What is the MLS system?
The MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is an extensive database of homes for sale listed by Realtors®. It is made up of Broker members who agree to share their listings with one
another in the hopes of procuring ready, willing and able buyers for their properties more quickly than they could on their own.
It is a system that is available only to Realtors® who are members of that MLS.
For more information Click
Here. Back to the top.
Will my property go into the same MLS to which all area Realtors®
belong? Yes. All participating MLS Realtors® belong to their local association of Realtors®.
We will place you in MLS system you choose. Back to the top.
Is the MLS the best way to sell my home?
Actually, it's about the only way. Statistically, an overwhelming majority of homes in our area are sold through the MLS due to
the large network of Realtors working with home buyers. For more information
Click
Here. Back to the top.
Will Realtors sell
my home if I do not list on the MLS?
No, not likely. With very few exceptions, Realtors® operate
only from MLS listings. The MLS Listing Agreement sets forth the real
estate agents compensation and without this agreement Realtors® will usually bypass For Sale By Owner (FSBO)homes. Of course you may sell your home without a
real estate agent, but once listed, agents do not regard you as a For Sale By Owner
(FSBO) but simply as another listing for them to sell. Real Estate Agents will generally avoid FSBO properties due to the fact that they are working with buyers and have no
written agreement to be compensated. If the seller has not agreed in
writing to pay a commission to a buyer's agent, the buyer could cut the
agent out of the transaction and negotiate directly with the seller. Back to the top.
Will Realtors® show and sell my home even
though I went flat rate instead of paying a high listing commission?
Yes.
There is no way to tell how much you paid to get in the MLS system. Regardless of who you listed with or what you paid, your listing will look no different
from any other listing in form and style.
Back to the top.
Will Realtors® show and sell my house if I am not
listed with their company? Yes. The very purpose
of MLS is for Realtors® to sell each other's listings.
Back to the top.
Will Realtors® call you or me? You.
Realtor® custom is to call you before showing your home.
All offers will be
promptly presented directly to you. Back to the top.
How
long should
I expect to be on the
market? Your home should sell quickly if it is priced right, is in a
good location and shows well. Our listings will create the drama and
excitement necessary to draw maximum attention to your home. Back to the top.
How
long is
the listing period? Listing
periods are in 6 month increments. Additional 6 month periods are available at option of the parties for $75.00. Most
homes are sold within the initial 6 month period. Rarely is a second period
needed. Back to the top.
Am I locked
in for the full 6 month listing period? No, of course not.
This is just a marketing period giving us authority to advertise your property.
You always retain control of your listing and can extend or
shorten the duration as you wish (see the Listing Agreement for further details).
Back to the top.
What is included with my listing?
The listing text, an exterior home color photo, a Showcase Realtor.com® listing, and other internet sites provided by your local MLS. Lockbox, yard signs and other marketing materials are available as
options. For More Information
Click
Here. Back to the top.
What if I am working with an agent?
If you are in a contractual
arrangement with any other broker or your property is currently listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation of your
business or that listing. We honor and respect relationships with other brokers. Otherwise, we will be happy to list your home in the MLS system.
Back to the top.
What is the difference
between a
"selling agent" and a "listing agent"?
A selling agent is the Real Estate agency who actually sells the property.
They are also called buyer's agents. The Listing Agent is the Real Estate agency who lists your home for sale in the MLS.
In other
words, we are the Listing Agency and the Realtor® who brings a buyer and sells your home is the Selling Agency. For more information
Click
Here
Back to the top.
With
your plan I understand that I am saving commission on the
"listing" side of things by going with the flat rate, but do
I still have to pay a "selling agent?" Yes. Any Realtor®
bringing a ready, willing, and able buyer with a satisfactory contract will be due a small "selling" commission of your choice.
You may offer
whatever commission you wish. Back
to the top.
If I find my own buyer, will I still
have to pay a selling commission? No. If you obtain a buyer who is not working with an agent, there is no commission. Back to the top.
