What is the MLS? The MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is an extensive database of homes for sale, land/lots for sale and homes for rent listed by Real Estate Agents. It is made up of Broker members who agree to share their listings with one another to find 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 Real Estate Agents who are members of that MLS. For more information Click Here.
Is the MLS the best way to sell my home or land? Yes, buyers working with agents are very serious about buying. They are typically well qualified and the pre-qualification check has already been completed (since agents do not want to waste their time with unqualified buyers). By listing your home or land for sale in the MLS you will get a high-quality MLS listing, listed on 100's of real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Zillow Group, and Homes.com and access to the Realtor community ready to show and sell your home or land. Click Here.
Why do I need the MLS? The MLS is very different from sites like For Sale By Owner.com, Zillow, Craigslist or Facebook. By listing in the MLS, buyers will know that you are serious about selling and can be assured that you are a legitimate seller. Once listed in the MLS your listing on Zillow will no longer have the "Beware of Suspicious Listings" warning at the top, giving buyers the confidence to view your home. Furthermore, for your own assurance, the buyer's agent will usually have pre-screened the buyer before contacting you to view it - giving you confidence that only a qualified, serious buyer is coming to view your home. Agents do not want to waste their time showing a home to a buyer who is not qualified and neither do you. The MLS will give you both the exposure and credibility you need to sell your home quickly.
Will Real Estate Agents sell my home if I do not list on the MLS? Not likely. With very few exceptions, Real Estate Agents operate only from MLS listings. Agents will usually bypass For Sale By Owner (FSBO) homes for fear of not being paid a commission and for fear that the buyer could cut the agent out of the transaction and negotiate directly with the seller. By listing in the MLS, agents are re-assured that a commission is being offered when they bring you their buyer. When listing with our company, you may still sell your home on your own without a buyer's agent, and pay no commission to anyone.
Will my property go into the same MLS to which Real Estate Agents belong? Real Estate Agents usually belong to their local MLS and have access to those listings. We belong to the GAMLS which has over 36,000+ agents who belong to this MLS system.
Will Real Estate Agents show and sell my house if I am not listed with their company? Yes. The very purpose of the MLS is for Real Estate Agents to sell each other's listings.
Will Real Estate Agents show and sell my home even though I went flat rate? Yes. There is no way to tell how much you paid to list 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 format and style.
Will A Buyer's Agent work directly with me instead of a Listing Agent (you)? Yes. Many agents prefer to work directly with the Seller instead of having to go through the Listing Agent (us). It allows them to show the home and conduct negotiations directly with you, cutting out the "middle man" so to speak. Furthermore, the commission to the Buyer's Agent is the same regardless of what you paid to list in the MLS. They are getting the same (or greater) amount of commission they would have gotten from you, the seller, if you went full service.
What is Your Coverage Area? We belong to the GAMLS which is the primary MLS for 44 major counties. However, any home owner anywhere in Georgia can list in the GAMLS for greater exposure of their property. Just remember there may be another, smaller, MLS that covers these non-primary counties as well. Please note: the state of Georgia is unique in that it has two MLS systems that cover the exact same areas. The FMLS and the GAMLS both cover the ITP and parts of the OTP area of Georgia. The FMLS is the smaller of the 2 MLS systems and covers mostly within the ITP area of Atlanta. We do not belong to the FMLS because they will charge you, the seller, a transaction fee .0012 percent of the sales price at closing - roughly $360 on a $300,000 home, that goes straight to the MLS as their selling fee. This fee can end up being a surprise if you are not aware of it. We see no point belonging to an MLS which charges this fee when the larger GAMLS does not. Furthermore, many agents working with buyers will belong to both the GAMLS and FMLS so they do not miss any listings for their clients. The GAMLS alone has over 35,000 agents that belong to it. Buyers not working with agents will still be able to view the home on all of the major website such as Realtor.com, Zillow and the brokerage sites in the area belonging to the GAMLS. Click Here for the Georgia MLS Coverage Information.
