Anonymous wrote:We met with a Redfin agent when we sold our DC house in October and were unimpressed. She was assigned to cover a big chunk of the city and didn't have a good sense of the localized market in our neighborhood. She suggested an "aspirational" list price based on her review of the comps that was 90k lower than our ultimate sales price. She also didn't have a good grasp for just how fast we expected our house to sell and we didn't trust that she'd be responsive enough during the critical first days on the market.

We ended up going with a full service neighborhood agent who cut us a big break in commission because he knew the house would go quickly. He also paid staging, managed last minute repairs and cleaning, and even helped with several projects himself.

We ended up with 5 above list offers in a bidding war and sold for 50k above list in 4 days to a no-contigency offer. He did a great job balancing all of the prospective buyers, preinspections, and negotiations to get everyone up as high as possible.

We had always planned to sell with a discount agent, buy were very glad that we didn't in the end. He was only marginally more expensive and we feel very confident in our ultimate sales price. I'd interview several agents and see where you end up.

cut us a big break in commission == discount agent

and good job!

Anonymous wrote:We met with a Redfin agent when we sold our DC house in October and were unimpressed. She was assigned to cover a big chunk of the city and didn't have a good sense of the localized market in our neighborhood. She suggested an "aspirational" list price based on her review of the comps that was 90k lower than our ultimate sales price. She also didn't have a good grasp for just how fast we expected our house to sell and we didn't trust that she'd be responsive enough during the critical first days on the market.

We ended up going with a full service neighborhood agent who cut us a big break in commission because he knew the house would go quickly. He also paid staging, managed last minute repairs and cleaning, and even helped with several projects himself.

We ended up with 5 above list offers in a bidding war and sold for 50k above list in 4 days to a no-contigency offer. He did a great job balancing all of the prospective buyers, preinspections, and negotiations to get everyone up as high as possible.

We had always planned to sell with a discount agent, buy were very glad that we didn't in the end. He was only marginally more expensive and we feel very confident in our ultimate sales price. I'd interview several agents and see where you end up.

describe marginally more expensive. What was your final sale price

We met with a Redfin agent when we sold our DC house in October and were unimpressed. She was assigned to cover a big chunk of the city and didn't have a good sense of the localized market in our neighborhood. She suggested an "aspirational" list price based on her review of the comps that was 90k lower than our ultimate sales price. She also didn't have a good grasp for just how fast we expected our house to sell and we didn't trust that she'd be responsive enough during the critical first days on the market.

We ended up going with a full service neighborhood agent who cut us a big break in commission because he knew the house would go quickly. He also paid staging, managed last minute repairs and cleaning, and even helped with several projects himself.

We ended up with 5 above list offers in a bidding war and sold for 50k above list in 4 days to a no-contigency offer. He did a great job balancing all of the prospective buyers, preinspections, and negotiations to get everyone up as high as possible.

We had always planned to sell with a discount agent, buy were very glad that we didn't in the end. He was only marginally more expensive and we feel very confident in our ultimate sales price. I'd interview several agents and see where you end up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a first-time home seller, and I'm trying to understand what a conventional agent will do for me that a redfin agent won't. I live in a "hot" neighborhood and things sell quickly if they're priced right. I follow the local market and I think I have a pretty clear-eyed view of my home's plusses and its flaws, and what it's worth. I'm not quite confident enough to do FSBO, but I can't figure out what added value I'll get from a conventional agent. Experienced sellers, help me decide please!

I won't say don't not sell with Redfin. I would say decide an agent without focusing so much on the compensation structure.

If an agent from a more traditional brokerage can get you a higher price than a Redfin agent, you'd be better off with the traditional agent. However, if the better agent is actually a Redfin agent, you win twice.

You're just looking at it wrong.

I don't think you read the OP's post, or maybe you just read into it too far.

Anonymous wrote:I'm a first-time home seller, and I'm trying to understand what a conventional agent will do for me that a redfin agent won't. I live in a "hot" neighborhood and things sell quickly if they're priced right. I follow the local market and I think I have a pretty clear-eyed view of my home's plusses and its flaws, and what it's worth. I'm not quite confident enough to do FSBO, but I can't figure out what added value I'll get from a conventional agent. Experienced sellers, help me decide please!

I won't say don't not sell with Redfin. I would say decide an agent without focusing so much on the compensation structure.

If an agent from a more traditional brokerage can get you a higher price than a Redfin agent, you'd be better off with the traditional agent. However, if the better agent is actually a Redfin agent, you win twice.

You're just looking at it wrong.

