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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a realtor, I'm sad to read all of these posts. I've worked exceptionally hard to build my reputation as well as work on behalf of my clients' best interests. I'm feel honored that my clients have testified to my capabilities. The issue between RedFin and a traditional agent is the services they provide and how they work on their behalf. RedFin is a discount brokerage that offers limited services, but has a great web presence. They are salaried and as such service many many listings at once, which prevents them from dedicating time to their clients. With a traditional realtor, they will be able to offer you insights, strategies and marketing that will allow you to better position your property. In terms of our firm, M Squared Real Estate, we typically sell our listings 15% faster than other brokerages at about 20% above market values. We market on over 900 websites and our print / online media exceeds anything else out there.

Although it appears I'm a minority in here, I would encourage you to use a traditional realtor. Any realtor will work with you to be competitive with other brokerages and commissions are always negotiable!

Best of luck!
Justin
[e-mail]
MSQRealty.com

Justin, you sound great. But we are all wondering what added marketing value a traditional agent offers.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with balloons? Makes it easier to find the house....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a realtor, I'm sad to read all of these posts. I've worked exceptionally hard to build my reputation as well as work on behalf of my clients' best interests. I'm feel honored that my clients have testified to my capabilities. The issue between RedFin and a traditional agent is the services they provide and how they work on their behalf. RedFin is a discount brokerage that offers limited services, but has a great web presence. They are salaried and as such service many many listings at once, which prevents them from dedicating time to their clients. With a traditional realtor, they will be able to offer you insights, strategies and marketing that will allow you to better position your property. In terms of our firm, M Squared Real Estate, we typically sell our listings 15% faster than other brokerages at about 20% above market values. We market on over 900 websites and our print / online media exceeds anything else out there.

Although it appears I'm a minority in here, I would encourage you to use a traditional realtor. Any realtor will work with you to be competitive with other brokerages and commissions are always negotiable!

Best of luck!
Justin
[e-mail]
MSQRealty.com

Justin, you sound great. But we are all wondering what added marketing value a traditional agent offers.

20% over market value? What does that even mean? I'm sure you make a good sales pitch to the sellers.

But what do you do to persuade the eventual buyers to bid up? Nice websites??

[Anonymous]

In this market at that price, I would go for the lowest possible. If I could get it on the MLS with out either, I would do that. When you go to the closing and see how much 6% is verseus how much work the traditional agent did, it is shocking. Not a Redfin agent. FSBO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think any upscale brokerage is going to post their marketing plan on this site? Get real!

+1 Another agent on this thread. I'm not really interested in revealing my marketing and service structure to woo people who think Redfin is the best. It's like that old line in When Harry Met Sally - the people who think they are low maintenance are really high maintenance or whatever? It's the people who think they can buy and sell real estate with ease who actually end up needing more help than the average buyer/seller. Lots of wacky things happen in transactions. I've been on the other side of deals with Redfin agents and the things some of them do or don't do to protect their clients are scary. I had one outright lie and I think that several months later that is going to come back to haunt that agent, and also had one who really dropped the ball in protecting their client and my client could have walked away and still been within their right to get their deposit back even on the day of settlement. The average client may not know that these things are happening behind the scenes until it comes back to bite them. In these cases, I am guessing it was the assistant who was dropping the ball. But their model only works if the team is effective.

Oh. Then there was the agent who didn't show up at settlement and the client didn't know that in Virginia funds are not handed over at the table, the deal has to be recorded. Redfin agent forgot to explain that. Yikes. It got ugly. The settlement attorney was like, "I'm sorry your agent didn't inform you of that..." So he saved a few thousand on commission but then he had to stay in town an extra day and rearrange his schedule so he could pick up the check in person for whatever reason. LOL.

I bet you aren't. So the seller stayed an extra day in town. And the lawyer caught the mistake. Was it worth $30K?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Do you think I am tacky enough to bring BALLOONS to my open houses? I think Jeff should separate the real estate forum into DC/MD/VA. There is no WAY anyone in close-in DC would ever think or suggest an agent would EVER bring BALLOONS to an open house!!!

And as I have stated over and over and over and over, the Redfin poster is out of hand. Show me the market data to back up your claims, cheerleader! YOU CANNOT DO IT! REDFIN is a NON-PERFORMER and therefore, NOT RELEVANT!