What is the name of the listing agency (company) that will appear on my listing? The name of our company is Select Premium Properties, Inc. and this is the name that will appear as your listing agency. GeorgiaListingExpress.com is the name of our listing website and it will NOT appear in your MLS listing. Appearances matter and our professional company name will help to assure your listing is treated the same as any other listing within the Realtor community.
Will Real Estate Agents call you or me? You. Your contact information is listed in the MLS listing with specific instructions for agents to deal directly with you for showings, inquiries and contract offers. Your MLS listing also comes with the valuable Showing Time service which will allow you to update your own showing instructions to agents.
What is the Showing Time Service the MLS offers? The Showing Time Service is a service provided by the MLS. It allows agents to schedule appointments online via an app or call into the Showing Time service to set up appointments. The Showing Time service gives you peace of mind that it is a licensed real estate agent wanting to show your home since only licensed agents can use the service. With the Showing Time service, you can update your showing instructions and receive a valuable feedback form from the agent once the property has been shown. This service is included with your MLS listing at no additional charge, however, it can be turned off at any time by your request.
How Do I Know it is an Agent calling and Not an impostor? The MLS Offers a Showing Time Service which will give you peace of mind that it is a licensed real estate agent wanting to show your home since only licensed agents can use the service. If an agent contacts you without using the service, you may ask them for their name and license number and look them up via the Real Estate Commission website.
What if I am already working with a listing agent? The MLS only allows a property to be listed with one agent at a time. If you are in a contractual arrangement with another agent or your property is currently listed in the MLS, this is not intended as a solicitation of your business or that listing. We honor and respect relationships with other agents.
Do I have control over all of the MLS listing information? The MLS mostly has pre-arranged fields with the choices pre-determined and no one can customize these fields. However, you can add your own description/remarks, directions and other fields that the MLS allows. All customized information is subject to Fair Housing and MLS rules and regulations.
How do I make changes to my MLS listing? For legal purposes, all changes to your listing must be made on our Listing Change form (available within your login account once listed). We cannot accept changes by email or phone calls. You may make as many changes as you wish on any one Listing Change form for a small fee of $20.00 and the changes are usually made within a few hours of being received. Changes made within 24 hours of listing are free of charge.
Will it cost me to make changes to my listing? Changes to your listing must be made on our Listing Change form (available within your login account once listed). You may make as many changes as you wish on any one form for a small fee of $20.00. The changes are usually made within a few hours of being received. Changes made within 24 hours of listing are free of charge.
Should I have a lockbox? A lockbox is highly recommended if you are not able to allow access to the home in a timely manner. A lockbox is designed to hold your house key and allows licensed agents access to the key via a special key card used to open the box. The lockbox records the agent's information such as time of entry, date, name and company. A lockbox provides access when the owner is away, assuring full exposure to agents and their prospective buyers. They are completely removable and controllable by you and 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 and to see a picture of a lockbox Click Here
I have a sign, why should I use yours? Once listed in the MLS, you will need to remove any For Sale By Owner (FSBO) signs from your property. This is an MLS rule and regulation and applies to every company that lists homes in the MLS. We recommend that you replace your sign with our agency sign upon listing in the MLS. Our agency sign reassures agents that your home is actively listed on the MLS. You may also use a generic "Home For Sale" or "For Sale Sign" but it may not say the words "By Owner" on it.
How do I receive the Lockbox / Sign? Lockboxes and Signs are shipped via USPS Priority Mail or FedEx. They will usually arrive at the shipping address you provide within 1-2 days (excluding Sundays).
How do I receive my lockbox or sign FIRST, before my listing is active in the MLS? Once you begin to list your home or land on our website you will see a "Coming Soon / Listing Start Showing Date" field. In this box, you may put the date you wish to start showing your home. We will then enter your listing into the Coming Soon category in the MLS until this date when it will become Active for showings. If you have ordered any marketing materials, once your listing and payment have been received, we will process your listing and send the materials out to you via USPS's priority mail or FedEx. Materials usually arrive within 1-2 days (excluding Sundays).
