DH and I at odds - list with Redfin or traditional? Please help us decide!

[Anonymous]

Ugh, DH and I cannot agree on this. He wants to use Redfin, which will list for a 4% commission (2.5% to buyers agent). I want to use a traditional realtor who wants 6%. We just cannot decide. Please, convince one of us that the other is right!

House is a townhouse in Gaithersburg (20878). Will probably list around $435,000. We have done our homework and know the comps and the sale process.

My big hangup is when it comes to the inspection. House is 30 years old and I expect the inspector will have a laundry list of details. I wonder if the traditional agent will do a better job pushing our interests in not having to make a bunch of repairs. DH thinks I'm crazy and we just say no to what we don't want to do. I guess I just feel that the realtor we met with will be more aggressive. But, we've never sold before, so maybe that doesn't matter? DH has pointed out that if we list with Redfin, the house could take an extra 2 months to sell and we'd still come out ahead. I'm just more risk-averse than DH generally, but he doesn't even see using Reffin as a risk and thinks I'm nuts.

WWYD? Is offering 2.5% to buyers agent a bad idea?

[Anonymous]

Redfin. Why waste $$$ ?

Realtors total idiots anyway - will sell regardless.

[Anonymous]

Anyone at all savvy offers 2.5%. Realtors don't want to admit this for obvious reasons.

[Anonymous]

We had a traditional agent with McEnearney and she did not look out for our best interest... It depends on the agent and not the broker. Next time we will go with discount broker like Redfin or just as FSBO.

[Anonymous]

Trust me, the traditional agent will do nothing to protect your interests.

Your husband is right - you would just throw money down the drain.

[Anonymous]

^^^ Here's the jackass again! (Probably works for Redfin). OP, have you read all of the thread lately on this? A Redfin agent cannot even negotiate their own worth. What makes you then think they can negotiate for you?

Houses do not sell themselves despite what all of the armchair agents on this forum will say.

Maybe you and DH can compromise and find a Long and Foster agent or Keller Williams agent who will do it for 5.5%? You have to offer the buyer's agent 3%. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I haven't used Redfin, but after selling with a traditional agent I know I would never do it again. They make far too much for the work involved, and dh and I made all the decisions, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Here's the jackass again! (Probably works for Redfin). OP, have you read all of the thread lately on this? A Redfin agent cannot even negotiate their own worth. What makes you then think they can negotiate for you?

Houses do not sell themselves despite what all of the armchair agents on this forum will say.

Maybe you and DH can compromise and find a Long and Foster agent or Keller Williams agent who will do it for 5.5%? You have to offer the buyer's agent 3%. Good luck!

Only an idiot would offer a buyers agent 3%.

Sorry, agent...

[Anonymous]

And you and "DH" probably left a lot of money on the table because you are such great negotiators . . .

[VArealtor]

OK, I'm really starting to believe that all of the redfin posts are sock-puppeting or all being posted by the same person. I can't even remember seeing a house listing by redfin, for example. buyer's agents, sure, but not listing agents. they are not popular enough in this area to justify all of the traction on this site.

If this is a legitimate post, OP: it sounds like you have already interviewed different agents, correct? Did you interview someone from redfin? What was your sense? Were you confident in his/her ability to act in your best interests? In real estate, the most important part is the individual realtor and less the brokerage firm for simpler transactions. The firm become more important in more complicated situations but that doesn't sound like that's the case you are in.

And remember $435k is a lot of money, and this is your HOME we're talking about. You want to maximize your gains but you also want someone that will give you confidence and support throughout the process.

Good luck on your sale & be confident!

[Anonymous]

And only and idiot would use Redfin or discount a the buyer's agent's fee. Sorry idiot. What exactly do you do for a living and what is your HHI? Do you own or rent? Where do you live? Please answer all of my questions before you go on to disparage agents further. Tell the truth. This should be interesting!

[Anonymous]

THANK YOU!!!!

This Redfin person is ridiculous! They have NO LISTINGS!!! NO TRACTION WHATSOEVER! I honestly feel like I am living in a 2014 episode of Seinfeld (via DCUM), I am Elaine the Realtor, and NEWMAN, the REFIN POSTER IS TORTURING ME!!! He makes no sense (I have no idea why I think this person is a "he")! Haha! It makes no difference. Redfin is a NON-ISSUE.

[Anonymous]

VArealtor wrote:OK, I'm really starting to believe that all of the redfin posts are sock-puppeting or all being posted by the same person. I can't even remember seeing a house listing by redfin, for example. buyer's agents, sure, but not listing agents. they are not popular enough in this area to justify all of the traction on this site.

If this is a legitimate post, OP: it sounds like you have already interviewed different agents, correct? Did you interview someone from redfin? What was your sense? Were you confident in his/her ability to act in your best interests? In real estate, the most important part is the individual realtor and less the brokerage firm for simpler transactions. The firm become more important in more complicated situations but that doesn't sound like that's the case you are in.

And remember $435k is a lot of money, and this is your HOME we're talking about. You want to maximize your gains but you also want someone that will give you confidence and support throughout the process.

Good luck on your sale & be confident!

Me too. It's actually comical now that everyday there's some "Should I go with Redfin" type post. To the other PP who cites Seinfeld, no, it's more like Groundhog Day here.

[Anonymous]

I knew the sad realtors would pile in....

[Anonymous]

I would do redfin. They may in fact sell faster because they get a special icon on their website. The selling part of redfin is relatively new so I would expect it to be more popular as time passes. In general, unless you have a 2-5 million dollar estate redfin is fine for most of the tract housing in this area.