The Villages Realtors vs Multiple Listing Realtors
 

Which group of realtors are most successful selling pre-owned houses in The Villages in terms of number of houses sold, Properties of The Villages or Multiple Listing realtors? 1Q, 2024 stats were published by The Villages: 580 Houses closed, 717 Pending. How determine how many were sold by realtors not working for The Villages?

Terminology. There are no Realtors working for Properties of the Villages. The Properties of the Villages is not a member of National Association of Realtors (NAR), so their agents are licensed real estate agents, but not Realtors.

Contact the local realtors association, they’ll have the MLS info

According to the original post, that didn't matter to 1500+ homeowners.

Properties of The Villages focuses on new construction. Pre-owned is secondary. They have fewer listings, but they tend to close them more quickly on average than MLS companies.

There are more MLS listings than there are VLS listings, but they tend to take longer to sell and often have price reductions before they go into pending status.

Totally anecdotal, but I've seen two homes in my area that were initially listed with MLS, that remained unsold for many months. Both of them eventually switched to VLS, and the properties sold after only a couple-three months once Properties of The Villages re-listed under their own company.

I just counted 575 preowned listing on VLS. That is not less than MLS.

A ‘couple-three months’ isn’t also many months? VLS pre-owned listings also often have price reductions. It’s just more difficult to tell. Only if you are watching houses for a period of time do you notice one day that the price is lower than it was the day before.

I have been watching both sides pretty closely for a few months as I am house hunting. There is actually a lot of parity with the number of pre-owned listings for MLS and VLS so far this year. Indeed I would say VLS has more right now than MLS. And there are many that have been on VLS for 3+ months. Basically any VLS number around 241500 or lower.

Correct. But, according to the NAR, you should hire a Realtor because they are better than a non-Realtor.

Based on my experience the Villages real estate agents push new builds as they appear to be incentivized to do so.
An MLS Realtor can function as a Buyer's Agent. I do not know if that is possible with a VLS agent. I have heard more than one war story where a property listed with VLS withered on the vine and when finally listed with MLS sold within a reasonable time.

One would expect the National Association of REALTORS to say that

OP,

I agree with the first paragraph and that is your best answer. BUT if you are South of 44, MLS homes sell faster. I had a great house and I sold it harder than the agent. There are additional rules VLS agents follow (no signs) that MLS agents don't follow. I didn't care about rules - I wanted to sell my house before my designed home was finished. I probably took 2 months longer and $30,000 less because I went with the VLS. As you see by Orange's handle he is up North and sellers are not competing with 5,000 new homes - all cheaper as people want to recoup aftermarkets things they added.

My laugh of the morning
 

That’s hilarious..

In this market neither the MLS or TV wins. Too much inventory and high mortgage rates stiffle sales.

I can only speak to my own experience. I sold a pre owned home and listed with a villages realtor. BIG mistake for me!!! They brought people in for the first month and discovered they used my house to push selling their NEW build! They don’t need to follow the same rules as an MLS realtor. I had a huge war on my hand and much stress. I would never use them unless you want a new build. Also, if you list with them, they will not show your home to an mls realtor! Mine was a nightmare.

The village real estate agents are not Realtors!

The Villages real estate agents are not Realtors ! The Villages real estate agents do not cooperate with outside Realtors.

"Realtor" is a trademark used only by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

I have only been watching the market for the last 4 years or so, but have been a part of 4 home purchases in that time. Seems to me it's a 50/50 split, which you would expect in a competitive market. I would say that the VLS people do navigate the intricacies of this market better.

I've bought from both. MLS realtors told me more about the house. VLS people stand around. One VLS realtor didn't even know the house was a short sale. I did. However many buyers seem to believe the VLS sales people know more.

If you want to know how the MLS sales in TV are doing. This guy does a weekly show that he breaks down sales in TV via the MLS. Lots of slicing and dicing of the sales numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKlTnfAuZFs

If buying a new house would use both.

and we call all brands of Tissue "Kleenex" even though "Kleenex" is a trademark of Kimberly-Clark. Of course Kleenex has not lost a recent court case for price fixing either like the NAR just did. Not sure what this has to do with the OPs post.