When I contacted Redfin, it took them 3 days to get back to me. I said specifically- to an individual agent and to their online inquiry tool "I am looking to sell and woudl like to learn about using RedFin to sell." That was as clear as could be and I would have expected a quick (under 24hrs) response... but it didn't happen.

After 3 days, I responded to their response to continue to learn about them. It was another week before they responded. When I didn't respond to that, it took 3 months for them to follow up to find out why I didn't respond/if I was still interested. Good on them for following up to see why I never responded- but again I would expect a quicker follow up.

When I went to a RedFin open house while I was still considering using them, the agent was sitting on the sofa on her smartphone. She looked up and said hello, but made no effort to introduce herself, hand us a flyer, or anything. It was very unwelcoming; I felt like I was interrupting her phonetime. Now maybe all redfin agents aren't the same, but it left a bad taste.

My overall experience thus was unresponsive and uninterested in interacting with customers during an open house. I saw that as a threat to selling my condo: if they didn't respond to me, how could I trust them to respond to an intersted buyer? And how could I trust that during an open house for my condo, that an agent wouldn't just sit on the sofa in a similar fashion?

FWIW- in the end I used Khalil at GlassHouse. We sold in under 3 weeks. His rates are similar to Redfin- 1.5% but what really sold me was his rebate program when you buy- 2% rebate at close. It was a huge help for me.

Steve wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, pps!!!

You're welcome. Also, in consideration of the post from 8:33, if your area is really hot, then a Zillow Make Me Move or For Sale By Owner posting will give you good exposure without touching your Days on Market (staleness) counter.

Thank you, again! I plan on a mid-February fsbo and then turning it over to Redfin early March if nothing comes through.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, pps!!!

You're welcome. Also, in consideration of the post from 8:33, if your area is really hot, then a Zillow Make Me Move or For Sale By Owner posting will give you good exposure without touching your Days on Market (staleness) counter.

Thanks, pps!!!

Anonymous wrote:I'm the same as you, OP. First time seller, hot neighborhood, etc. I'm going to try FSBO for two weeks and see if I can get it sold and, if not, turn over to Redfin.

I'm de cluttering now. House will be painted last week of jan. Stager comes in first week of feb. Meeting with a local attorney beforehand so I'm more comfortable with the process.

For marketing I'm getting professional pics done, have a domain page for my house and will creat a floor plan. Then will list on FSBO.

To just too much money for me to hand over to realtors who will (hopefully) sell in one day b

The most important time for a house to be sold is the initial listing. If it doesn't sell, it won't be fresh and you may loose more money for a lower sales price.

http://www.realestateabc.com/insights/fsbofailure.htm

Just list with redfin to begin with.

Anonymous wrote:I'm the same as you, OP. First time seller, hot neighborhood, etc. I'm going to try FSBO for two weeks and see if I can get it sold and, if not, turn over to Redfin.

I'm de cluttering now. House will be painted last week of jan. Stager comes in first week of feb. Meeting with a local attorney beforehand so I'm more comfortable with the process.

For marketing I'm getting professional pics done, have a domain page for my house and will creat a floor plan. Then will list on FSBO.

To just too much money for me to hand over to realtors who will (hopefully) sell in one day b

I wouldn't use FSBO.com. The listings show up poorly on Zillow, Redfin, etc, readily identify themselves as FSBOs on listing sites, and many agents aren't aware that FSBOs offer commission so they avoid them altogether.

Check out some options I've discovered here: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/475296.page

Depending on how hot your area is there may already be buyers waiting, e.g. North Arlington: http://www.knockity.com/DearOwner/Jomar_86/Share/78551074-118e-488b-932a-4f991b24fe72

I'm the same as you, OP. First time seller, hot neighborhood, etc. I'm going to try FSBO for two weeks and see if I can get it sold and, if not, turn over to Redfin.

I'm de cluttering now. House will be painted last week of jan. Stager comes in first week of feb. Meeting with a local attorney beforehand so I'm more comfortable with the process.

For marketing I'm getting professional pics done, have a domain page for my house and will creat a floor plan. Then will list on FSBO.

To just too much money for me to hand over to realtors who will (hopefully) sell in one day b

Use redfin.

Nothing.

I'm a first-time home seller, and I'm trying to understand what a conventional agent will do for me that a redfin agent won't. I live in a "hot" neighborhood and things sell quickly if they're priced right. I follow the local market and I think I have a pretty clear-eyed view of my home's plusses and its flaws, and what it's worth. I'm not quite confident enough to do FSBO, but I can't figure out what added value I'll get from a conventional agent. Experienced sellers, help me decide please!