A full-service brokerage does not compare to any of the discount brokers. Mr. Redfin poster, I think you should try to get your real estate license and see if you could survive one day in this business.

Keep it up Mr. Redfin. I will be forced to issue you an invitation to meet me in a dark alley. In NW DC. You bring the balloons!

Nutjob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, take a look at this previous thread about Redfin:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/391560.page

Since I believe you said your home is in Gaithersburg, you might be okay using them but I still would not do it. They are not full time experienced agents. They are not heavy listing agents with a strong track record of getting the most money for their sellers (because they simply do not have a lot of listings - never have and never will). You get what you pay for and I would encourage you and DH to interview three agents. Interview a Redfin agent if you'd like but also interview a couple of traditional agents. I PROMISE you the difference will be CRYSTAL clear. I would not ask for any more real estate advice on this board because it is quite clear that someone who works for Redfin is policing it and someone who hates real estate agents (and THINKS they know the business) also is. This is a big transaction for you and you cannot afford to leave it to amateurs. Good luck.

Traditional realtors use the "frighten the Buyers and the sellers and make deals with the other Realtors technique" No I would not be in a rush to confess that either. we have used both. Traditional realtors are out to sell your property quickly using a realtor friend and make the seller do as much work as possible. It is pretty dirty business.

[Anonymous]

I notice that not a single traditional agent in this thread has been able to clearly explain what marketing and strategy they are offering beside the Balloon/flyer/website combo.
Guys if you want the agent bashing to stop, you need to be more specific and stop saying: "I have amazing marketing and strategic tools to sell your property in 10 days 20% above market price, but I will not tell you what it is." Because that sounds like BS to us.

[Anonymous]

RE agents are basically like shitlawyers who attack Legalzoom and other services. The internet has basically exposed the fact that they don't offer a very valuable service.

[Anonymous]

As a buyer, I don't think it matters at all. The last two houses I bought, I stalked realtor.com and Redfin and told my agent which ones I wanted to see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I notice that not a single traditional agent in this thread has been able to clearly explain what marketing and strategy they are offering beside the Balloon/flyer/website combo.
Guys if you want the agent bashing to stop, you need to be more specific and stop saying: "I have amazing marketing and strategic tools to sell your property in 10 days 20% above market price, but I will not tell you what it is." Because that sounds like BS to us.

And as I said, I'm not interested in revealing what I do that's different because then you would take it and run to Redfin. So, no. But you can keep asking, it just makes you look like an idiot.

The issues I mentioned upthread that are Redfin problems are not "clerical" issues - they dropped the ball so much that my clients could have walked the morning of settlement. I think not adequately protecting your client when you're the listing agent is a big deal, but maybe you don't. Go ahead and list with them, maybe you'll find out that the morning of settlement after lying about some things, that the house isn't settling because your discount agent didn't do their job. Ha ha ha. Oh wait, but you can't tell them off because they're out of town and not at your settlement!

[Anonymous]

Take a look at this quote (LIKELY FROM A REDFIN AGENT):

"Anonymous - I do commission rebates. I made over $200K this past year, but I only work 2-3 hours a day if that. "

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/352543.page

This is why people hate real estate agents. I am a real estate agent and I can tell you, I work 60+ hours a week, I never give rebates and I make a lot more money than this clown. I will guarantee that I provide top notch service as well.

I will be in business longer than Redfin will. Again - they do not LIST PROPERTIES. Their agents have no negotiating skills, they work part-time, they are not professionally dressed, no one knows who they are (and networking is important)!

Do you want a Mercedes or do you want to go to Carmax for a used Honda? Do you want an Hermes bag or would you prefer Coach? Would you like Louboutin's or 9 West? Patek Philipe or Timex? Are you getting the picture? White glove service or someone who works 2-3 hours a day and brags about it on DCUM and gives rebates?

Then - check the AU Park thread - you get idiots who are laughing at the fact that a house in their neighborhood SOLD FOR A HIGH PRICE!!! Would a normal, reasonable person, want the home values in their neighborhood to INCREASE? Of course they would!!! Yet, not one, BUT TWO posters are bashing agents, knocking their soon to be new neighbors for paying what they did for a LOVELY HOUSE in a GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, when in fact they should be celebrating the new equity they have in their homes (if, in fact, they DO own)?

