ask if the listing shows up on realtor.com and other sites that are fed via MLS. Is there any way they can list it on both local MLS systems, even if they have to create 2 listings?

I used a flat fee broker and got into MLS a few years ago. But around here, when you go into one MLS it shows in all the other local ones. So it was out there everywhere, realtor.com, etc. It was $500, I think. Actually, the broker I picked was on the other side of the state, maybe 200 miles away. But the listing was perfect and showed up all the needed MLS systems.

Offered 3% to selling broker. got a lockbox(bought off a web site) so the brokers could show without me being around. Worked perfect.

Sweet tea, I'm already on Realtor.com. The problem is this company that I paid to get me on Realtor.com who does the flat fee MLS listing too, has a very confusing website and you can't contact them by phone. I know, it's crazy. They are a reputable company though. They could get a lot more business if they would do some of it by phone! I offer a 3% commission. I just wanted to get it out there. Thanks for your help!

First,
If you are going to pay a database entry administrator to expose your listing, then it needs to be in all of the local MLS's.
But aren't you already in the MLS with your payment to the company you are with now? How else did they get on Realtor.com?

There are some discount MLS listers possibly in other cities in your state that might have agreements to post in your local MLS systems. Do some investigation to see what you can find.

Also there are some national level discount brokers and they often are referall to local ones. But investigate those also. One I read about is www yourigloo dot com. I have not used them.

Sometimes the local ones advertise in local real estate magazines that you can get in grocery stores, etc.

FYI..when I used mine, they put my contact info for the showings, though they also had their # in there. When they got calls or emails, they quickly forwarded them to me so that I was the person fielding calls from the agents. It was a very good experience and I would do it again. Also..I ended up selling to someone without a realtor so I didn't have to pay commission. I simply faxed the signed contract to the discount broker. then I think after closing I faxed the closing statement and he appropriately updated the listing. My total cost was $500.

Before I signed up with mine, I found some of their listings online and contacted the owner of an active listing to confirm that the calls and emails went to the owner and confirmed that they were happy with the discount listing.

you will sell soon, I am sure.you pay attention to every detail and you can tell that selling this place is your top priority and you put lots of effort into it. good job!

Aw, thanks Sweet tea.

This company I paid to put me on Realtor.com is so confusing. NC, yeah, I actually already have an MLS #, but I'm only on Realtor.com. To get on there, I did have to offer an agent commission. But they don't have me on the actual MLS. I had my choice of doing both, or doing one or the other. Now I think I should get on the MLS too and there's an added fee. I'm having a hard time understanding what towns the local MLS includes. If it's just my surrounding towns, there will be no action because I am way out in the country and half the real estate offices have gone out of business. I just want to make sure enough agents see me if I'm going to spend the extra money and this flat fee website is so confusing. They are national and they have been reviewed favorably. But they won't deal with anyone on the phone! It's crazy! They'd get so much more business if they would use the phone!

By the way, I tested the Realtor.com ad by having my friends inquire about my property and the company sent the e-mails to me immediately. The only other action I got from Realtor.com was from an agent. I did not get one other inquiry from any potential buyers from that site. I get on average two inquiries a week from other places where I am advertising so if I didn't have my friends checking, I would have thought they weren't forwarding me the inquiries. I was surprised we didn't get any action from that site.

I have never heard of a RE company able to put a listing on Realtor.com, but not have it also in the MLS. I never knew,neither, that one could manually enter listings into Realtor.com. Realtor.com automatically updates every evening by pulling data from all the MLS across the country. Also, where on Realtor.com does it contractually state that you will pay a cooperating fee to a buyer's agent? I rarely visit Realtor.com, so I could be wrong.

Realtor.com automatically updates every evening by pulling data from all the MLS across the country.

Actually, Realtor.com updates every few minutes.

And I agree with NC. I have never heard of something being on Realtor.com, but not on MLS.

Love in the House,

Have you ever posted a link to your MLS posting so the people here can critique your listing? That may help you get more action. I have seen lots of people do this to ask for help, so I don't think it's inappropriate.

L

In the MLS I use and others that I have asked about, there is no way for a property to get a MLS# if it is not in the MLS. What would happen if I enterred your MLS# into your MLS... what would come up?

It wouldn't come up NC because they gave me an MLS# but didn't put it in the MLS. I know, it has me scratching my head too. Here, try it--my MLS# is 604928. I'm not sure how realtors who look at Realtor.com know that I offer a commission, but I HAD to offer a commission to get on there, whether I wanted to or not. The company is called Bloomkey. I am filling out the MLS paperwork right now.

