[gfmucci]

Has anyone used the Villages Realtor Referral Service to help sell their non-Villages home before you moved here?

They are also now offering a home market price evaluation by "two top agents in your area."* I will be taking advantage of this, since I can always use a 2nd or 3rd opinion.

What kind of experiences have you had with this referral service?

[travelstiles]

We were given the names of 2 or 3 realtors in our area by TV relocation services, but knew of them anyway. We did sell our house quickly through the one we selected, but could easily have done this on our own without TV.
I am not sure what type of $ arrangement TV has with the broker, but we negotiated the commission on our end at 3% (which is pretty low I think).
It doesn't cost you anything to take their suggestions for brokers, but also talk to people in your neighborhood, and avoid those brokers that give you a pie-in-the-sky price just to make you feel good, then you lose out on good prospects if it's overpriced. Ask for comparable recent sales, and remember it's a buyer's market, so be flexible (we are including a lot of our furntiture with the sale). I would also not sign any exclusive agreement so you are not locked in and can always sell through another realtor if need be.
Good luck, and hope to see you when we both arrive in TV!

[SteveFromNY]

Where I am, any local realtor will be happy to give you a CMA (Comparable or Competitive Market Analysis) of your home, for free. That will get them in your house, and let them give their listing presentation to you - all the advantages you'll have listing your home with them. They won't want to leave until you sign! I understand some places legislate the R/E commission (but I am not sure), but if you can negotiate, go for no more than 3% if you have an "expensive" house. I used the logic with the realtor that he was getting an absolute amount from me, not a percent.
For instance, if your house sells for $100K and you've signed a 6% agreement, he gets $6K. If your house sells for $500K that same 6% translates into $30K, a HUGE difference and the realtor did the same work I'd assume. I told him I'd give him 3% (which is $15K for a $500K house), and no more. He kept at me with all the stuff he could think of to bring that amount up to 4% or 4 1/2%, but I just kept saying "But you'll still get $30,000 from me". And I signed at 3%. If your house is less expensive, the logic really isn't as strong.
Anyway, my advice is use someone local who you are comfortable with. Interview many of them. And as stated in the prior post beware of the high prices, they are likely just a come-on to get you to sign. You really don't need a recommendation from some place far from your house, although it can't hurt to interview them too. Ask around, I'll bet you even know some realtors!

[gfmucci]

The attractive 'selling point' about the TV Realtor referral service to me is their claim that they get the "top" Realtors in your area. I'm not sure what they base that on. But I do understand some Realtors are more effective than others. I would like to know who they consider "top" and what they base that on. I may agree with their conclusion, if it makes sense, and negotiate a listing with one of them if my FSBO efforts aren't fruitful.

Yes, it is a bit disingenuous for Realtors to "highball" you just to make you feel good about them. Most of us are aware enough about our local markets to see through that bull and toss the deceivers out.

[gfmucci]

I was just told by Cindy at TV that their Realtor market valuation will not be done for me because I have already "listed" with a Realtor who...

I paid $250 to list in MLS. That is the only service they perform.
Does not collect a commission if sold
I can cancel at any time
Does not show the house or have anything to do with a transaction

I would think that any local Realtor I asked would do a pre-listing evaluation of the home I'm trying to sell. I've not heard of Realtors being prohibited from reviewing a home at the owner's request, even if I had a full listing that could expire at any moment.

[SteveFromNY]

I'd be willing to bet if you talked to someone local (again, don't concern yourself with TV recommendation) you could write the $250 into your agreement if you listed it with them.

Personally, I couldn't be bothered with doing my house via FSBO. I want someone to sort thru the potential buyers and, most importantly to me, will negotiate price for me. I'd probably tell off too many buyers with lower than I want offers, where a realtor should be able to remain dispassionate.

I don't see the value in someone hundreds or thousands of miles away making a recommendation. It has more to do with business relationships between the companies than quality of the agents, or ability to sell. Maybe try one of the larger local realtors?

