Hi @Kevin Kraver, I have recently been looking into this service since a new listing popped up on my local MLS and as a realtor, I was confused by the info in the listing regarding the agent/seller relationship. The listing made it clear the agent did not represent the seller in any way, nor back up any of the info stated in the listing. I have had zero experience with this company, but just wanted to offer my 2 cents as an agent.
I looked at their site and yes, they do offer a straight MLS listing for as low as 95$, but the additional services are where they can add up to the same cost or higher than a listing agent would charge you; ie: premium help with forms- $2999, lock box $125 (some local MLS, including my local MLS, specifically BAN non-mls provided lock boxes & if reported your listing can be removed), for sale sign (in your area, SJ) $110, etc etc.
Depending on the price of the house youre selling, those fees can quickly add up to be close to or more than what you'd pay a traditional listing agent. Beyond the fees, though, my main concern would be the potential liability you open yourself up to by essentially representing yourself. Agents and sellers have to disclose A LOT of information about the house youre selling and any errors, omissions or just plain honest mistakes can open you up to potentially costly liability. Agents are there to guide you on what to disclose, how to do it properly and why its important, among other things.
In addition to the liability, the actual mundane back and forth process of escrow can be a lot of stress for a seller to tackle on their own. There are deadlines to follow on when certain forms have to be returned. Also, what forms does the buyer need to send you vs you send to the buyer? What situations can the seller keep the buyers deposit if they cancel the sale? Who deals with and often advocates on your behalf to the appraiser? Who deals with the request for repairs and knows what is standard, excessive, easy & cheap to fix because they have local contacts? Who talks to the buyers lender on sometimes a daily basis to make sure escrow closes on time? There are sooooo many things that agents deal with on a daily basis that you, as a seller, would probably think of as a nightmare lol.
All that said, I do NOT want to seem as if Im discouraging you from using this service or have any experience dealing with them, as I have not. I am not even close to SJ, nor do I know anyone in that area, so Im also not soliciting you for any business. I just found this post in my recent research on flat-fee RE services and wanted to share my thoughts. Last thing Ill add is that RE agents are everywhere and many are discounting their commission to as low as 1% in order to gain business. I personally have offered a discounted commission many times for friends, family or in a situation with a lot of competition. I would bet that if you call around to your local agents at different offices and really interview them, you could find a few you trust that would offer a lower commission to win your business.
Good luck with your selling journey!