Liriodendron, I don't think my problem is that I'm not attracting potential buyers, even though I've gotten no action from Realtor.com. I advertise all over the place. I keep "selling" this place and have had a lot of people tell me they want it but can't do anything now because they haven't sold their own houses or can't get a mortgage for one reason or another, and lots of inquiries, lots of people asking me if I'll lease with option or seller finance, etc. It's a unique property. It's a horse farm. It's a slower sell in good times because I need a buyer who has horses so now it's even harder but I think I'm doing pretty good, considering. So I'm thinking I need to find buyers who are more ready and ABLE. And those are people who go to agents to help them find a house. I know I do. I may look around online and find some things but then I always tell my agent about them and have her bring me to them. So I think I have to find those people. And that's why I'm adding on the flat fee MLS. So the agents know about me and know I'll pay them. But I'll see if I can figure out how to put a link on here for the Realtor.com ad so you can see it because there's always room for improvement. I'll put the link to my website down bottom. Thanks for your help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Smith Mountain Lake Horse Property

Love,
All I know is that Realtors do not use Realtor.com to search for properties. We use the MLS. That is because it is the only single place that has all of the sellers that are offering a cooperating agent compensation. Realtor.com has no bearing on what that compensation agreement between the two agents is.
Regarding the agent that bought you the last "buyer", how did they find your property? If it was through Realtor.com, the agent would have made you sign a Compensation Agreement Form; otherwise there is no agreement in writing anywhere that states what her compensation will be. (assuming your property is not in the MLS)(I can not find out on my own, since I do not belong to your local MLS) The fact that she did not require a Compensation Form, tells me that your property must be in the MLS already. If I were you, I would call any agent and ask them to put in your MLS # and see what happens. Maybe you are already in there.
BTW... how many acres do you have? I am with a friend of mine for the weekend, and he and his family are thinking of buying some land to start an organic farm. He told me last night that he likes the Smith Mountain Lake area. (I am trying to coax him down here to Charlotte. I will print off your flyer, and if they would like to stop by on thier way back home from my place down here in Charlotte.

Love,
You have stated that Bloomkey does not have a telephone contact #. I happened to find one on thier site for you... 18009746657.

Love,
Your above link takes me to a RoadRunner Search Engine page... not your personal website. I was trying to print off the flyers to give to my buddy later today...

Love,
Below is a statement from NAR relating to true FSBOs and the ability for them to be advertised on Realtor.com. And unlike what Bloomkey advertises, there is no such thing as FSBO-Realtor.com. Once again, if you are being uploaded to Realtor.com, it is my belief that you are in an MLS somewhere... that is how Realtor.com gets hold of the info.

You may have read about a press release containing inaccuracies and misleading statements made by ForSaleByOwner.com about their ability to place unlisted "for-sale-by-owner information" on REALTOR.com, the official Web site of the National Association of Realtors�. We�d like to clear up any confusion surrounding that press release with several important points of clarification: First, this announcement was issued without our knowledge or participation and we feel it is misleading to both consumers and the Realtor� community. ForSaleByOwner.com has been asked to issue a retraction and a joint statement of clarification was released this morning by the National Association of Realtors� and Realtor.com.

No FSBO Listings on Realtor.com There are no unrepresented properties displayed on Realtor.com and every property on Realtor.com must be listed by a licensed real estate broker. It� our understanding that ForSaleByOwner.com gets their listings to appear on Realtor.com, the nation�s#1 homes for sale site, by working with licensed brokers who in turn enter the listings on an MLS. This means, such ForSaleByOwner.com listings are no longer "or-sale-by-owner" istings, but in fact broker represented.

Showcase Listing Enhancement ForSaleByOwner.com does not in any way enable home sellers to advertise their home on REALTOR.com without broker representation. Every property on REALTOR.com must be listed by a licensed real estate broker. REALTOR.com has not authorized ForSaleByOwner.com to resell REALTOR.com�s Showcase Listings Enhancement package and there is no relationship between ForSaleByOwner.com and REALTOR.com.

Erroneous Connection to Pending Lawsuit Settlement While there are many perspectives regarding the DOJ/NAR settlement, it is our opinion that the settlement agreement between the National Association of Realtors� and the Department of Justice made no provision to allow unlisted properties, such as "for-sale-by-owner," to be posted on REALTOR.com.

