- General Questions & Answers
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- What is the difference between Full Service and Discount Agencies?
Basically, you're giving the most
vital part of your largest financial commitment to the lowest bidder by using a discount service, would you do the same with
your Dr.? Would you do the same with your Child's DayCare? Would you do the same with your auto mechanic?
Generally there is a cost you pay for discount services, how many places do they cut corners to make sure costs equal
out so that they still profit? If a discount company offers to do listings for $2995 + Buyer Agency Fees (3%), that's
the equivalent of 6% on a $100,000 home, never thought you'd pay so much for a discount service did you? That means
they are charging those with less expensive homes, and possibly less incomes more money for the same service as somebody with
a more valuable home!!! Attacking the poor, that's what discount firms offer! They charge a seller 3x more for
selling a 100k home than a 300k home! Full service, negotiable commission companies are the only true "Flat
Rate" service. -
- Do I receive quality marketing with your firm?
Everything possible, we do it all, if you count out the features, you will find one or two agents in the area that provide
as much service as we do. Top notch-full panoramic tours. Every Website thinkable. Open Houses whenever
requested. Real Estate Shopping Guide which goes to Restaurants and Local Super Markets. Just listed postcards
to neighbors. Emails and fliers to local lenders. -
- Don't
all agents put quality pictures in the MLS and have lawn signs?
They say they do, look around at
photos of homes in May and June, and you will see the "Empty Promiser's" out there. They claim they do the
best, but their pictures are second rate, they showy Winter-time pictures after your gardens have already bloomed, and they
often have less than 5 photos. Most agencies have not figured out what a quality picture is. Buyers don't view
details of homes that look dark, small, dated, and most of all bad weather. Is that what they meant by "anybody
can put a home in the MLS"? If the lawn sign was all it required to sell, there wouldn't be over 1,000 homes for
sale in Holland with only 70 homes selling per month.
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- What if
I think your service costs too much, can I negotiate that with you?
Good question...With gas being well over $4/gal,
and Meijer adding an average 200% markup from store costs, we can see why you would like to start cutting corners. Fees
are always negotiable, from nothing to 100%. Remember though, if you're paying double the price that Meijer paid for
groceries, that's an average $400/mo commission for an average family. You will have thousands of opportunities to pay
those incredible commissions. When you sell your home, you have a slight margin for error, you don't get thousands of
times to do this, so you may want to hand that task over to somebody who does do it thousands of times.
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- How many homes have you sold?
ZERO, not one. I don't sell homes, I represent
clients who sell homes. I have been a part of over 31 Sales in my first Two years, that's almost 9x the average
West Michigan agent. I haven't sold those homes, I've just figured out how to help my clients sell their homes!
Our brokerage has been involved with over 1000 Sales, that's almost twice the amount per agent over the past 20yrs.
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