Exclusive Right to Sell and Exclusive Agency Listing Agreements:
In an Exclusive Right to Sell listing the owner appoints a real
estate broker as his or her exclusive agent for a designated
period of time to sell the property, and agrees to pay the broker
a commission when the property is sold, whether by the broker,
the owner or another broker. In an Exclusive Agency listing, the owner
appoints a real estate broker as his or her
exclusive agent for a designated period of time to sell the
property, for a commission (or in our case a flat rate) and the owner reserves the right to sell
the property without paying a commission to anyone if the owner sells to a
prospect who is not working with an agent (has not been introduced or claimed by a broker). Under
our Carolina Listing Express.com Exclusive Agency Listing
Agreement, not only do we NOT charge a listing commission, but by
company policy we never act as buyer-agents for buyers . So, in
other words we, by choice, limit our services to only listing
properties, not selling. What this means is that you will never owe us a listing commission.
And if you find your own buyer, who is not represented by a real estate
agent, you will not pay a commission to anyone! For further information please
Click
Here
Back to the top.
Should
I have a lockbox?
Lockboxes are highly recommended. A
lockbox is a universal metal container for your house key that is hung on
the front door and can only be opened by a special key carried by licensed
real estate sales agents. It provides access when the owner is away, thus
assuring full exposure to prospective buyers. Realtors® are on a fast track and depend heavily on
lockboxes for quick access to homes. Without a lockbox, agents representing buyers will have to
set appointments to meet you at the house to view the home. If you do not
have a lockbox, you may miss out on lots of potential buyers who do not
have time to wait. Lockboxes are
completely removable and controllable by you. They fit conveniently
over the door frame, not the handle, so you may simply slip it off the
frame and bring it inside whenever you need privacy. For more
information
Click
Here.
Back to the top.
I have my own sign, why should I use yours?
Once listed in the MLS system, you will need to remove any For Sale By Owner
(FSBO) or Home For Sale signs from your property. The MLS systems will not allow a
FSBO sign on the property as it specifically excludes Realtors and that is not your intent. We recommend that you replace your sign with our agency sign upon going in
the MLS. When driving down streets, agents look for agency signs to quickly find the property. When not finding a sign, agents may think that the listing agent has “lost” the listing & consequently
they will not be paid a commission. Our agency sign reassures agents that your home is actively listed on
the MLS. Back to the top.
Can I use my own exterior
home photo for the MLS?
YES! In fact, due to most people already having photos of their properties, almost no MLS's today takes photos
anymore. Therefore, you must submit to us your own photo for uploading in the MLS system. Photos must be received by us before being listed in the MLS system. Please email your photo to us at
admin@carolinapremium.com
Back to the top.
How
does the additional photo
option
in the MLS and on Realtor.com work?
If you
choose this option, you may send us up to 15 of your own photos of your home to appear in the MLS system AND on Realtor.com (you will be emailed instructions once
listed). With the additional photos option you will be able to
show potential buyers from all over the world more than just the front of
your home. They will be able to view the best your home has to offer
such as a great master bedroom, kitchen, deck, pool etc. Plus,
as an added bonus, listings with multiple photos appear first in
Realtor.com search results! Back to the top.
How do I return your materials?
All marketing materials (signs, lockboxes, etc) are the property of Carolina Premium Properties, Inc. and
are to be returned at your expense within 10 days following closing or
termination of your listing. The return address label will be in your
FedEx shipment. Back to the top.
How do I get the free forms
and
contracts you offer? Once listed, a confirmation/information email will be sent to you
with your MLS number and information on how to access our Library of Forms. Back to the top.
Do I have control
over all listing
information? To some degree. The MLS arranges required information according to
multiple choice templates. We cannot customize these fields. However, you do have control over the public internet remarks section that appears on most internet
sites for your area (subject to Fair Housing and MLS standard rules and
regulations). Back to the top.
Can I add more
detailed information
later?
Possibly. Our listing information page is filled with greatly detailed
information about your home. However, if you wish to add information
after you are listed in the MLS, a Listing Amendment form (provided to you) will be required.
There is a $20 editing fee per
Listing Amendment form. Back to the top.
How do I make changes
to my listing? You may make multiple changes to your listing at
any one time for a small fee of $20.00. After listed, you will receive
instructions by email.
Back to the top.
Will
it cost me to make changes to my listing?