We hope these important points of clarification have cleared up any confusion or misinformation you may have seen or heard. As the official site of the National Association of Realtors�, REALTOR.com remains committed to providing a world class search experience for consumers that keeps Realtors at the center of the real estate transaction. Click here to read entire official statement from NAR.

Read more: FSBO-REALTOR.com Statement : REALTOR.com� Blogs

Love,

I also get the Roadrunner search page when I click on your link. However I do get your property on realtor.com when I enter your MLS #. Well, at least it sounds like your property. Very pretty.

LITH,

Your link took me to a dead end, but I finally got back to it via Google search.

I looked over your site because I truly wish to help you.

My first take is you have 'way too many pics - one hundred and two doesn't leave anything to the imagination so I think you may be losing potential buyers who erroneously think they've seen it all before they can get the true magic of the place, in person.

I know you're saying you get lots of action, but they all seem to go bust when it comes to the ability to get to the closing part. That tells me you aren't getting many actual qualified buyers, just wishful thinkers. I do realize that things are weird in real estate right now, but that's not the only problem.

Part of the issue seems to be that there's a fair amount of value in the horse facilities compared to the size and amenities of the house itself. How much of your price is driven by the horse improvements vs the house, a generic barn and land? That could be part of the problem. The people who desire and could afford your house may not have the additional wherewithall to pay for the horse part. (I point this out as someone who has a private grass airstrip and small hangar on her farm. But I also recognize that whatever investment we have in that improvement, as much as we think it's fab, it would be worth pretty much zip if we wanted to sell the place.) If there were no horse-related improvements, what would your price be?

Next, I think you might consider doing some fix-up/reno of the house as I think it may look a bit well, truthfully, out of style to the average buyer. May be not the average buyer for your region, but the average buyer for a horse farm in VA. I sold a small farm (FSBO) in Rappahannock Co. several years ago, and I was surprised how insistent would-be buyers were about having more suburban-ized styles. I don't know if you have any interest in doing some of the typical pre-sale fix-ups, but it might help. This is another point where too many pics aren't doing you much good.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be to hunker down for now, and wait for the real estate conditions to change. I can't recall why you have decided to move, so I don't know if that is possible.

You have an unusual property, with a special set of improvements. Unless you are prepared to write off the value of those improvements, you will in all real estate conditions, have a narrower potential number of buyers. Horse farm people may expect a fancier house and people who would be attracted to the house may not want, or be able to afford, the additional horse stuff. In these bizarr-o times perhaps sitting still would be wisest.

If you just want to, or must, sell, I think you could get some valuable advice here on how to improve your listing pages, and perhaps make some modest, sale-promoting improvements to the house itself - and at least help curate the photos.

Hope I haven't given offense, and hoping something I said may help you.

L.

I just saw your property taxes: OMG! You realize that a $250K house in NY will probably have taxes well in excess of $5K? I know you have the infamous VA car tax, but you'd have to drive brand new Rolls Royces to make up that difference annually. VA property taxes are an incredibly good deal. Just sayin'

L

10 acres isn't a horse farm. It's a hobby farm. It's not enough acrege for someone really looking for a real horse farm land. But 10 acres is too much for most prople looking for a home. You're not really going to appeal to either crowd. The only folks that a hobby farm will appeal to is those extremely few looking for that setup. Your other competition in your price range are brand new homes on smaller lots or condos with lake views and access. Those in a higher price bracket have true farm setups with brand new modern layout homes or lake view modern homes.

Your home reminds me of my grandmother's farmhouse. She had all kinds of barns and outbuildings and it was a Depression era construction as well. It had the same low ceilinged small cramped rooms that today's buyer finds undesirable. She also had lots of personal memorbilia and collections that made it look even smaller on the inside. It was a comfy homey place to visit while she lived there, but if a stranger walked in the door, the first impression was dark, small, cluttered, cramped, outdated and in the middle of nowhere. 90% of the people that view your pictures will feel the same way about your home. It doesn't sell very well to today's buyer as a home. It's not near any larger metropolitan area to be able to serve as someone's vacation home. And, as I mentioned, true horse farm folks wouldn't look at it at all.

