So we're planning on moving this summer. I may have a couple of people who are interested in buying. I don't think I could deal with the By Owner paperwork situation, but are there RE agents that will work with you re. commission structure if you actually find the buyer?
Thanks!
You can hire an attorney to handle the paperwork for you. Sometimes it costs as little as $300-$500.
If you have a buyer then I would defineately not use a realtor. Contact a real estate attorney that will do the paperwork.
Re: commissions... Yes commissions can be negotiated. When we sold our house we paid a total commission of 3.5% plus $500. If you have a buyer however the realtor will not have to pay to list your house in the MLS, pay for any advertising, spend time taking pictures of your house, hosting open houses etc. (also, the standard commission is 6% with 3% going to the selling agent/your agent and 3% going to the buyers agent. If you found the buyer on your own you are not obligated to pay the buyer agent anything assuming that the buyer even has an agent. Good luck!
If you have a buyer, why do you even need a realtor? You need to find a lawyer that can do the paper work (transfer title, filings, etc.).
Good luck,
L.
An agent's commission structure is governed by the broker he or she works for. Thus, if the broker is willing to adjust the commission structure, then the realtor can do this for you. You just need to talk to various realtors from various firms to see what you they can do for you. Good luck.
It is easier to sell your home through a realtor and with a lawyer (lawyers are not required in all states). Most realtors charge about 6% commission of the total selling price, but will drop it to 4% (this may vary) if you bring in a buyer. There was a company around called Assist to sell, they will only charge a small amount of commission no matter what the selling price is. I don't know if they are still around since the market has gotten so bad, and they expect you to do a lot of the work (showing the house, etc.).
A word of advice, talk to at least three different realtors before deciding on one. You want to find someone that is aggressive in selling homes and who will work with you.
congratulations on having a buyer. I would call your title company. we did a buy and used preprinted forms and the seller paid the title company $400 and that was in Texas.
Not as hard as you might think. Call your bank. They can usually arrange everything you need: closing company, etc.
For years, my husband sold real estate and then was a real estate appraiser. According to him, if you have a buyer and are just looking for someone to help with paperwork, then just keep dialing until you find an agent willing to work with you on the commission. Especially in this market, that shouldn't be too tough! Also, if you have a definite buyer, why not just go to a real estate attorney & skip the agent part all together? I don't know how things work in Texas, but in the northeast most buyers and sellers wind up working through attorneys anyway. It's not expensive (definitely cheaper than a RE agent's commission) and might make things just that much easier.
Good luck!
