Questions and Answers

What is the Multiple Listing Service, also known and referred to as the "MLS?"

The MLS is a database owned by Realtors which is used to find homes for their buyers.  For most Realtors and buyers, it is the only tool they need to find the right home.

The MLSs across the country belong to members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and are computerized databases of homes currently for sale. This is an exclusive tool, only available to the members of the NAR. Realtors search the MLS daily to find potential matches for their buyers, thus when new listings are entered, they are immediately evaluated by thousands of Realtors with prospective buyers, making your house quickly and easily found.

Only a Realtor can list your property in the MLS. Realtors own the MLS.

Listing your home on the MLS is crucial if you are serious about selling!

MLS provides the biggest marketing advantage in selling homes.
This kind of exposure to buyers is not available anywhere else.  You maximize your chances of selling your property more quickly and at a better price when it is listed in the MLS.  When your property is in the MLS it receives the broad coverage of all the member real estate offices via computer to your home's availability, price and features.

Being listed on the Realtor's MLS enables you to take advantage of the power of thousands of Realtors in your area. That means more exposure for you!

Examples of how you could save thousands by ordering our Basic MLS option should your property be sold by a buyer agent.

Yes.  All Realtors belong to their local association of Realtors and to their local MLS. 

Will my property be listed on the Internet?

Yes.  Please see Listing Programs page.

How long will it take after I send you the forms for my property to be on the MLS?

I guarantee to have your property in the MLS within 48 hours after I receive your completed forms, but usually it is the same day.

How long will it take after I send you the forms for my property to appear on Realtor.com?

After I put your property into the MLS, it takes between 3 and 72 hours to feed electronically to Realtor.com.

Will it be helpful if I fax you the flyer I made up for my home?  

Any additional information you can give me is always helpful. I can use the information on the flyer to help me write the 'remarks' section.

Are there any more Realtor fees besides the up-front listing fee and the percentage I have listed for?

No, these are the only real estate fees involved in selling your home. There is nothing hidden.

Do I have to complete the 'remarks' section on the listing form?

No, you do not have to write this section if you would rather not. If you don't want to author this, just send us a list of all the amenities of your home, all the updates, anything new you have done to the property and we will write the remarks section. When writing your list, think of everything you would want to tell a prospective buyer and put it all on the list. We have limited space on the MLS for the remarks but we will try to work in as much of the information as possible.

Can I make changes to my MLS listing after it is in the MLS?

Yes, you may. Just send us an email with the change. We will try to make the change the same day we receive it.

How much experience do you have listing this way and how successful has it been?

We have been listing fee-for-service in Columbus and Central Ohio since June of 2001. It has been extremely successful. We have helped hundreds of people sell their homes and have saved the sellers thousands of dollars.  It has been our experience that the success rate selling homes listed fee-for-service is the same as selling homes full service.

What are your qualifications as a Realtor?

Our broker has a degree in real estate and has been a Realtor since early in 1989, having been a broker and owned our company since early in 1996. She also has the ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) designation from the National Association of Realtors, and has over 1300 documented classroom hours in real estate.

Will Realtors show my home even though I listed as a fee-for-service Listing instead of paying a high commission? 

There is no way to tell how much you paid to get on the MLS.  Regardless of whom you listed with or what you paid, your listing will look no different from any other listing in form and style and the Realtors will show it because they know it has the commission for the buyer's agent.

Will Realtors contact you or me for a showing?

In Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron/Canton, Firelands, WRIST MLS and Toledo; your phone number will be displayed to the Realtors on the Realtor View of the MLS. In Columbus, the MLS does not permit seller contact information in the MLS. In the Central Ohio area (Columbus MLS) we use a showing service.  The Realtors call the showing service and the showing service calls you to schedule the showing, following your instructions which you give us at the time of listing. 

How long is the MLS listing period?

Normally a listing is for 6 months.  This includes free renewal if necessary.

Must I have a lockbox?

No, but Realtors depend on quick access.  Realtors show many homes within a very short period of time, Easy access to your home may make a difference.  We strongly recommend a lockbox. We lease the electronic lockbox used in Columbus only in the Columbus area.  Or sellers may purchase a combination lockbox at a business like Lowe's or Home Depot.

How do I make changes to my listing?

Change requests must be made by email.  Some of our MLS boards require written notice from the seller to make changes, and email from the seller is acceptable to them, plus it gives us something to put in our file.

Will my listing look the same as a full service listing to a traditional agent?

Your listing will look like all the other listings on your local MLS. The same format is used for all listings.

Is it true that Realtors using the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) sell most houses and that they usually sell for a higher price?

According to the National Association of Realtors, approximately 75-80% of all U.S. homes are sold through Realtors using the MLS.  Homes listed on the MLS average net proceeds 7% higher than homes sold without a Realtor's help.

The MLS will give you the exposure you need and this is the key to a successful transaction. There is no more effective way to sell your property and be successful.  The Realtors are the ones with the buyers! 

If you have other questions not addressed here, feel free to call our broker toll free at 800-579-1979.

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