You are probably thinking that your barn and all of those "improvements" add value to your home. Unfortunately, they add minimal monetary value, and can actually detract value in many folks eyes. And the house on the property shows at a big disadvantage when you see the brand new competition in the same price range. You are an extremely niche market. I think that to broaden your appeal, you need to target the buyers of homes priced at the next level below your home. That means your real competition is the mobile homes and the smaller homes of yesteryear. With those people, your land will be a liability, not an asset. Could the property be divided ino smaller buildable lots? That could be a way to get close to your current pricing for it. If it can't be divided, then to attract the buyers on the next rung down, you will need to adjust your price to the next bumpdown, or 199.

I disagree... I believe Love has had 3 offers on the place up to date. It is therefore priced correctly. And apparently, there are buyers that this place does appeal to.

This home recently had not only 3 offers - two for asking price and the other not far off and all 3 went to contract at different times. This place has been under-contract most of the time it has been For Sale, falling out of contract three times already due to financing issues all 3 times.

We know it appeals to buyers. It gets lookers and it gets good offers....

Now it is just a matter of getting under contract again, and having the sale proceed and actually close.

I vote for the photo of the stunning mountain view to be maybe photo#2 or #3 in the list. What a great view.

And maybe add a map/survey that outlines the property border (maybe it is there already and I missed it.) Also show how close/far to the lake. Possibly an overhead satellite photo with an X on the property and same photo shows the lake. People like to be near a lake/beach and want to see how close they are.

It appears you are already in realtor.com. I put your listing# into realtor.com and the home came up.

Obviously you are FSBO but offer 3% to agents that bring a buyer, so in that case you are not "pure FSBO" as far as the MLS goes. You have to offer the commission of some sort to get into the MLS, as it is the tool of realtors and you have to pay them when they bring a buyer.

I Googled your MLS# and the first listing was Weichert with one photo.
http://www.weichert.com/36320034/

Jane

Wow, so much to reply to! Thanks guys. Let's see. Ncrealestate guy, thanks for thinking of me for your friend. I have 10 1/2 acres. It may not be for him though unless he's a horse person. And this will answer Liriodendron's question--the horse facilities add about $40,000. to the value. So if your friend is not a horse person, he could get a better place without the horse facilities in this price range. But if he's interested, I'd love to show it to him! A boat for the dad and ponies for the kids! Here's my e-mail: ponyhoney@aol.com. I can e-mail you material if you'd like. Not sure why that link is not working. I'll try it again.

The agent that brought me the buyer saw my advertisement in one of the newspapers I put it in. I signed an agreement with her. I am confused myself how I can have an MLS# and not be in the MLS, only on Realtor.com. I could try what you said and ask an agent around here to check the MLS. But I would expect that agents would be contacting me to try to get my listing if they saw it in the MLS and no one has. I've only gotten one inquiry from an agent through Realtor.com. So I don't think it's in the MLS. I didn't put it on Realtor.com through ForSaleByOwner.com. I put it on through Bloomkey and Bloomkey is RealtyTrac and they are brokers. I could try to call that number you found because I am STILL trying to fill out the paperwork to get on the MLS but all their material says not to call them. Isn't their website confusing?!

And thanks NC and Sweet tea for defending my place and pointing out that I did get three "buyers" and you're right Sweet, it's been under contract almost the entire time it's been for sale! And for the full asking price when it was priced higher than it is now. Plus it appraised for that as well. I know I could get a larger pool of buyers and therefore sell it faster if I lowered the price but I don't have to give it away. I am only moving because I want to be closer to my family. Doesn't mean I'm not going to work hard at it though. When I make a decision like this, I'm serious about it. I just think I need to find the buyers who are capable of buying and in this slow economy, and in my niche market, I need the help of the agents who have the able buyers and then maybe we can actually close.

GreenDesigns, this place is not going to appeal to people who are suburbanites who like modern furniture, high tech gadgets and shiny surfaces. Although my last buyer said, "My sister has antiques like yours," meaning SHE didn't, and SHE bought it. And we saw the house our buyer before that one lived in when we picked up her earnest money check and she had a modern chrome dinette set and glass-topped tables, very modern. We thought, ew, her stuff is not going to go. But she bought it too. Admittedly, the bedrooms ARE small, but nothing is cluttered, dark, or outdated. Everything is new here. That kitchen floor that looks like it's from the 1940s is reproduction tiles. When we ripped up the five layers of lino and stick-on tiles that were in the kitchen, we found that floor underneath and replaced it with the exact same tile but new. I was trying to bring back the old flavor and make it like it was back in the forties--RESTORE it. Those knobs on the cabinets are jadeite--the knobs cost me ten dollars each. I know it's taste specific. But this is an old farmhouse and it shouldn't have anything fancy or modern in it. I COULD split up the property. I could sell the house and two acres for $210,00 or so, and 8 1/2 acres and all the horse facilities for $40,000 or so but that would be even a harder sell I think. Land without a house. Although there is one for sale in the neighborhood, a barn not as nice as mine, no riding arena, on 6 acres for $140,000. Mine would be a super deal! I could offer that option on my website maybe...