How do I return your lockbox? Lockboxes are the property of Select Premium Properties, Inc. and are to be returned within 10 days following closing or ending of your listing. The return address label will be included in your shipment. Signs ordered do not need to be returned.
Can I use my own exterior home photo for the MLS? Yes! An exterior photo of the home is required by the MLS. You may email the photo directly to us or use our photo upload program within your login account.
How does the additional photo option in the MLS work? Your listing includes 6 photos for the $195 price. However, if you choose the additional photos option, you may send us up to 50 of your own photos of your property to appear in the MLS for only $45. You may email the photos directly to us or use our photo upload program within your login account. With the additional photos option, you will be able to show potential buyers from all over the world every aspect of your property. They will be able to view the best features your home or land has to offer such as a great master bedroom, kitchen, deck, stream, ponds, pool, etc.
Can I add a Virtual Tour to my listing? Yes! A link to your virtual tour can be added to your MLS listing. Simply provide us with the link when listing on our site, or send it to us via email, and we will add it to the appropriate places in your MLS listing. There is NO extra cost for adding a virtual tour link to your listing.
How do I get the free forms and contracts you offer? Once listed, the forms library will be available within your login account. The library will include mandatory state forms you will need to fill out and have ready for agents upon showing, or return to us for uploading to your MLS listing. These forms will be highlighted in red.
What is the difference between real estate websites such as Realtor.com or Zillow and the MLS? Real Estate websites like Realtor.com display condensed versions of listings that they receive directly from the MLS itself. Unlike the MLS which is updated instantly, the real estate websites are updated anywhere from every 4 hours (Realtor.com) to 1-5 business days. It is dependent on when each real estate website updates their information.
Can I go to a website and see my MLS listing? Yes, you may go to Realtor.com, Zillow, Yahoo Real Estate and many other public websites in your area to view a condensed version of your listing. Keep in mind that this is NOT your actual MLS listing. Only licensed agents belonging to the MLS will be able to see your actual MLS listing with all of the detailed information. For more information Click Here
Can I go to a website to print color brochures of my listing? Yes. Realtor.com, Zillow and others offer the ability to print a color brochure of your listing to hand out to potential buyers. You may also request a distributable / flyer version of your MLS listing from us.
What real estate internet sites will my listing appear on? Your listing will appear on possibly 100's of real estate websites. The MLS sends your listing information directly to real estate websites such as Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, and Yahoo Real Estate. The MLS also sends your listing information to other real estate agencies / brokerages (such as Remax, Redfin, Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, etc) who belong to that MLS system. Unlike other companies, we have the MLS send your listing information to every real estate website available. For more information Click Here.
Can I control what is displayed on the real estate websites? The MLS has partnership arrangements with the various real estate sites to provide condensed listing information and photos. Every real estate site is different regarding what they choose to display. We are not able to edit the various real estate sites, we can only edit your MLS listing - which in turn, sends your listing information to these sites.
Will my contact information appear on the real estate websites? Most real estate websites, such as Realtor.com, are partnered with the MLS and are designed to drive leads to Real Estate Agents and typically do not allow owners' names or contact information to appear. This restriction is the same for every company that lists properties in the MLS and we, nor anyone else, cannot override this arrangement. We will, however, forward any leads we receive through these websites directly to you via email. Unless you opt-out, Your property listing address, MLS number, and your phone number WILL appear on our SelectPremiumHomes.com website, which buyers are directed to when calling. It is important to note that, unlike other flat-rate companies, we do not work directly with buyers. Therefore we do not try and "work the lead" (either by claiming they found the buyer for you from the lead and then taking the buyer's agency compensation you are offering or by steering them towards another property which will also pay them a buyer's agency commission). Regarding the MLS system itself, your contact information will appear here and agents will contact you directly for showings, inquiries, and contract presentations.
