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It happens in every market ComFree enters: real
estate agents bring out the same tired litany of
cautionary tales to frighten you into not selling
privately and convince you they’re your white
knights.
For us, it’s the same paper-thin excuses we’ve
heard in other markets. But for many of you, the
excuses could sound convincing. So, for those hearing
these for the first time, we’d like to correct what
you’ve heard
1. An agent is the only way to sell a home.
FACT
Last year, the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley
boards had sold-to-listing ratios of only 65% and
58%, respectively. Considering these values are for
the entire 2007 year, selling with an agent is not a
guarantee for a significant portion of homeowners.
2. You’re not qualified to handle all the legal paperwork
FACT
This is actually correct. Most homeowners aren’t
qualified to handle all the legal documents involved
with a home sale. But who said selling privately
means you’d be responsible for the legal work?
Once you receive an offer, your lawyer or notary
takes over. He will see to all legal interests and documents.
The same thing that would happen if you
had sold through an agent. You won’t make any
mistakes. Your lawyer won’t allow it.
3.Agents do a better job “selling” your home. FACT
When you bought your home, did the agent or
homeowner convince you to buy, or was it the
house itself? Alternatively, when you didn’t like a
home, did the agent try to convince you differently.
Or did the agent just take you to another home?
Real estate agents don’t sell houses . . . houses sell
houses. Besides, when questions about your home arise, no
one is more qualified then you to answer them.
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4. Selling your home is a complicated process.
FACT
Selling a home with ComFree is simple and
straightforward. We advertise your home and train
you in what is going to happen, what to do when it
does and when to call us or your lawyer. Your
lawyer or notary looks after your legal interests.
Your main jobs are simple: prepare your home,
answer phone calls and show your home.
5. Selling privately takes too much time and will
be a major disruption to your life.
FACT
Selling a home will always be a disruption to your
routine, but selling privately is actually less disruptive
than selling with an agent. That’s because when
you sell privately, you have the freedom to decide
when you will show your home. You control when
you want to change your routine. If you want to
show your home only on weekends and Wednesday
nights, you can.
With an agent that luxury is not allowed. Who
knows when you’ll get an agent’s call telling you
and your family to vacate?
* * * *
Why do agents spread these myths? They have
a lot to lose because you have a lot to gain.
ComFree has already achieved market shares of
30% in Edmonton and 15% in Winnipeg. Last year,
the two Metro Vancouver boards recorded about
57,000 sales, for a dollar volume of about $30 billion.
That means homeowners paid agents somewhere
in the neighbourhood of $1 billion* in commissions.
A similar ComFree success story here would
mean $150 million to $300 million a year would be
saved by homeowners like you and lost by agents.
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