Hi Don!

That is a great idea and should work well in some markets.

If Carlotta's market is at all like mine though, it is already overly saturated with real estate agents bumping into each other everywhere. They have magazines, websites, newspapers, radio and even television tours of the homes that are listed with the real estate agents ... but what is being done to help the FSBO market? Nothing!!!

The FSBO has a sign in their yard and will perhaps run an ad in the local newspaper for a month maybe two before they quit running the ad because it is too expensive and you can't include enough to motivate buyers without it starting to ad up enough that you may as well pay the agents commission.

I say if you are in an area that can benefit from the website like you mentioned ... go for it. It is a great idea.

If ... on the other hand that market is already being catered to abundantly ... why have competition in the same ole' real estate market when you can own the FSBO market?

Find your niche or carve one out Carlotta. There is lot's of great ideas out there. I think you are embarking on one that there is all kinds of opportunity and room to grow in.

Hope this helps.

Randy Sutton

> at offering FSBO's a website to sell their
> property;

> 1) The local realtors will be against you
> 2) You have to "convince" (also
> known as "sell") each INDIVIDUAL
> home seller. One sale...get as much money as
> you can...then when they sell their home or
> if it doesn't sell...that's it. You must
> CONSTANTLY be "selling"....one
> property at a time.
> WHY would someone wanting to sell their home
> themselves want to give YOU money?...just
> because you have a local FSBO
> website?...nope!
> 3) You have to advertise the site HEAVILY to
> get any traffic.

> Instead of "fighting City
> Hall"...why don't you consider putting
> together a local "Homes For Sale
> MALL" where REALTORS can list their
> properties?

> You sell the realtor ONCE on a Monthly Fee
> of $150/Mo for 10 properties...$250/Mo for
> 20 properties....$350/Mo for 40 properties.

> Sell them ONCE and they keep paying
> forever...provided you do your due diligence
> and advertise the site.

> PLUS....realtors are easier to find!

> Get the "Realty Manager" program
> from Interactive Tools.com

> Get a good Domain Name (YourTownHomes.com)

> Put up some Sample listings.

> Put together a Presentation about the
> BENEFITS realtors will have by having their
> listings on your "Mall". (MAIN
> benefit with Realty Manager is the realtors
> can UpLoad and Edit listings themselves
> (including photos) thru their browser)

> So...if you can "sell" 40 realtors
> at $250/Mo you'll have $10,000/mo
> coming in on a STEADY basis and all you have
> to do is keep advertising the site.

> Sure beats "hunting" for FSBO's
> everyday.

> Here's a "Realtor Mall"
> www.ezmls.com They get $12/mo per realtor.
> Too little in my opinion BUT...some offices
> can have 20 agents and they bill the Broker
> (Owner)

> There are many other realtor
> "Malls" out there.

> Don Alm




What are you doing to "GROW" & "PROTECT" your biz?