Business Editors
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 2001
In the olden days, that is, the days before we consumers harnessed the power of the Web, realtors loved to see those "Fisbo" (FSBO ... for sale by owner) signs in front yards.
They knew they could knock on the door and explain to the homeowner that they really needed the services of a realtor (hopefully themselves). The main reason, they'd explain, was that by listing a home with a realtor, the home would be listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the bible of the real estate industry.
The MLS listings would expose the home to hundreds of thousands of potential buyers. All MLS listings automatically get posted to the top real estate portals: Realtor.com and HomeAdvisor.com. Currently, the MLS lists more than 9,000 homes for sale in San Diego County.
Of course, by hiring a realtor, the home seller would agree to sacrifice a percentage of the sales price. Traditionally, listing brokers charge 3 percent of the home's sales price to list the home and another 3 percent is offered to the realtor with the buyer.
Oh, but times have changed.
Home sellers can now list their homes for free on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) through EfreeMLS.com, a San Diego-based company, on the Web at www.efreeMLS.com,
EfreeMLS.com charges just $299 for a listing, and rebates that fee if the seller also buys a home through their service.
EfreeMLS.com, which went online with its Web site in April, initially charged $499 for the service, but found that the Web's efficiency allowed the company to offer the service at even more deeply reduced rate.
By listing the home on the MLS through efreeMLS.com rather than a realtor adhering to the traditional price structure, the seller of a $400,000 home could save up to $12,000.
Home sellers also receive free yard "For Sale" signs, pricing through competitive market analysis and assistance in pre-qualifying buyers. Additional value-added services are available at discounted rates.
Through EfreeMLS.com, homebuyers can search the MLS database for information on available properties. The EfreeMLS.com Web site provides addresses of each listed home, a feature not offered by Realtor.com, enabling buyers to view properties on their own.
Homebuyers who then purchase their next home through EfreeMLS.com can receive a rebate of up to 1.5 percent of the purchase price of the home. For example, a buyer of a $400,000 home can receive up to a $6,000 rebate.
EfreeMLS.com also includes information on San Diego County schools, weather, crime statistics and cost-of-living indexes. Users can apply for insurance and loans on-line, calculate moving expenses and transfer utilities, and find moving and relocation services.
The site offers a free services feature, where users can directly link to free services including e-fax numbers, Internet voicemail, computer-related software, and real estate newsletters.
EfreeMLS.com is at 4445 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121. The company can be contacted 858/812-7877 or toll free at 877/585-6687.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