How will you forward leads to me? Any real estate agent wanting to show your home will contact you directly for showings and contract presentations. If a buyer finds your home via a real estate website, such as Realtor.com, Yahoo Real Estate, Trulia, etc., we will collect and email their contact information directly to you. We are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year so you will never miss a lead. Further, unless you opt-out, Your property listing address, MLS number and your phone number WILL appear on our SelectPremiumHomes.com website, that buyer's are directed to when calling. It is important to note that, unlike other flat-rate companies, we do not work directly with buyers. Therefore we do not try and "work the lead" (either by claiming they found the buyer for you from the lead and then taking the buyer's agency compensation you are offering or by steering them towards another property which will also pay them a buyer's agency commission). We pride ourselves on saving people thousands of dollars in listing commissions and want you to sell your home as much as you do. We sell hundreds of homes every year and have excellent reviews.
Any leads we receive regarding your property are forwarded directly to you via email for you to contact. We are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year so you will never have to wait to receive your leads. Further, unless you opt-out, Your property listing address, MLS number, and your phone number WILL appear on our SelectPremiumHomes.com website, which buyers are directed to when calling. It is important to note that, unlike other flat fee companies, we do not work directly with buyers. Therefore we do not try and "work the lead" (either by claiming they found the buyer for you from the lead and then taking the buyer's agent commission you are offering or by steering them towards another property and collecting that buyer's agency commission). We sell and rent hundreds of homes each year through our company which attests to the fact that our clients are actually selling and renting their homes instead of just listing them. Clicking Here.
How long will it take for my MLS listing to appear on the various real estate sites? Unlike the MLS, which is updated instantly, the real estate websites are updated anywhere from every 4 hours (Realtor.com) to 1-5 business days. When your listing will appear on any one site is dependent on when that site updates their information.
Do I need to remove my listing on Zillow? No, there is nothing you need to do with your Zillow listing. Once you have listed in the MLS, the MLS listing is sent to Zillow which will over-write your By Owner listing and your listing will now appear on the first page of results instead of "Other Listings". Zillow does not allow the listing to be listed in the MLS and For Sale By Owner at the same time.
How will my listing on Zillow change? The biggest change will be the listing type. Instead of being listed on the secondary "Other Listings" page and your listing saying "For Sale By Owner", the listing on Zillow will now appear on the first page of "Agent Listings" and simply say "For Sale". This is a positive feature for you since many buyers prefer not to work with For Sale By Owners due to different types of housing scams.
Will I still be able to edit my Zillow listing? Maybe. The main information in your Zillow listing will come from the MLS listing feed, however, depending on the MLS area you list in, you may be able to edit things like remarks and photos.
Why do I have so many views and saves on Zillow with no real offers? It is important to remember that Zillow was created for agents and not necessarily consumers. They make their money from ad revenues and selling leads to agents who pay for them. With this in mind, many of the views and saves you have may be realtors trying to obtain your listing. There are also many automatic "bots" that go through listings artificially inflating the number.
Why won't agents show my home? I have stated "agent/broker protected" in my Zillow ad. Even though you may have stated "agent or broker protected" in your ad, there is no guarantee for the agent who brings you a buyer that they will not be cut out of the deal. Once you are listed in the MLS, agents know they are broker protected by our company and your agreement with our company to pay them a commission (which can be any amount you choose).
Will agents still call me to list with them? No. Once you are listed in the MLS agents will only call you to show the property to a prospective buyer.
What happens to the Days on Market on Zillow? Once listed in the MLS the Zillow days on market should be re-set to zero.
How long is the listing period? Listing periods for home and land listings are in 6 month increments. Additional 6 month periods are available for $95.00. Most homes are sold within the initial 6 month period and rarely is a second period needed.
Am I locked in for the full listing period? No. This is just a marketing period giving us the authority to advertise your property in the MLS. You can extend or shorten your listing as you wish, and withdraw at any time.