Whatever you want to call it, hobby farm, real farm, horse people buy as much land as they can afford. I've had a horse farm on an acre and three-quarters, believe it or not, in NJ, and I've had a horse farm on 110 acres, and I've had one on 53 acres. I buy as much as I can afford. Here, 10 1/2 acres was hard to find so close to the lake with nice land. I moved from the 53 acre place to this place because this one was nicer even though I have less acreage. People have to weigh out what's important to them--more land and crappy location, or less land but better land and great location. Ironically, one of my buyers couldn't get her loan because of the "agricultural zoning and income producing nature of the property," meaning she could give riding lessons if she wanted to. If that's not a farm, I don't know what is.

By the way, Smith Mountain Lake IS a popular vacation area. Right now we're in full blown tourist season. Our other industry is farming.

I hope I answered everyone and I appreciate all your replies!

Here is a link that might be useful: Smith Mountain Lake Horse Property

Thanks Jane. I think Weichert harvests listings. And Bloomkey puts it out there and that's probably why my MLS# was on it.

Oops NC, I meant to say Bloomkey is Realty Thrift, not RealtyTrac.

Love,
I'd be very weary os selling off 8 acres of land and only leaving the rest. If you think it is difficult to get financing for your home and land, wait until your buyer tries to get financing for your vacant acerage. You have an appealing place just the way it is. Once you get in the MLS, you will then be exposed to most of the pre qualified buyers. Hang in there. You are doind better than most sellers out there. I have two closings scheduled for this week, and both are on hold because of financing hiccups...
I will not bash the fact here anymore that I do not understand how you are not in any MLS, and are not represented fiduciarilky by an agent, and yet are on Realtor.com. I will post back when I find out for sure.

I'm confused if a house is on Realtor.com isn't it in the MLS?
If not how does it get on Realtor.com.

I thought the inside (agent's) was the MLS (restricted to agents) with details not shown to the public.
Realtor.com is the Realtor's public site for showing properties with contact info of the agent's.
What am I thinking wrong?

Thanks NC.

Yeah, I know, the Realtor.com thing and MLS is confusing. But if you guys go to Bloomkey's website, you will see a choice of packages--there is one that is Realtor.com only, and there is another one that is MLS only, and there is one that is both, and a few others. They sell various services. Even though I'm on Realtor.com only at this time, they gave me an MLS #.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bloomkey

Can you contact Bloomkey and ask them if you can "upgrade" to the MLS package? That way you will be on both, and hopefully won't have to pay full price for their MLS Package.

Yes Barb, that's what I did. I'm in the process of getting all the paperwork completed right now. They gave me a discount for adding it. The board buddies just couldn't understand how I could be on Realtor.com first, and have an MLS#, but not be on the actual MLS.

Love,
My freind says they are still in the very beginning stages of moving. They have to pinpoint exactly what it is that they intend on doing after they get out of the DC rat race.

Love,

That's great! I think being on the MLS will help since most people search on MLS.

Thanks for thinking of me NC. And thanks Barb--I hope you're right. We just finished all of the paperwork!

LITH,
Seems like my friends did check out your place on thier way back to DC from Charlotte. They commented that they think they are looking for more of a farming farm, as opposed to a horse farm. They did like the area though, but mentioned something about signs all over the place protesting Uranium mining. What's that about?

That's nowhere near here! Your friends must have come from the east if they saw signs. My husband wasn't even aware of the signs but I saw them too when I went to Danville. From what I'm reading, some people want it, some people don't.

Did your people come and see the house? I don't think I had anyone from D.C. What do they mean by "farming farm"? More acreage? Less woods?

They want to grow organic vegetables. So they need large, open fields.
These folks are VERY nervous about things like power lines, mining and the such. They spent 5 years fighting Allegheny Power (I think) from using Imminent Domain to put power lines through thier 84 acres in Moorefiled, WV.
I believe they just did a drive by of your place, not a formal showing.
hang in there, it will happen.

Okay, thanks Nc!