[eweissenbach]

I have sold my last three home on a FSBO basis. I would have sold many more that way, but I worked for companies that handled the sale of homes when they transferred me. Take the price that a real estate company would ask, and the price that you would net if they sold it at that price, and split the difference for your fsbo asking price. Eg: Market value is $320,000; At 6% commission you net $300,800; You ask $310,000 You get a good deal and the buyer gets a good deal. Too many people try to sell for the top of market price and they don't market correctly or have the connections that a real estate salesperson has. Then you have to get signs for open houses, get your listing on Zillow, and other fsbo websites, advertise your open houses in the SUN and on TOTV. It is some level of work, but saving several thousand dollars is worth it.
As for who sells more houses, the Villages sells about 60%, MLS about 40%. Part of the reason is the built in advantage that TV has. They get assigned to anyone on a Lifestyle Preview, they have the best advertising real estate in the Daily Sun for homes for sale and open houses, they have offices on all the squares which newbies tend to seek out, etc. I think there are some MLS agents who are as good a bet as the best Villages agents, but who knows.