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. The Exposure you will receive by listing in the MLS and real estate websites will give your property the greatest chance of being seen by agents and buyers working without agents.
Can I cancel / withdraw my listing with your company at any time? You may cancel/withdraw your listing with us at any time by using our Listing Withdrawal form (available within your login account once listed). Email and phone call requests for cancellations/withdrawals cannot be accepted. The cost to withdraw the listing early is $45 due to the great deal of additional work required both in regards to the MLS and the associated public web sites, and our own internal database. $25 of this fee goes directly to the GAMLS for their fee to withdraw a listing early.
What if I want a different start date for my listing? Once you begin to list your home or land on our website you will see a "listing start date" field. In this box you may put the date you wish your listing to be active in the MLS. If you have ordered any marketing materials, once your listing and payment have been received, we will process your listing and send the materials out to you via USPS's Priority mail or FedEx. Materials usually arrive within 1-2 days (excluding Sundays).
Can I List in the 'Coming Soon' Category in the MLS? Yes, the MLS now has a 'Coming Soon' category. The Coming Soon feature in the MLS is a very useful marketing tool. By listing in this category you are alerting agents and their buyers that your home will be ready for showing soon. The MLS allows your home to be in this category for up to 21 days before showings will need to begin. Once you start to list your home or land on our website you will see a "Coming Soon / Listing Start Showing Date" field. In this box, you may put the date you wish to start showing your home. We will then enter your listing into the Coming Soon category in the MLS until this date when it will become Active for showings.
Are you involved with the sales contract? To save on commission, you will handle many details of the sale yourself including negotiating sales contracts and contingencies. As a licensed real estate company, however, we are still required by law to process and maintain many documents relating to the listing and sale of your property. We are required by law to keep and retain on file for 3 years documents such as listing agreements, sales contracts, addenda's, contingencies and Hud1 / Closing Disclosure Statement.
Are you involved with negotiations? We are not involved in contract negotiations. You will handle all showings, inquiries, and contract presentations yourself. However, if selected as an option, the broker can review your offer to purchase contract with you to help you understand the finer points of the offer. The cost is $299 and includes 2 offer to purchase contract reviews. Each additional contract review is $100.
Can you review my purchase contract? Yes! As an additional option, the broker will review your purchase offer with you to help you understand the finer points of the offer. However, you will still be the one communicating with the buyer’s agent and handling the negotiations. The cost is $299 and includes 2 offer to purchase contract reviews. Each additional contract review is $100.
What is the difference between a "selling agent" a "buyers agent" and a "listing agent"? A selling agent is the Real Estate agent who sells the property. They are also called buyer's agents. So the terms selling agent and buyers agent are the same. The Listing Agent is the Real Estate agent who lists your home for sale in the MLS. In other words, we are the Listing Agency and the Real Estate Agent who brings a buyer and sells your home is the Selling Agency or Buyers Agency (Buyers Agent). For simplicity, we use the term Buyer's Agent (Agency) throughout our site. For more information on basic real estate terms Click Here
With your company, I understand that I am saving thousands in commission on the "listing" side by going flat rate, but do I still have to pay a buyer's agent? Any Real Estate Agent bringing a ready, willing, and able buyer with a satisfactory contract will be due a small "selling" or commission of your choice. Although 3% is common and is recommended on our website, you may offer whatever commission amount you wish. Examples are 3%, 2.5%, 1%, $5000, $1.
If I find my own buyer will I still have to pay a selling commission? No. If you find your own buyer who is not working with an agent, there is no commission due to anyone.
What is the total cost of my listing? The cost to list your home in the MLS system is $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, a sale administration fee, and late fees to overdue balances may also apply.