[jjdees]

When you use the relo service and choose the Villages reccomended realtor, TV gets a sizable chunk of the commission. No different than using a relo service between any other locations in the country.

[travelstiles]

Once again I agree with Steve from NY - I was a licensed RE broker for over 10 years (my father was for over 35 years) and neither of us would ever try to sell our own home or sell FSBO. There is so much to know and deal with that I would rather pay 3% and let a full-time professional handle it. They can screen for qualified buyers who can get a mortgage, be sure that your sale is not contingent on the buyer's home sale, and importantly handle those low offers that, as Steve said really can tick you off, while being the go-between for all communications. It will save you a LOT of aggravation, trust me.
The family next door to us got 3 free appraisals, priced it high, tried the FSBO for 8 months and now have lowered the price 20%, but the good potential buyers have seen it sit too long and are now suspicious. We got 3 in-the-range offers and sold within a month for a realistic price. Well worth the 3%. Good luck and let us know what you decide :bigthumbsup:

[jadebox]

I was a broker salesman for years and I agree about hiring someone to sell your home. My husband wanted me to sell our courtyard villa FSBO. It drove me crazy because most of the people were just lookers. Most said we would buy in a year or so. One woman wanted to see the laminate floors. After 3 weeks I hired a Realtor, she put out her sign on a Weds and had a VERY GOOD cash sale on Friday.

[Talk Host]

The Villages recommended two agents in Binghamton, New York when we decided to list our house. We had both of them come and look at our house and recommend a selling price. The second woman who came suggested that we sell for $75,000 less than the first agent who came. We chose the first agent and sold our house in two weeks. If we had selected the second one the Villages recommended........well, you know what would have happened.

[jjdees]

How do you get a realtor to list for 3%? The cooperating broker on a sale would only get 1.5%? Wouldn't work in my opinion. 5% is stretching it. With the over abundance of property on the market, the realtors are going to guide their prospects to the houses that are paying the best commissions. For a full service broker, I think 6% is the lowest, giving a 3&3 split.

[SteveFromNY]

It was simple for me to get 3% - I just kept saying the amount of the commission in absolute dollars - and kept saying "No" to any other suggestion. He listed the house for 3%.
I was a realtor for a couple of years, and realize the realtor doesn't work any harder to sell a $100K home than a $500K home. Put it in MLS, put it in the paper, and wait. If it's a $500K home (the average home around NYC where I am) 3% is $15K. Most of the realtors I know would sell a family member for $15K, never mind your house.
Again, 3% on a $100K house may not be enough to get them interested.
By the way, I have had my house up for sale for 6 months and just took it off the market until after the holidays. The market is slow here these days! >

[gfmucci]

I'm hoping the market is better here in Destin, FL when all the snowbirds come down to roost over the holiday and through the winter...maybe several looking to buy a nice house 3 blocks from the Gulf of Mexico.

[storchia]

We are currently using the relo service of TV. We had two realtors come to our home and do a CMA. We will use the first one and list the house on December 1st. The really big thing for us was the marketing plan from the realtor (the house will be on 5 internet sites). AND if you use the TV relo service there is a 62% discount on moving expenses. We have only been in our current home (El Paso) 2 years. So, we have bought high and will have to sell low. When we sold in WA state two years ago, we were able to pay off two houses, a new car, and still had 30K in our pockets. This time we will be fortunate to clear the price of our new home in TV. The market is horrible everywhere. We will price our home in El Paso aggressively and hope to be in TV by spring.

[travelstiles]

Good luck, Storchia! We just met with the mover we are using through TV Relo service and did get the 60% + discount. We met with Mayflower and United Vans and decided on Mayflower.
If anyone has info on storage facilities in the area that they have used, it would be appreciated, as the ones affiliated with the larger moving companies can be expensive ($1400/month in our case)!