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Frequently Asked Questions
Who
is Holmes Realty? Holmes
Realty is a residential REALTOR that offers a flat fee listing program
designed for the home owner who wants to save money.
For $500 (plus $100 for use of our key lockbox), a homeowner can
list their home for sale on MLS and Realtor.com as though
they had listed it with a full-priced (usually 6%) traditional agent.
We even offer a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! What
is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)? MLS
is a huge database of all of the homes for sale in a particular area
that are listed by REALTORS. MLS is only accessible by REALTORS
and usually the first and only search engine or database that a
Buyer's
Agent will use when looking for homes for his or her Buyer.
The Houston MLS covers the majority of the greater Houston area.
When a home is listed on the MLS, all REALTORS get
notification of the home's listing, and that it is for sale. How
important is getting my home listed in MLS? Critical!!!
Approximately 86% of homes are sold through the MLS. It is
probably the most important tool in selling your home. When a home
is listed on the MLS, you are, in a sense, hiring the services of over
20,000 REALTORS in the Houston area. Do
I pay a commission if an agent brings me a Buyer? Yes,
typically a 3% commission is paid to the Buyer's agent. Do
I have to pay a Buyer's Agent the 3% commission? Yes
and No. Although it is not required, it defeats the purpose of
listing your home on MLS. Buyer's
agents will expect to be paid a fee if they bring you a Buyer.
REALTORS that are representing Buyers are your best source for
landing a BUYER! No,
only REALTORS have access to the MLS. How
did Holmes Realty begin? The
concept began when our founder, a traditional real estate agent, saw how
much equity in friend's and family's homes disappeared as
the result of high real estate commissions. Believing
that there was a way to deliver high quality services to the home owner,
without taking a large part of their equity, she developed our Flat Fee
system. Yes!
We only work with fully licensed agents. All our agents are
members of the following associations. · The National Association of REALTORS · The Texas Association of REALTORS ·
Greater
Houston Association of REALTORS
With
Holmes you are getting an unlimited MLS Listing that is valid until your
home is SOLD. You may
cancel at any time and there is a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
Unlike other so-called flat fee companies who just put you on the
MLS, and then say, "Good Luck!", we will also guide you
through the sales process, contract negotiation and closing. Yes
and No. While you are free to sell your home on your own after
listing with us, it has been our experience that most home owners don't
know how to finalize and close their sale on their own once a Buyer is
found. With our service, you will receive our services to guide
you through contract negotiation and closing the sale. Traditional
real estate agencies charge a commission (usually 6%) that is based on
the final sales price of the home. The commission is equally split
between the listing agent (3%) and the Buyer's agent (3%). With
our system, you will only pay us $500 (plus $100 for use of our
lockbox), and when your home is SOLD, you pay us .34% (.0034) as a
transaction closing fee and 3% to the Buyer's agent, which could
potentially save you thousands of dollars!! So,
by comparison: With
a traditional agent at 6% and a $100,000 home: $100,000
x 6% = $6000 in sales commissions split equally between the listing
agent and the buyer's agent. With
Holmes and a $100,000 in a typical transaction: $500
listing fee to Holmes, plus $100 lock box fee, plus transaction closing
fee of .34 percent ($100,000 x .0034 = $340) plus 3% to the Buyer'™s
agent ($100,000 x 3% = $3000) for a total of $3940.
That equates to a savings of $2060 versus a traditional agent at
6%! What
if I sell my home myself? If
you sell your home yourself, FANTASTIC! You will have eliminated
paying the Buyer Agent commission. You have just saved even more
money. What could be better than that?
We will still be there to help you through the process if you
want. Yes,
absolutely.
No.
All calls are answered by us. You never have to be bothered
at all hours of the night, answering calls by people who may not truly
be interested in your home. Yes
and we encourage it. This way, you can avoid receiving the calls
at work, or some other inconvenient time. You may however wish to
put your own phone number on the advertising. This will increase
the likelihood of you not having to pay a Buyer's Agent commission.
No,
but we will provide you with a template so that you can create your own.
No,
but an arrangement may be separately negotiated between you and the
agent.
Homes
in this program are advertised on the following websites: Realtor.com,
MLS (accessible only by licensed Realtors), and one FSBO site. Certainly.
We will handle, advise, and guide you through the negotiating,
contracts, amendments, and the entire closing process. When we say
we will be there for you through the entire process...we mean it.
We
get this question a lot. The answer is "yes".
You will only pay $500.00 to list your home and receive all the
incredible services that we have described. When your is SOLD,
there is a .34 percent transaction closing fee. If a Buyer's Agent
is involved in the transaction, you will pay an additional 3% commission
to the Buyer's Agent. This is paid at the closing of your home out
of the proceeds of the sale. What's
the Catch? There
isn't one. The best way to fully answer any of your questions is
for you to give us a call. We can discuss the plan and answer any
remaining questions for you. There is absolutely no pressure for
you to use our service. Why
don't you pressure me like other Real Estate Companies? It's
simple...we don't have to. We believe this is the absolute best
deal around. If you would rather pay more for the same or fewer
services, then call a real estate company. We can recommend some. How
are fees paid? At
our meeting, you will pay $500.00 (plus $100 for use of our lockbox).
The other .34 percent (transaction closing fee) is only paid at the time
your home is sold! This will be paid as a part of your closing
costs. What
forms of payment do you accept? We
accept Check, Money Order, Mastercard, Visa and Discover for the initial
fee(s). The transaction
closing fee is paid by check to us by the title company at Closing. How
long until my home is on MLS? We
are usually able to come to your house the next day.
Our agent will list your house
(via Internet) before she or he leaves and give you a printed
copy. Is
there anything else? Well,
perhaps just one thing... When you sign up, and find out that
everything is as promised, please tell other family, friends, and
neighbors, about us. We have built our company on the referrals
from happy home owners, who have saved thousands. Sounds
GREAT! How Do I Get Started? Simply call us |
1415 S. Voss |
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