To answer the OP, I will have a house to sell in 2027, and I am highly torn. I bought a new house in 2014 from VLS after looking at existing homes with MLS AND VLS. My experience was that the VLS agent did not push either and showed me everything I wanted. He even pointed out the upgrades in the existing homes. I bought my second (rental) FSBO. They look like they both sell about the same number. I think the location and the price are the main things no matter who you use. I always wonder how many people do a lifestyle visit and never talk to an MLS agent.......
Ed

A little off topic ,but a story in Boston Globe today a realtor has sold 3 parking spaces in a garage on Beacon Hill for $500,000 , yeas ago when they opened prices started around $10,000 now it’s $ 500, 000 and there’s a long waiting list fo r a space to come open . All over city spaces going for $250,000 and higher people feel I’d your spending a couple of million on a condo why not .. This is why never take a car home to move around in a walkable city

The term Realtor is not just a trademark, like Kleenex. The NAR claims that Realtors are better at selling houses than non-Realtor agents.

Oh the irony…..
Benefits of Joining NAR and Becoming a REALTOR®
Industry recognition: The title of REALTOR® is regarded with considerable prestige because of the strict code of ethics that NAR members agree to abide by. Clients may be more inclined to trust someone who has taken steps to adhere to this code of ethics.

The NAR settled all of their lawsuits for $418 million……….. for lack of ethics….
The real estate industry has long been plagued by 1,000's & 1,000's & 1,000's of low to no skill part time agents who do a handful of deals per year.

But hey, if they pay their NAR dues, they’re the BEST!! It’s so funny because they take the exact same classes and tests but they don’t pay a fee to join NAR so they’re subpar.

If buying new, you’d have to use TV agent. MLS can’t sell new homes in TV

I have had a home listed with VLS for nearly six months and am trying to decide if I want to continue with them or find a MLS agent. Interesting and timely discussion.

You DO realize that NAR stands for the "National Association of Realtors", don't you?

What else would you expect them to claim? That they're worse than the VLS agents? :shrug:

When we were looking at homes to buy we had one of each. Sellers are the one who list with either MLS or TV agents. If you don’t use one of each, you may miss out on your perfect home.

Both.

If it's any help for you, we just sold a house and we used the Villages. First open house on a Sunday, contract on Monday. I don't know if it was just our house or location, but the Pope group didn't give us a feeling of new house verse used.

the big lie
 

NAR is currently facing billions in fines to be spread among their fine agents. Except, sine they fixed rates to make sure there's no competition, they will likely be paying people who used "realtors" in the past few decades.

So, no, there's nothing better about a realtor.

Really, do have any data to back that up?
 

I know a number of villages homes that were listed over comp price and not sold by the
the Villages. MLS listed them at fair market value and sold them. The villages is happy to list your house higher than the comps. It allows them to compare the house to a New Villages property. they guide the buyers to new homes.

That wasn't my experience, when we bought our pre-owned home in the "Historic Section." We used a Property of The Villages sales agent to help us find a home, he helped us find it, helped us negotiate and get an inspector, got a handyman to do a couple of very minor (but important) repairs before we moved in, helped us with finding a lawn guy, internet setup, utilities, all the things we didn't know how to do while we were still stuck up in Connecticut. And then, he attended the closing with us. All this - even though he wasn't representing the seller, and it was a pre-owned home.

The seller had a different sales rep helping them sell their property, but theirs was through Properties of The Villages as well.

These sales agents are very good at what they do, because they specialize in this community. They don't sell properties outside The Villages at all. So it's in their best interest to help the seller sell, and the buyer buy. If a buyer says they don't want a new home, then they won't be shown new homes.

My initial Villages sales rep evaded showing me even one resale house after multiple requests but steered me to new spec homes.

that is when you know if you have a keeper as an agent. Either they listen to you or help them to go away