us in person.

Avar Realty and http://huntsville.helpmesell.com are Members of the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors and North Alabama MLS Service. We are the premier flat fee discount brokerage for Huntsville and North Alabama. For more information contact one of our flat fee agents.

Statistics for Entire MLS from 04/01/2009 to 04/30/2009

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:13:14 -0500

Search Criteria:

Sold Terms and Days on Market Statistics

Category - Residential
Statistics for Entire MLS from 04/01/2009 to 04/30/2009

Sold Terms	Total	Total List $	Total Sold $	Avg List $	Avg Sold $	Med Sold $	Avg DOM	Avg DTC	Avg $/SF	%SP/LP
Cash	118	$12,719,340	$11,963,659	$107,791	$101,387	$84,250	105	18	$61	94.06%
Convention	262	$52,009,949	$49,857,625	$198,511	$190,296	$167,325	97	19	$84	95.86%
Equity	0	$0	$0	$0	$0	N/A	0	0	$0	0.00%
FHA	172	$23,882,139	$23,447,793	$138,850	$136,324	$145,950	104	18	$79	98.18%
FMHA	28	$3,231,120	$3,165,020	$115,397	$113,036	$140,000	122	18	$73	97.95%
Lease	1	$124,900	$124,900	$124,900	$124,900	$124,900	399	14	$38	100.00%
Other	18	$2,065,400	$1,967,250	$114,744	$109,292	$122,000	124	21	$75	95.25%
Own Financ	5	$631,700	$617,300	$126,340	$123,460	$105,000	152	15	$71	97.72%
Trade Down	0	$0	$0	$0	$0	N/A	0	0	$0	0.00%
Trade Up	0	$0	$0	$0	$0	N/A	0	0	$0	0.00%
VA	65	$14,476,489	$14,218,827	$222,715	$218,751	$214,000	120	17	$91	98.22%
TOTAL	669	$109,141,037	$105,362,374	$163,141	$157,492	$136,900	105	28	$78	96.54%

FSBO's Loose 15% when not using Realtor according to NAR

Ava Terry (Avar Realty, LLC) — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:12:32 -0500

FSBOs don’t realize–and this is what you must articulate to them–that the kind of people who typically buy from FSBOs do so only because they’re looking for a bargain. Most FSBO offers from potential buyers tend to be “lowball” offers. According to a recent NAR study, the average markdown of sellers who do all the work themselves, without any assistance from a real estate agent, is 15.4%. (A separate USA Today study came up with an even higher figure.) They may be paying ZERO dollars in commission, but the total cost of getting their homes sold will far exceed any fee charged by you or any other agent. They just need a little enlightenment.