A recent survey by Consumer Reports showed that only 1% of successful home sellers chose to market their properties exclusively through non-MLS websites. The reason the overwhelming majority of homesellers choose to market their properties through the MLS is because is works.
| Compared to selling on your own | BuySelf | Non-MLS Website | Yard Sign & Newspaper Ad |
| Internet/Web Exposure | Top 20 real estate websites, including #1 Realtor.com | None of the top 20 websites |  |
| % of Potential Buyers Reached | 86%+ | Less than 1% | Less than 1% |
| % of Buyers' Agents Reached | 100% | Less than 1% | Less than 1% |
| % of Buyer's Agents Aware Your Home is For Sale | 100% of agents with buyers for your area | 0% to 1% | 0% to 1% |
| Agents Calling to Solicit You | Little or None | Many | Many |
| % of Buyer's Agents Aware of Offered Commission | 100% | 0% | |
| # of Websites | 100-1000 | 1-2 | None |
| Includes Paperwork to Comply with Home Selling Laws |  |
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| Live Support from a Licensed Professional | |
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| Seller can Remove Property from Market | |
Usually | |
| Phone Calls Go to: | Direct to seller and forwarded to seller | Seller | Seller |
| Pay no commission if you find a buyer not involved with an agent | |
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Consider the following:
- 86% of buyers are represented by licensed Realtors. These Realtors search for properties on the MLS exclusively....if your property isn't on the MLS, you don't have exposure to 86% of buyers. 86% of buyers simply won't know your property is for sale.
- Many buyers start their search for properties online through websites such as Realtor.com. These websites take their property listings exclusively from the MLS. Using the MLS is the only way to ensure that your property is where most of the buyers are going to be looking.
- For sale by owner sellers get plenty of phone calls...from Realtors who want to list their property. Many for sale by owner home sellers get frustrated by the sheer volume of agents who call wanting to represent them. It's often said that traditional agents spend 5% of their time working for their clients and 95% of their time looking for new ones. Once you list on the MLS, these kinds of sales calls will disappear.
While a local realtor with knowledge of an area may be useful to help you find a home, you don’t need one to sell your home. As long as you get listed in the MLS, people will find you.
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