FAQ's

1. How can Flat Fee charge less than other firms?

Thanks to improvements in technology, all real estate agents are much more efficient today than they were 5 years ago and significantly more efficient than they were 20 years ago. It takes much less time for an agent to assist in a transaction today than it did in the past.
Despite these improvements in efficiency and reduction in time, real estate agents have not changed their pricing models. Most agents charge the same fees today that they did 20 years ago. Most charge a commission of 6% of the sales price. In terms of real dollars they are actually charging more today than 20 years ago because property values appreciated substantially over that same time period.

2. What services won't I get if I hire Flat Fee?

Flat Fee provides the same services that all other Traditional Firms, Florida firms do but we simply charge less.
For sellers, we visit the property and meet with the seller, conduct a market analysis, list the property in MLS, attend showings, assist in negotiations and provide ongoing guidance and advice until the property sells.
For buyers, we send new listings, schedule and attend showings, assist in negotiations and contract drafting and provide ongoing guidance and advice until a property is purchased.

3. Will agents from other firms still show my property if I list with Flat Fee?

If a property meets an buyer's crtieria then the buyer wants to see the property regardless of what their agent says.
If for some reason an agent refuses to show a buyer a property, the buyer will simply hire a new agent.
In an age where buyers are searching for homes online, the buyers call the shots not their agent.
Finally, real estate agents have a legal and ethical obligation under Florida law to look out for the best interest of their client and to put the client's interest above their own so if the buyer likes the property then they have a legal obligation to show them the property and advocate for them to buy that property.

4. Are there any hidden fees or charges?

There are no hidden fees or charges.
For sellers, we do not get paid unless your house sells.
For buyers, we do not get paid until you purchase a home.

5. Do I have to pay Flat Fee up front?

We do not get paid until closing.
For sellers, we do not get paid unless your house sells.
For buyers, we do not get paid until you purchase a home.

6. Will a larger firm be able to sell my home quicker?

No. This is one of the great misconceptions created by the larger firms. There is no empirical support showing that larger firm listings sell quicker just because the firm is larger.

7. Are you members of a trade association or lobby group such as the National Association of Realtors?

Many people believe that in order to be a real estate agent, you need to be a "Realtor". This is incorrect.

A "Realtor" is simply a person that is a member of a trade association or lobbyist group. The most well known real estate trade association and lobby group is the National Association of Realtors. In Sarasota, Florida, the Realtors also have trade associations and lobbyists at the state and local level.

The primary goal of these real estate trade associations and lobby groups, like any trade group or lobbyist, is to promote the interests of its members. The overwhelming majority of the members of these associations are real estate firms that offer traditional models of brokerage services based upon a percentage of the sales price. These firms typically charge between 5-6% of the sale price as their fee.

Because the majority of members and those making the policy decisions for the "Realtors" associations support a 5% or 6% commission based model, their policies, practices and decisions are aimed at preserving this model.

While these trade associations have done a very good job of marketing themselves and conveying concern for the interests of buyers and sellers of real estate, they actually care much more about ensuring that their members continue to profit enormously from buyers and sellers of real estate by preserving the 5-6% commission based model. In fact, a jury just found the National Association of Realtors guilty of antitrust violations and awarded consumers (home sellers) in Missouri $1.78 billion in damages because of NAR's illegal behavior.

Because their primary goal is to ensure that the 5-6% commission based model continues to enjoy a market dominance, they must take action against any threat to that market dominance. Flat fee real estate services such as ours represent the greatest threat to this market dominance. While it is possible that a decade ago a business like ours would not have been competitive, thanks to the great advances in technology and the internet, a business like ours is now not only competitive but represents the wave of the future in real estate brokerage services.

To learn more about cases where "Realtor Associations" have been accused by the Federal Trade Commission of restricting competition visit the FTC's Website On Real Estate Competition