When dealing with a “Limited Service Broker” (LSB) or Selling your home yourself (FSBO), there are a few things you need to consider..... Let’s base this on your home for sale at $100,000.00. Remember that the LSB and the FSBO must cooperate with any other Realtor who brings them a Buyer. Since commissions are not fixed, we’ll base this on the average commission of 6% of the selling price. In this case the Buyer’s Broker, or Selling Broker, would be entitled to a commission equivalent to about 3% of the selling price. If the Limited Service Broker agreed that you should pay them $2,000.00 to list with them. In our example, you would save yourself about $1,000.00 as opposed to working with a “Full-Service Broker”. So far it sounds good right? For the $1,000.00 you save you will have expenses to market your home like flyers, advertising, etc. You have to put out your own For Sale signs. You will have to hold your own open houses and conduct your own showings of the house. You will need to figure out how to stage the house so it shows well for prospective buyers. You may have to answer phone calls any time of the day whether or not it is convenient for you. Additionally, you will need to be available when Buyers want to see your house, not when you feel like showing it. Hard to do when you are at work all day. How will you know if buyers are QUALIFIED to purchase your house or are just “Lookylu’s”? Even worse, how will YOU know the intentions of the strangers you will allow to ramble through your most personal places. A “Full-Service Broker” does all of the above as part of the service they provide at no EXTRA cost to you. Many of the ads for these Limited Service Brokerages lead you to believe that Full-Service Brokers reap rewards they do little for. That is patently untrue and provable. Most of all, they “ADVOCATE” for you and watch out for your best interests. They are with you through the whole process of the sale of your home or the purchase of your home including the all important closing. You do not necessarily get this advocacy from a “Limited Service Brokerage”! “Safety issues” are another concern. Realtors are trained in safety issues regarding the access to properties for sale and have developed check systems to KNOW who is viewing what property. Team Too ALWAYS works in tandem while showing and holding open houses. Unfortunately there are bad people out there with all sorts of intentions, and open houses have become prime targets for casing homes for burglary etc. Colorado has many examples of both Realtors and home owners who have been assaulted and or robbed during open houses. Houses that were burglarized shortly after an open house and, in a few cases, Realtors were even killed or raped while holding an open house or doing a blind showing. “For Sale by Owners” are particularly susceptible to this current crime trend! The Longmont Association of Realtors, the Colorado Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors and law enforcement are all working hard to counter this trend. Many offices now require those who wish to view a home to come into the office, sign in with their names, give a photo copy of their driver’s license or State ID and the license number and description of their vehicle. It is a shame we have come to this, but we are determined to protect ourselves AND our clients from potential harm. Do yourself and the Real Estate Industry a favor and work with licensed, trained and established real estate professionals. It simply isn’t worth the small amount you MIGHT save to open yourself up to the risks you incur by doing otherwise.