Right on, Dave!!!
My experience also, except The Villages listing never sold after 1 year, I started at the price they recommended and reduced and reduced. Finally listed with Realty Execs, sold in 1 month, however at a much lower price. People watch the listings very intently and when they see one on the market for a year, they know we're desperate. I lost my shirt, carrying 2 houses for 1 year and also selling at a much reduced price. Never again will I SELL through TV, they use preowned homes to persuade buys that new is better.



I agree with others, try FSBO first, you have nothing to lose.

I am a recent buyer and will tell you I honestly looked all three places for my home (FSBO, Realty Exec. in TV, and MLS). Most diligent buyers will look at these three places so I agree with the advice given above to try FSBO first. If you have no bond or a low bond left on your home, I would suggest MLS second. As a buyer, those new homes were often presented at a lower price point by Realty Exec. in TV, but those high bonds!! The homes with no or low bond (resale) won every time for me. There are those buyers who are strictly looking for a new home (been there done that) and your listing with TV won't change that. MLS is nation-wide and also widely trusted by out of town buyers for years. Realty exec. in TV were professional, but I could clearly feel their motivation to sell me a new home. I ended up using ERA Grizzard in TV and was very happy with their service, willingness to show me the homes I wanted to see and easy closing. Best of luck!

This post has been up so long the home is probably sold by now. Next.

You need to be more careful in your wording. Realty Executives is an MLS brokerage and do not sell new homes in the Villages, only resales on the MLS. Most likely you are talking about The Villages Realty, which sells all the new homes plus resales listed on VLS

It's the price I pay because the agent has not been honest about it! If the real intention for having a open house is to bring in new contacts and not to sell my house then some ones ethics should be called in to question.

the state requires anyone who sells real estate for a commission be licensed. The National Association of Realtors has their Realtors sign a code of ethics, while Villages agents do not. This would explain why they seem to get away with some of this crap!

While it is true that Villages agents are not Realtors(tm), I don't think they are any more or less honest or honorable than other agents. I have met a lot of agents over the past nine years going to hundreds of open houses, and have only heard two Village salespeople saying things that I thought were blatantly wrong.
One responded, when I said I always just add the bond remaining to the asking price to determine the real price, "Oh you can't do that, the bond is paid with the taxes, and you won't even notice it." To which I replied - Really! I won't notice that extra fifteen hundred dollars per year m/l? I think you confuse me with a fool!
I overheard another VLS salesperson tell someone "I GUARANTEE that this house will be worth another $20,000 in another year" Anyone who has been in any real estate or financial position, or anyone with a brain knows you can't predict, much less guarantee future prices. Again, that is two instances out of hundreds so not noteworthy as a trend. I worked with Tony Trussler with the Villages and Lyle Gant with MLS, and can absolutely vouch for their credibility, honesty, and character.

The house my be for less, but the hidden charges like bond, land scaping, and furnishings may add up to much more? Most don't realize that till after the brought. .

I can tell you honestly, that I (briefly) dealt with a licensed realtor up north that had 0 ethics. I'm betting he's not the only one.

The realtor code of ethics is a fig leaf, means nothing. Unethical personalities will sign anything if it’s personally beneficial. The only thing that matters is did your agent violate state statute in regard to real property law. If not, he did nothing wrong.


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:agree: I've used both MLS and TLS. I've been very satisfied with both agents.

Turns out going with The Villages was the right way to go for our situation.