Oh, OP, I think I told you not to ask for real estate advice on this board but I could not resist commenting again after seeing some of the responses. Once again, good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I notice that not a single traditional agent in this thread has been able to clearly explain what marketing and strategy they are offering beside the Balloon/flyer/website combo.
Guys if you want the agent bashing to stop, you need to be more specific and stop saying: "I have amazing marketing and strategic tools to sell your property in 10 days 20% above market price, but I will not tell you what it is." Because that sounds like BS to us.

And as I said, I'm not interested in revealing what I do that's different because then you would take it and run to Redfin. So, no. But you can keep asking, it just makes you look like an idiot.

The issues I mentioned upthread that are Redfin problems are not "clerical" issues - they dropped the ball so much that my clients could have walked the morning of settlement. I think not adequately protecting your client when you're the listing agent is a big deal, but maybe you don't. Go ahead and list with them, maybe you'll find out that the morning of settlement after lying about some things, that the house isn't settling because your discount agent didn't do their job. Ha ha ha. Oh wait, but you can't tell them off because they're out of town and not at your settlement!

If I am reading you well, the reason you are asking a premium, is a little secret you are scared to reveal because you think that when people will know it you will become so worthless they will run to see somebody cheaper.
If I look like an idiot, I really wonder what you look like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at this quote (LIKELY FROM A REDFIN AGENT):

"Anonymous - I do commission rebates. I made over $200K this past year, but I only work 2-3 hours a day if that. "

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/352543.page

This is why people hate real estate agents. I am a real estate agent and I can tell you, I work 60+ hours a week, I never give rebates and I make a lot more money than this clown. I will guarantee that I provide top notch service as well.

I will be in business longer than Redfin will. Again - they do not LIST PROPERTIES. Their agents have no negotiating skills, they work part-time, they are not professionally dressed, no one knows who they are (and networking is important)!

Do you want a Mercedes or do you want to go to Carmax for a used Honda? Do you want an Hermes bag or would you prefer Coach? Would you like Louboutin's or 9 West? Patek Philipe or Timex? Are you getting the picture? White glove service or someone who works 2-3 hours a day and brags about it on DCUM and gives rebates?

Then - check the AU Park thread - you get idiots who are laughing at the fact that a house in their neighborhood SOLD FOR A HIGH PRICE!!! Would a normal, reasonable person, want the home values in their neighborhood to INCREASE? Of course they would!!! Yet, not one, BUT TWO posters are bashing agents, knocking their soon to be new neighbors for paying what they did for a LOVELY HOUSE in a GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, when in fact they should be celebrating the new equity they have in their homes (if, in fact, they DO own)?

Oh, OP, I think I told you not to ask for real estate advice on this board but I could not resist commenting again after seeing some of the responses. Once again, good luck!

you are making assumptions, on an anonymous forum no less, about the identities of people.
My guess is the first one is not a redfin agent and the second one does not live in AU Park (but is pissed to be priced out)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I notice that not a single traditional agent in this thread has been able to clearly explain what marketing and strategy they are offering beside the Balloon/flyer/website combo.
Guys if you want the agent bashing to stop, you need to be more specific and stop saying: "I have amazing marketing and strategic tools to sell your property in 10 days 20% above market price, but I will not tell you what it is." Because that sounds like BS to us.

And as I said, I'm not interested in revealing what I do that's different because then you would take it and run to Redfin. So, no. But you can keep asking, it just makes you look like an idiot.

The issues I mentioned upthread that are Redfin problems are not "clerical" issues - they dropped the ball so much that my clients could have walked the morning of settlement. I think not adequately protecting your client when you're the listing agent is a big deal, but maybe you don't. Go ahead and list with them, maybe you'll find out that the morning of settlement after lying about some things, that the house isn't settling because your discount agent didn't do their job. Ha ha ha. Oh wait, but you can't tell them off because they're out of town and not at your settlement!

If I am reading you well, the reason you are asking a premium, is a little secret you are scared to reveal because you think that when people will know it you will become so worthless they will run to see somebody cheaper.
If I look like an idiot, I really wonder what you look like.

I assume his secret is balloon ANIMALS.