Real estate agent selling his own property
1 Reply
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Walter Allen Real Estate Professional from Washington, District of Columbia
posted 3 months agoJeff Copeland Real Estate Broker from Tampa Bay/St Petersburg, Florida
replied 3 months agoPersonally, I always list my properties on the MLS, and I always offer a full commission (whatever is typical for your market) to buyer's agents. I do not want to give an agent with a potential buyer any reason whatsoever not to show my property.
A buyer's agent commission should have been factored into your analysis as a likely cost of doing business. And, as an agent yourself, you should understand the value in having a good buyer's agent with a ready, willing, and pre-approved buyer. I pay them happily and don't begrudge a dime of their commission.
As far as your commission as the listing agent goes, you can keep that to the bare minimum required by your broker (nothing in a listing agreement says both agents have to earn equal commission). The listing agent's commission is up to the seller (who's paying it), and the listing agent (who's willing to accept it). In this case, since you are both, it's a zero-sum game, other than your broker's split.
The best approach is to get it listed, but also try to sell it yourself - market it aggressively, hold open houses, and try to find the buyer yourself to save that buyer's agent commission. But if another agent sells it first, that's still a win.
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