What other charges apply to my listing? The cost to list a home with us in the MLS is $195.00. 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, lost or destroyed marketing materials, returned check fees, listing extensions, listing change requests, non-compliance fees (applies only if we do not receive a copy of your signed purchase or rental contract and/or Closing Disclosure / Hud1 Settlement Statement within 48 hours of ratification or settlement), overdue interest, etc. A $175 sale admin fee also applies when your property goes to settlement. The fee as it should be taken out at settlement by your settlement company and the fee does not apply if you accept a contract and it does not go to closing.
What is the Sale Admin Fee you Charge at Closing? A $175 sale administration fee applies only when your property goes to settlement. This fee covers our time and costs to process the under contract paperwork and prepare the listing for settlement. Although you are handling many of the details of your sales contract and settlement, there are many things we must do to abide by real estate regulations and MLS rules. This includes receiving and processing a copy of the sales contract and a copy of the Closing Disclosure Statement / Hud1. Additionally, we, as the listing agency- by default and protocol, are the point of contact for the settlement attorney, the title company, the buyer's agency/agent, the home warranty company, the appraiser, the termite inspector, the surveyor, and the purchaser's mortgage company. Even though we are not directly involved, all of the above parties typically go through the Listing Agency (us) for permissions, information, copies of paperwork, etc.; and conversely, we must reconfirm data with them to verify the information and/or receive their documents to comply with real estate regulations. This fee covers our time to do all of this. The fee should be taken out at closing by your closing company and the fee does not apply if you accept a contract and it does not go to closing.
How do I pay for my MLS listing? Payment is due at the time of listing. Unlike other companies, we do not ask for payment until you have gone through the listing process and viewed all of the listing information. At the end of the listing process you will be able to pay online by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Alternatively, you may choose to send us a check or money order. However, the listing will not be entered into the MLS and marketing options will not be shipped until payment has been received.
How does the money-back guarantee work? If you decide to later list with a full-service Real Estate Agent, AND list with one of our recommended agents, upon closing of the property we will refund you the $195 listing fee. Once your property has successfully sold using the agent we have recommended, send us the Closing Disclosure to receive the refund. Please see the Listing Agreement for full terms and conditions.
How do I know you are a legitimate Real Estate company? We, Select Premium Properties, Inc. are a fully licensed Real Estate Company. The principal broker/owner of the company is Stephanie Smith - Georgia license number: 366731 You may view our company and broker information on the Georgia Real Estate Commission website Click Here Put in Stephanie Smith (J.) or license number 366731.
What are my responsibilities to you once listed? 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. Within 24 hours of a Sales Contract being signed by you, we will need 1) A copy of the purchase sales contract and 2) A completed Under Contract form (available within your login account once listed).
3. Within 24 hours after closing/settlement we will need a copy of your Closing Disclosure Statement / ALTA Statement / Hud1 Settlement Statement, provided to you by your attorney or closing company right before or at closing.
Failure to abide by the above regulations may result in a fine from the MLS. Any fine issued by the MLS will be charged directly to the seller.
Why Do You Need a Copy of the Sales Contract and Closing Disclosure? We are a Licensed Real Estate agency and have many laws and regulations we need to comply with. As the Listing Agent, we are required by law to maintain proper records regarding your listing including the Listing Agreement, Sales Contract, All Addendums, Closing Disclosure / Hud1 Statement, and all other papers related to your listing. Further, we must process sales contract paperwork and deal with other parties regarding your settlement. These requirements apply to every company that lists homes in the MLS, regardless if you pay flat rate or pay a standard listing commission.
How long will it take ME to list my home or land on your website? We try to make the listing process as fast and easy as possible. Our website uses state-of-the-art mouse / touch pad signatures. This means that everything can be filled out, read and signed online. There is no need to mail or fax any paperwork to us. Our listing process is truly hassle-free! Click Here for More Information.
Once you receive my listing, how long will it take YOU to list my home in the MLS? Depending on the time of day, listings are usually entered into the MLS system the same day everything is received. You may also choose a future start date to ensure the property comes on the market on the day you would like.
