Your REALTOR, not necessarily your real estate agent (see blog below) has access to the Muliple Listing Service if they are a member of the REALTOR Association. What does this mean to you as a seller? It means your agent is marketing your property to it's fullest potential and getting your property out there for other REALTORS to view and hopefully call to set up an appointment to show their buyers.
It means cooperation among the ranks. It means your REALTOR is willing to split their commission to get your house sold. It means your REALTOR works for YOU! Why, doesn't every listing agent work for the seller? Glad you asked. The answer is "NO". Some listing agents are wanting to sell your property themselves so they don't have to split the commission from the sale. If you have agreed with your agent to list and sell your house for 6% or whatever you have agreed to, if another agent brings a buyer, your agent would split their commission with that other agent. Some agents don't wish to do that, they aren't working for the seller by doing it that way, they are working for themselves.
Our REALTOR listing forms are agreements with the seller that we WILL cooperate with other agencies and will compensate other agencies because we know who we work for. You, the seller.
In a perfect world, everyone would get along and every agent would return phone calls and every agent would let other agents show their listings and help expose your property to the most qualified buyers as possible. Thus the MLS. An open invitation to share.
In case you are wondering, YES we are on the MLS and as a seller, your property is getting full exposure. Or did you just want a sign in the yard and an ad in the local paper? I didn't think so.
Mary Welch-Broker/Owner Preferred Choice Realty of Harper Kansas
Member Wichita Association of REALTORS, Kansas Association of REALTORS, National Association of REALTORS
Wasn't "sharing" one of the first things we learned in Kindergarten?