MLS4owners.com releases new study of customer results

In addition to the statistics we continually update on our site, we also conduct periodic studies of the results of individual homesellers. In December 2008 we looked back at what subsequently happened to properties that had canceled their listings in the six months ending December 31, 2007.

Of the 225 properties on which listings expired or were canceled, 137 left in order to be represented by an agent, and 73 of them eventually closed sales. On average sellers had to reduce their price by $72,000 (11%) from their last asking price in order to complete the sale, and were on the market an additional 120 days. They also paid a commission to their listing agent.

Of the 73 that have sold, only 2 sold at or above their MLS4owners.com asking price. Both of them switched to an agent early on, within 45 days of activation, and one of them had been offering a 1.4% commission. Of course there are good reasons for wanting representation, especially when one’s circumstances have changed. However, our 2008 study had similar results to our 2002, 2003 and 2005 studies which showed that if a home is priced right for its condition and location, and given the MLS4owners.com exposure that meets or exceeds full service exposure, it will sell!

Visit our website for more information on this study and our customers' results.

MLS4owners.com wins one in federal antitrust case

When it comes to freedom of choice in real estate, MLS4owners.com is an advocate for consumers. Unless they are running for office, not many people monitor activities of federal, state and local governments. We try to keep on top of these things because they are important not only to us, but also to homeowners.

MLS4owners.com was the only Washington company to file a public comment on the recent proposed settlement in United States of America v. National Association of REALTORS®, and last week our work paid off.

Is your home a bargain?

John Gillie of The News Tribune is doing a story about the relative bargains that are now available on the market, and he is looking for homes and ideas.

Some of the examples he gives are "it's priced substantially below what the neighbors paid for their homes, it's 60 percent of last year's asking price, it comes with a free cruise on the Amazon or the owner is willing to finance with zero down."

Does your house fit one of these categories? Or is your house a bargain because you are saving so much in listing commissions? If you think your house would be part of a good story for John, let him know. Click the link in the first line of this post, or email him at The News Tribune.

Competition helps consumers

The Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice has an interesting website about Competition and Real Estate. It does a good job of explaining some of the options available to homesellers, and also helps debunk many myths we have encountered.

What should I do if my home is not selling?

When sellers ask us what more they can do to get their home sold, we recommend the 3 P’s – Pricing, Presentation and Patience.

Is your home sale subject to an inspection?

The Northwest Multiple Listing Service recently changed the way that sales are reported to agents and to the public, making it clearer to buyers whether the property is actually available for sale. Sales that used to be called "Active-Subject to Inspection" are now called "Pending Inspection." 

The latest stats and spin

One person's statement is another person's spin, so we'll let you decide which is which.

The latest statistics from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service are out. You can review the current press release any time on our site or the public site of the NWMLS.

The good news is pending sales in April 2008 were the highest they have been since August 2007. The bad news is pending sales are always higher in April than they are during the winter, so April's results are not a positive surprise.

What does MLS4owners.com think?

We send and receive hundreds of emails a week, and once in a while we respond to things that pop up in the press. Here is a sampling: [UPDATE: Most of the press website links are now obsolete and are no longer available in 2010]