If you plan to sell your home, you should list on mls. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS), is a huge database formed by the cooperation of real estate brokers to allow for sharing information about properties for sale. There’s really no better way for your property to get the attention from the right buyers and realtors – because first the listing has to reach them.
While social media is a great advertising tool, it should be secondary to the MLS when attempting to sell your property. The MLS will reach the largest audience, and also filter down to sites like Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin. If you’re not an agent, you can get access to the MLS by paying a third party to list it for you.
There are a few benefits you should consider when deciding whether to list your home on the MLS.
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Easy Pricing
The MLS is also very useful in helping determine the value of your home. If you’re not a real estate expert, it is extremely unlikely you would be able to realistically know how to price your home. The MLS can retrieve data that shows the comparative market analysis (CMA), or sale price of similar homes in your area, to determine the market value for your home. These are more commonly referred to as “comps.” This information is not available without access to the MLS.
Save Money
A big motivator for listing your home on the MLS – you will save money in the long run. If you are selling your home without a realtor, there will be some unavoidable costs up front.
For instance, you will have to pay to have your home listed on the MLS, however, once you pay a flat fee, you are done. Regardless of how much you sell your home for, every penny paid is yours to keep – no commissions! You have the potential to save thousands of dollars, which is definitely worth the small investment in the beginning.
Buyers don’t pay to view listings on the MLS, however, their realtors do. When more realtors see your listing, it means that more buyers (their clients) will see it too. This increases your chances of getting an offer, especially since the MLS tools assist you with pricing your home correctly.
Save Time
An often overlooked, but valuable need during a property sale, is time. When you are selling a house, the chances are the circumstances surrounding the vacating of a property is due to a life altering event.
You may be downscaling because you are now empty nesters, or maybe you got a big promotion out of state and are moving. Regardless of the reason, your objective is to sell your house, and quickly.
If you have to purchase another home in your “go-to” location, having adequate financial resources may be contingent upon selling your current one. In those situations, time is of the essence. By listing on the MLS, you are increasing your chances of a sale exponentially.
You could make the argument that skipping the MLS and advertising via social media gives you more control over who purchases your home. That may be true, but when time is a factor you only want to entertain serious inquiries and offers. Wasting time ends up being expensive, and by listing on the MLS you can be sure to avoid that pitfall.
Accuracy
The MLS holds its listings to a certain higher standard. As a seller, you automatically gain some credibility by having your listing appear on the MLS. These databases are considered the most accurate, and therefore taken seriously by buyers.
Also, due to the standard requirements of the MLS, your listing will be consistent with all the rest that are comparable and available. You can make your listing stand out (some tips on that coming next), but you won’t have to worry about your listing paling in comparison to another due to templates, or design layouts.
Sell Your House
The MLS gives you the opportunity to highlight your home and property’s best features. Your listing can stand out by using catch headlines that grab the viewer’s attention.
Descriptive and specific words that focus on the high points of your home will help the potential buyer decide if the property may be one on their favorites list. Use updated photographs that highlight the best and main features of the property. Also, consider getting creative with a video walkthrough.
The MLS listing gives you a chance to truly showcase your property and all its assets. And now, there are more ways than ever to list on the MLS. Get the best price for your house, and save money and time by using the largest database available for real estate – and list it on the MLS.