There is a
$20.00 listing change fee per listing amendment form. However, you may
make as many changes on the Listing Amendment form you would like.
Back to the top.
What is the difference between public
websites, such as Realtor.com, and the MLS?
Public websites like Realtor.com only display
paraphrased versions of listings which they receive directly from the MLS
itself. Unlike the MLS which is updated instantly, the public
internet sites are typically updated every 1-3 business days.
Back to the top.
Can I go to a website
and see my MLS
listing? Yes, you may go to Realtor.com and many other public websites in your area and view a paraphrased version of your listing.
Keep in mind that this is
NOT your actual MLS listing. Unless you are a licensee and MLS member, you
cannot access the MLS to see your actual listing. However, you may
at any time request a copy of your
actual MLS listing from us. Back to the top.
Can
I go to a website to print and email color brochures of my listing?
Yes. Realtor.com offers the ability to
print and/or email color brochures of your listing to hand out to
potential buyers. Back to the top.
What
public internet sites will my listing appear on?
Your listing will
appear as a Showcase listing on Realtor.com. Furthermore, depending
on the area you live in, your listing will appear on many different internet sites.
MLS systems now
share their listings directly with other public internet sites, including other real estate agencies. What this means is that any real estate
agency, who belongs to that MLS system, can now display all of the MLS listings
directly on their own websites. These websites show a paraphrased
version of your listing which comes directly from the MLS system. As you can see, your MLS exposure is quite widespread and it is very hard to determine exactly how many websites your listing will appear on.
For more information Click
Here.
Back to the top.
Can
I control what is displayed on the public internet sites?
To
some degree. The MLS has partnership arrangements with public
internet sites and provides photo
and text according to their templates. However, we have a special
arrangement with Realtor.com to allow our customers to be able to edit
their information on the Realtor.com site. All of our listings are
Showcase listings, which means they are enhanced on the search
results page and listing detail page to grab a buyers attention. Additionally, if you choose the Realtor.com enhancement option you will be able
to give your Realtor.com listing your personal touch. You will be
able to: edit your listing
description to help you promote the best
features of your property, edit your listing Headline, have your own scrolling marquee on your listing, add up to
15 more photos of your home, and announce an open
house. For more information Click
Here. Back to the top.
Will my contact information
appear on the public websites? Most likely
not. The public internet sites, such as Realtor.com are aligned with the
MLS and are designed to drive leads to Realtors. They do not
allow your name, address, telephone numbers or other personal information
to appear for privacy purposes. We cannot override their partnership
arrangements. We will, however, forward any leads received through the public internet sites directly to
you via email. This is a strong advantage to you. All leads will go directly to you. Regarding the MLS system itself, your
name and number will appear here as the contact information and agents will call you directly for showings and presenting sales
contracts.
Back to the top.
How long will it take for my MLS listing to appear on the public internet sites?
The MLS sends listing information at different times to the different public
internet sites. Once your listing is entered into the MLS system, it appears
instantly to Realtors®
and their buyers. However, depending on your area,
it may take anywhere from 1-4 business days before your listing will appear on
all of the public internet sites. Back to the top.
Are you involved with the sales
contract? Your listing is more than just an
ad, it is an actual MLS listing in the Realtors® Multiple Listing
Service. To save on commission, you will handle many details of the
sale yourself including negotiating sales contracts and contingencies. As the listing agency, however, we are still required
by law to process and maintain many documents relating to the listing and
sale. Back to the top.
Are you involved with negotiations?
No. You will
handle all showings, inquiries, and sales contract presentations on your
own. Upon accepting a contract, you will forward it to us for
processing. Back to the top.
How
can I get my contract reviewed?
Any
title company or closing/settlement attorney can review a contract for you.
If you plan on using that company for your closing, they will usually
do this free of charge. Back to the top.
What
is the total cost of my listing?
The cost to list your home in the MLS system is only $195.00. If you
choose marketing materials such as signs and lockboxes,
those fees will apply. Other fees such as returned check
fees, lost/damaged materials fees, and late fees to overdue
balances may also apply. However, the
general cost to list your home with us is $195.00.
Back to the top.
What
other charges apply to my listing?
