"You get what you pay for..." if life were only that simple, so many bad financial decisions would not be in question today and so many people that put their money and trust in big, expensive financial instutuions would not be suffering at the hands of stupid decisions.

First of all, you should know that Zip Realty is not a discount brokerage. Look it up on Yahoo. Zip Realty is the 9th largest brokerage in the US today, and the fastest growing brokerage in the top 25. Zip only hires full time employee Realtors, and trains them well to be the best. As a Texas Realtor who sold $3.7M in Real Estate in Q309, I can tell you for a fact that you can hire a Realtor to represent you that has been in the business for many many years, and you may or may not be hiring a knowledgeable, hard-working, experienced Realtor. Use your business sense. Find a Realtor who knows the market, sell enough homes to know what is going on (most Realtors in the US today only sell 1-5 homes a year--according to the National Association of Realtors). You may not want to hire a Realtor who has only sold 3-4 homes this year.

So, forget the labels. Ask about experience in this current market. Ask your Realtor how many homes they have negotiated successfully this year. Ask them how they negotiate the post inspection amendment to the contract. Ask them lots of questions about your market. Then chose a Realtor with whom you are comfortable.

Michele,
There is an old saying "You get what you pay for" I am a Full Service Realtor, and I give 110% of myself to my clients. My clients can always get me, whether I am representing a seller or a buyer. Seller's don't realize how many offer's they lose on their homes, when an agent finds them un reachable. A buyer, should have representation, someone they hire to protect them, and is knowledgeable of what the buyer can get. Being a Realtor is my job! My business is based on Referrals, and you can't do that and be successful if you do not believe in giving110% Customer Service, and being available for all questions, concerns, a buyer will have. If you do not have representaion, and you would like an experienced rRealtor, feel free to call (972) 757-4527 or check out my web sites. http://www.bcapobianco.remax-texas.com or txexperiencedrealty.com

Michele,

Yes, you should always have a Realtor represent you when purchasing a home. If you go straight to a builder or to the listing agent then there obligation is to the seller and not to you the buyer.

As far as going with a discounted real estate brokerage... Sometimes people get confused on how Buyer's agent's get paid. When a seller signs a listing contract with a Realtor the seller is agreeing to pay a certain amount of commission if a buyer's agent brings them a buyer.

For example say you are selling your home 123 Dover street... You call me up to list your home for 6% commission. In the listing agreement it will go over what the commission split will be if a buyer's agent brings you a buyer (typically 3%).

So, if you go with say zip agent they are having to give back part of their commission to you the buyer at closing... What I always think about is if these agent's are having to give back part of their commission then will you truly get the best deal possible on a home? These agent's might talk you into going with a higher offer, so they can make try to squeeze as much commission out of the deal... Just something to think about.

I hope this helps. If you have any more questions about the buying process please give me a call or email me!

Thanks,
Nick Good
Realtor
The Good Home Selling Team
Keller Williams Realty

I am a full service discount realtor. Not with ziprealty but with my own small broker. My choice to become discount has nothing to do with my negotiation skills or my marketing skills. In under 9 months in the industry I have closed 5 Sales 2 of which were listings and over 10 rentals. I currently have 3 active contracts right now. I have no large broker taking more than 40% of my pie and I can afford to cut rates and provide the same service as the large names. Sure the big names will bring the buyers but if your home is priced right and compared to the homes in the area the Listing Agent really has nothing to do with the sale. As long as the Buyers Agent is always getting their 3%.

I assume (perhaps a mistake) that your inquiry about discount Realtors is for the SALE of your home. I' dhave to ask if the home you are selling is a "Discount home" and, if not, why would you want a "Discount Realtor"? It's likely a more fitting term to call these folks "Limited Service Brokerages" and, unless you're in a red hot market, why would you think that "Limited service" would sell your home? Another thing to consider is that when Buyers see that a Seller is working with a "Discount Realtor" they figure "I can save the commission" all the while, you're thinking the same thing.

Wouldn;t you be better off getting full service and getting your house sold at the price you want?

There may be a minimal transaction fee to have a good real estate agent represent you on a home purchase. It is in your best interest to do so. Seasoned agents are highly trained in negotiations, especially with builders. You can probably get a better price for the home by having a Realtor on your side. As far as discount brokerage firms, you get what you pay for, as with anything else. I would love to show you our marketing plan and help you get the best deal on your new home. We offer internationally marketing of our properties, visit our website for more details.

Hi Michele,

1. Ziprealty - I would just read the fine print and make sure you know what you are getting.
2. Traffic rush off of 75 can be pretty bad, especially after the HOV lane ends around Bethany. However, Waterford Parks is only a couple exits away from Bethany so it won't be too bad of a wait. If you don't use HOV, traffic can get backed up b/c at Legacy, the road merges into only a 3 laner. But consider DART if you are working downtown. The Parker DART station is only 10 minutes from Waterford.
3. Waterford - great subdivision, great city. Click here for homes for sale in Waterford. http://www.janusregroup.com/7353

Let me know if I can be of any assistance with your listing or purchase. Thank you.

