Donna Mabes

I agree that that amount of money sounds like alot to swallow, but keep in mind that the agent who lists the house may have to split that with the agent who sells the house, unless your listing agent is able to get "both sides" of the sale. So, cut that $16,500 in half. Then, depending on where the agent works, they may have to pay franchise fees off the top before they ever see a check, especially if they work for one of the large franchises. Then, there is the broker split, because noboday pays you except your broker and he gets his share next. The broker split usually varies based on how long an agent has been selling, or what their sales volume is, or any number of other factors that are rules for the office where the agent works, but the broker always gets something. Then, when the agent finally gets the check, they have to see if what they made off the sale covers the various advertising and marketing expenses they incurred while selling your home, and depending on how long the house was on the market and what advertising was done during that time, it can be pretty pricey and the agent is out that money UP FRONT for you, before they see a dime. If the house is taken off the market or does not sell, they loose that money- just a risk of doing business. Then think about gas, open house expenses, and the value of your agents time- that has to be worth something, too. By the time all of these expenses are taken out along with splits and franchise fees, if your agent gets just one side of the sale, they'll be lucky to walk away with $2,000 on average. Maybe $4000 if they are lucky enough to sell their own listing.

Please remember, in real estate or anything else, you get what you pay for. Isn't selling your home- the single most important financial investment you have- worth the value of a good Realtor? - Sat Aug 2 2008, 08:17

Miranda- my company does alot of internet marketing and I have even taken a class thru them to learn how to market and recognize high end homes. Try getting your listing in The Wall Street Journal or Real Estate Journal.com, which showcases high end homes. Another thing I learned from my course was to treat an open house for high end homes like a red carpet event- send out invitations to top agents in your MLS area, and try to target an area where buyers might be ready to move up from their present home- make sure they all get invitations as well as your clients neighbors. They also suggest having the open house in the evening, and having it catered professionally- maybe even have a red carpet leading to the door to add to the celebrity feel and create excitement and buzz about the property. Make sure the agents and your broker come by also to support you and preview the property. Give away a door prize such as a day at the spa or a free massage. Something some agents in our area have tried is to have a Realtor open house during the day by the pool if the house has one- what agent doesn't want a free lunch by the pool of a beatiful estate? If you are in Lexington, my I suggest calling Annette's Catering for the event. They are WONDERFUL. Good luck and have fun! - Tue Jul 29 2008, 09:36

BEREA KENTUCKY is a GREAT place to live, work and raise a family. We have low crime, good schools, good roads, close to interstate 75, and we are within a couple hours drive of EVERYTHING. Madison County in general where Berea is located, is a wonderful place experiencing lots of economic growth. We have wonderful homes in every price range from existing homes to beautiful new construction. We are close to recreational areas, and we have the most gorgeous mountain scenery anywhere. Berea is the home of 3 world renowned guild artisan craft fairs every year, a local Spoonbread Festival every September, lots of rural countryside properties available, and just really wonderful friendly neighbors. I'd be glad to tell you more about my hometown- give me a call or send me a quick email! - Tue Jul 29 2008, 09:20

Here in Kentucky where I work, it varies as to whether a buyers agent will go to the inspection or not. I personally am there at the beginning, middle and end of every one of my inspections. The reason I do this is because most of the time inspections are done during the week, and it is hard for a buyer to take a whole day off work to hang around with the inspector- what if the appointment has to be changed? They are out a day's work while trying to buy a house! I maintain contact with the inspector the whole time he is in the home, and when I go back midway, I give my client a call to let them know how things are going. That way, my client knows ahead of time if the inspector has found any problems or if everything looks good. This is especially appreciated by my clients who are out of town. I even try to be there for the termite inspections- it is just one more way for me to show my clients that I am there for them all the way. As for signing off on liability- I've never heard of that. An agent has no liability for the inspection one way or the other, and any inspector worth anything will welcome the buyer and/or the buyers agent to be there and ask questions. They get paid whether the buyer takes the house or not... - Tue Jul 29 2008, 09:06