Miscellaneous administrative fees may apply to your listing and can include, but are not limited to, any options selected by you such as: sign and lockbox rental, shipping and handling charges,
additional photos and virtual tours, lost or destroyed marketing materials, returned check fees, listing extensions, listing
change requests, non-compliance fees if we do not receive a copy of your signed contract and/or Hud1 Settlement
Statement within 48 hours of ratification or closing, overdue interest, etc. However, the general cost for listing a home with us is the $195.00 listing fee.
Back to the top.
How do I pay for my MLS
listing?
Payment is due at the time of listing.
Online credit card payment is through PayPal. You do NOT need a Paypal account. You may also send us a check or money order. However, listings will not be entered into the MLS system until this payment has been received.
Back to the top.
How
do I know you are a legitimate Real Estate
company?
We, Carolina Premium
Properties, Inc. are a fully licensed and legitimate Real Estate
Company. The principal broker/owner of the company is Stephanie
J. Smith license numbers: NC 233506, SC 55136 and VA
0225063073. You may view our company and broker information at
the NC Real Estate Commission website
http://www.members-base.com/ncrec/wwiz.asp?wwizmstr=LIC_SEARCH
and
put in Smith, Stephanie J. and at the SC Real Estate Commissions
website:
https://verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/LookupMain.aspx
then choose Real Estate Commission in the
drop down menu. Back to the top.
What
is expected
of me once I list
with you? We are a Licensed Real Estate agency and have many
laws and regulations we need to comply with. In turn, there are laws
and regulations you will also need to comply with.
1.
To
make any changes to your listing once listed it is required that a
Listing Amendment form be used. This form can be found in our
Forms Library.
2.
Within
48 hours of a Sales Contract being signed by you, we will need 1) A
copy of the entire sales contract and 2) A completed Under Contract
form. The Under Contract form can be found in our Forms Library.
3. Within 48 hours after closing/settlement we will need
a copy of your Hud-1 Settlement Statement, provided to you by your closing company right before or at closing.
Unfortunately, due to hefty fines imposed
by the MLS systems, a non-compliance fee of $250.00 per occurrence will be
assessed if the above documents are not received within the required time
frame.
Back to the top.
How
long will it take
to list my home on your website?
We
try to make the listing process as fast and easy as possible. To
help you through the process more quickly we suggest
gathering important home documents before you begin listing your
home on our website. These include; tax record/information
sheets, an appraisal of the property (for square footage and room
dimensions), home owners association rules and regulations, and
any brochures you may have (for wording and remarks fields).
Our
website uses state-of-the art mouse signatures. This means that
everything can be filled out, read and signed online. There is no
need to fax any paperwork to us and there is no waiting period
for us to review your forms. Our listing process is truly
hassle free!
Back to the top.
Once you receive my listing, how
long will it take to list my home in the MLS?
Depending on
the time of day, listings are usually inputted into the MLS system the
same business day everything is received. Back to the top.
Can I later
list my
home with another Real Estate agency?
Yes, of course. Just remember that all Realtors® are on the same local MLS system, so your
listing will wind up in the same place. You may withdraw your listing at any time from the MLS system by simply using
our Listing Withdrawal form (provided to you once listed). A full release of the Listing Agreement will occur when the
form is received and any outstanding monies are paid.
Back to the top.
What is the general
sequence of events after listed?
The
following is not guaranteed, but is a general time line of events:
-
Listed in MLS: Upon receiving your listing information and payment and depending on the time of day, your home is usually placed in the MLS the same business day.
-
Photos:
You are to submit your own photo to us at admin@carolinapremium.com.
It MUST be received by us before you are listed in the MLS system.
-
Listed on websites: Paraphrased MLS text
usually appears in public sites (Realtor.com®, etc.) in
1-3 business
days. Photos will follow usually within 2-4 business days.
-
Lockboxes/Signs: If ordered, you should receive
them via FedEx within 1-2 business days.
-
Virtual Home Tour: A photographer
usually contacts you for an appointment within 1-2 business days after
listed.
-
Home Appliance 1 Yr. Warranty: If ordered,
usually takes effect within 1-2 business days after being listed.
Back to the top.