Wow Bruce, not a very high opinion of builders huh? As a builder, I do not appreciate the stereotype. Not a very professional response to a good question. I do commute up and down 75 on a normal basis. Depending on how far you travel, it can be tough at times. I have found that the trade off in how much home you can get relative to proximity, takes the sting off the commute a little. Good luck in your search!

It's a tough call. Discount brokerages take in a lot of inquiries, which means the Realtors are constantly working their platform with hundreds or even thousands of potential customers on it, calling them, emailing them and so on. They work very hard. Also, they don't get as much of the commission, typically about 40% of their counterparts at non-discount brokerages.
So, how do they make a living? How do they survive on smaller earnings per transaction?
--VOLUME--
They have to spend considerable time working their platform and deal with several transactions at the same time. Will they be able to focus on your transaction? Ask them -- they'll tell you how hard they work and if they're spread too thin.
On the surface it sounds great that you'll save some of the money the Realtor works so hard to get, but it means he has to work twice as hard to earn a living and that means he is not focusing on you alone. He has no choice but to have multiple customers all at once.

Michele, you don't pay for a buyer to represent you. The seller does that (or the builder, too, in our area - but they do it from an advertising fund). So, I presume you ask about discount agents (many of whom are NOT Realtors) because you have a home to sell. Marketing costs money, and it takes marketing tools and strategic marketing plans to get a home noticed. It takes time and attention and consistent effort throughout the listing to get your home sold. Calls and emails may come in at all hours of the day and night. And, when an offer comes on your home, you want to be working with someone who has the knowledge and experience to negotiate that offer and look for easy-outs and pitfalls. What if the buyer's loan falls apart? You want someone who knows how to pick up the pieces and save the deal. What if your moving company walks off the job? You want someone who can calmly fix any situation that arises. What is that person worth to you if the deal starts to turn for the worst and you went with the cheapest agent you could find rather than the best? Real estate is the biggest investment most people make, and yet very few sellers interview more than 1-2 agents to figure out who will best represent them.

Allen is a great community and one of the good things about that area is you can get off I-75 if there is a traffic accident that backs up the highway and take Greenville Avenue, Alma, Jupiter, or some other North/South thoroughfare to get from point A to point B. Investigate new and resale options in Allen. You may be surprised how good some of your resale options are this year.

Final point - YES - have a Realtor represent you. A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors and we are bound by a Code of Ethics. We take our duties seriously and we are here to serve your goals and objectives.

1......why use a discount realtor? I see the difference----clearly in my transactions. Many say they'll work just as hard, but when the going gets tough I see who gets shortchanged. Sometimes those savings will cost you thousands.
2. Waterford Parks....neat place.....Drees----I like them as a builder.
3. ALWAYS have a realtor represent you, especially with a builder. Take us the very frist time you even visit the builder. The builders reps are of course nice and friendly, but they are working for the builder not for you. They are doing their best to separate you from your money. There is no cost to you for representation and in fact we'll often save you time and money. Every day on this web site we are getting questions about problems that arise from buyers who went unrepresnted, most of which could have been avoided if they would have used a realtor. I know it is exciting to look, but it is a huge investment for most people so why not have an expert there at your side?
75 is pretty busy at rush hour. Why don't you get up early one morning and drive from where you want to live to the job and then back again in the afternoon and check the timing.

I have been selling new homes for over 10 years and have a great rebate program. I work just as hard for 1% as I do for 3% or more. Don't let the others fool you.
Give me a call or email and I can discuss all your Real Estate needs,
Jeff
jkagent@gmail.com

Hi Michele,

You get what you pay for. If you get someone who's willing to negotiate on their fees, what will they do on your behalf?

Traffic on 75 is pretty heavy, but so are most of the N/S Tollways and Freeways during rush hour. Usually it bogs down more the further north you get, but getting off at Stacy shouldn't be that bad.

I used to sell for a builder and was Sales Counselor of the Year for one of the top builders in the Nation. Please do not go see the builder by yourself. The sales counselors are there to get the builder the best price they can on the home. There will not be anyone there to represent your best interests. This summer, we negotiated with a builder on a home and got our buyer a better price and terms than the real estate agent who also works for them on his home in the same community. There is power in knowledge of how these things work.

Happy to help,
Terri Hayley
The Hayley Group
214.417.0801

Hi Michele,

You need someone to represent you and your interests. The Seller pays the Realtor, also 75 is much improved, however traffic does snags as with all of our Freeways/Tolls.

I offer a Rebate Program, in addition, focus on someone you are comfortable with, will listen to you and assist you in meeting your goals.

Best regards,

Mattye P. Smith
Realtor

Colonial Real Estate