My time, expertise, knowledge and services in general encompass my fees....

It has been brought up many times during my listing appointments and various conversations "Can you give me a deal on the fee you charge?" My response to this questions often, in my head, is "Would you ask a lawyer or your doctor the same question?" but my verbal response is "I get paid for my time, expertise, knowledge and my exceptional services."


From a Sellers prospective, netting as much as you can out of selling your home may seem like your main goal and I'm sure they often wonder "What is it that they really do to sell my home besides put a sign in the yard and put it on the multiple listing service?" It may not seem like there is a lot of time spent by agents on the front lines when selling a home - getting the signs put up, print off flyers & holding open houses, but there is a lot of time spent on the back lines. When they don't see or hear from me I'm prospecting for buyers for their property on a daily basis by picking up the phone and talking to buyers or other agents who may have a buyer for their home. I'm actively marketing their property though my website, social media and other online sources. I'm consistently working to find a buyer for my sellers homes.

You've heard the saying "You get what you pay for" In my opinion, discount services in Real Estate fall into that category as well. If you're getting a discount on services you need to ask yourself "Am I really getting all the service I need to sell my home? Am I getting someone who's going to represent me to the fullest and go to bat for me when the transaction gets tough?"

Most homeowners only sell 1 or 2 homes in their lifetime and don't see how a transaction can go sideways in a split second. Agents deal with real estate sales on a regular basis and often several at one time. Many skilled agents are also expert negotiators. They have the capability to see what possible options can save a deal. They are able to think out of the box which can help the sellers and buyers come to an mutual agreement when the deal gets tough. Whether buying or selling, there are also a lot of emotions involved in a real estate transaction. Buyers can get scared, since this is the biggest transaction they'll ever purchase in their lifetime, and sellers can get frustrated. You'll need someone who's going to be able to put your emotions at ease and help you think rationally to think things through before throwing in the towel.

One thing I try to help my clients focus on is their main goal - You're trying to sell your home to get to move out of state or move up to a bigger home; You're trying to buy your first home so you don't have to fork out any more money to your landlord. Without that main focus of a goal, nothing can move forward. Although there are times when a deal just won't move forward, those are also the times when you need someone to help ease the pain and frustration.

As a Real Estate Agent I wear many hats; I'm a professional, market expert, educator, negotiator, psychologist, social worker, service provider, babysitter (yes, I've had to entertain my clients children), driver, tour guide, courier service, your cheerleader & most of all your new friend. I go above and beyond for my clients to make sure all their needs have been meet before and after they sign on the dotted line. I also stay in contact with them just in case they ever have any questions or concerns about anything even after buying or selling their home.

So that leads me to wonder, how could you have possibly receive those same services and skills from someone who discounts their fees for the service they provide? - "You get what you pay for".


Source: http://www.inman.com/news/2013/03/14/flat-fee-vs-commission-debate-set-public-forum