Recently I was asked to comment on the feasibility of an "al a carte" MLS real estate service. This is a service that is made available to sellers of homes to buy (and pay for) just the services that believe they need in a transaction. It is posed as an alternative to sellers who, especially these days, are strapped for money and are perhaps even in a "short sale" position , owing more money to a bank than their home is worth.

I am reminded of the television ad that has a man attempting to do surgery on himself with the doctor on the other end of the phone.  Not a good idea;   or a  Dagwood  Bumstead that decides to fix his plumbing leak, only to make it worse, before Blondie call in the plumber.  Only to wind up spending a fortune to fix what originally was a small leak.

 Direct access real estate services are for sellers who have only the  simplest of real estate  transactions to handle; and even the simplest transaction can go haywire in a flash.

Today, more than ever before, is the time to have a full service, experienced real estate professional aiding sellers and buyers in real estate transaction.

Folks, when things go well, they go so well  you think , hey, this is easy;  kind of like you can't tell how good your doctor really is until you get really sick.  

I offer the following points that should convince you to use a full service professional.

1.       Pricing.  A seasoned professional can more accurately, and without emotion, price the home.

2.      Marketing. Many brokers have access to dozens of web sites and internet services that the home owner will not have available to him ( We market on over 42 of them, and many international)

3.      Showing. It is uncomfortable for many buyers to look at a home with the owner present. They will rush through the home and not give it the due consideration it deserves.

4.      Arms- length. Many sellers are emotionally tied to their home. It is imperative that there be an arms-length, more distant representative of the home.

5.      Perception . A home that is marketed by owner or one of these for sale by owner services  is perceived to be an inflexible seller by brokers and buyers alike.  Many brokers will avoid these listings. Right or wrong, it happens.

6.      Negotiating.  This is probably the toughest area and one that requires experience and finesse.   I will tell you that in some full service agencies the broker will often never let the two parties meet face to face - because experience shows that deal will fall apart at this point.

7.      Short Sales.  There are even experience professionals that bring is short sale experts to facilitate these lengthy and stressful transactions. Only use a broker that has experience here.

8.      Financing. The pros do this every day and know the lenders, and the system.

9.      The Unforeseen.  If I knew what the unforeseen was I wouldn't call in the unforeseen. But the point is that a professional has experience in dealing with surprises from many previous  transactions he has handled.  A few  examples would be the market crash that happened recently, a water leak after executed contract but before closing, or a divorce or spousal dispute.

10.  Weasel clauses. Professional know how to use them and how to recognize them.

11.  The Cognitive Dissonance Conundrum. The deal is NEVER done. Never.  Sellers need to continue to sell.

12.  The Nibbler. Professionals know how to deal with the buyer that keeps on asking and asking for more things - kind of like Colombo in the old TV series.

13.  The Inspection.  A stressful time for the seller and an open window for the buyer - unless handled correctly

14.  The Closing.   A sit down? A mail away?  Who is there?  What has to be done?  Is there a lawyer involved?  How can you save money on title insurance

A seller never knows what service she will need ahead of time. In my humble opinion, saving money on al la carte real estate service is a mistake that may be very costly.

Gregg A. Fous

Managing Director

Broker of Record

ENGEL & VÖLKERS
E and V International Realty, LLC.
Fort Myers River District

1635 Hendry Street
Fort Myers, FL 33901 / USA
Phone