Frequently Asked Questions - For Sellers

Q: What is the USRealty.com Home Selling System?

A: Our Four-Part Home Selling System is a complete step-by-step guide covering everything you will need to know to successfully sell your home without a real estate agent. Each section of the 4-Part guide gives you the knowledge and guidance you need starting with preparing your home for sale right through to the closing the sale with the buyer.

Part One: Ready, Set…PREP! Part One guides you through the process of getting your home ready for sale. You'll learn how to evaluate the condition of your home, make necessary repairs which are cost-effective and make sound financial decisions about how to get the greatest return on your investment, minimize drawbacks and add improvements. Next you will learn about the “Five Basics” that all buyers want to see in a home. You'll learn how to use the Home Prep Checklist to evaluate what needs attention. And finally, you'll discover the room-by-room “Ready To Sell” strategy; the final step in prepping your home for sale!

Part Two: MARKETING Made Easy! Part Two provides you with the basic skills that enable you to attract buyers. We'll show you how to take the same steps that a real estate agent undertakes in preparing to list a home! You'll learn how to research “comparables” so you can set the right price for your home, prepare your marketing materials, create your property listing, upload photos, prepare a buyer information packet including flyers that will make your home memorable to buyers.

Part Three: SELLING Made Simple! Part Three explains the process of selling your home. You've prepared your home for sale; you've created all the marketing materials you'll need; now it's time to sell. Selling Made Simple! helps you prepare for the open house and buyer visits, scheduling and follow-up, tips the sales pros use including the dos and don'ts, creating your buyer information packet and sales presentation, establishing rapport with buyers, communicating features and benefits, overcoming objections, and finally, the process and documents in anticipation of a closing.

Part Four: The No-Hassle CLOSING! Part Four provides you with all your keys to a no-hassle closing. Learn about buyer and seller responsibilities, the components of the closing costs for both buyer and seller, what legal forms and attorney services and fees you should contemplate, the necessary steps and options available for obtaining a mortgage, what is involved in obtaining title insurance and property insurance. And finally, there are over 30 pages of various Checklists, examples of property listings, home flyers, legal documents and even samples of newspaper ads—everything you'll need to successfully sell your home!

Q: What listing plans do you offer?

A: USRealty.com offers a variety of plans giving sellers a choice in how they would like to sell their home and how much commission they would like to pay. Sellers may choose from listing plans that let homeowner sell their own home 100% ‘For Sale By Owner’ and pay 0% commission as well as plans that combine ‘For Sale By Owner’ with an MLS and a Realtor.com listing and pay no more than 3% commission. All listing plans significantly reduce the amount of commission normally paid which can be up to 6%.

Q: What types of properties can I sell with the USRealty.com Home Selling System?

A: You can sell a single or multi-family home, condominium, townhome, co-op, mobile home, timeshare, land, farm or commercial property with USRealty.com.

Q: Do I have to pay any commissions if I sell my home through USRealty.com?

A: There is absolutely no commission with our FSBO listing plans. Sellers who purchase our Flat-Fee MLS listing plan may pay up to a 3% commission to a buyers' agent who has seen your MLS listing and brings you a buyer. Sellers who purchase the REALTOR.com® Showcase Listing may pay a negotiated commission to a buyer's agent. However, if you find a buyer who has found your listing on Realtor.com and the buyer does not have an agreement with an agent/broker, there is absolutely no commission.

Q: Can I purchase my listing plan over the phone?

A: Yes, you can purchase your listing plan by phone with a valid credit card Monday to Friday, 9-5 Eastern by calling (800) 230-6685.

Q: How can I upgrade my listing?

A: You can upgrade your listing to either the Premium FSBO, Realtor.com or MLS Listing Plan by calling customer service during regular business hours (9-5 EST, M-F) at (800) 230-6685.

Q: How do I remove my listing?

A: You can remove your listing by calling customer service during regular business hours (9-5 EST, M-F) at (800) 230-6685.

Q: How long is my listing good for?

A: The Free FSBO Plan provides a listing at no charge for one (1) month. The Free FSBO Plan is not renewable. All other listing plans are for six months. You may renew your Realtor.com or MLS listing plan by calling us at 800 230-6685. You will receive an email approximately 15 days prior to the expiration of your plan notifying you that your listing is about to expire. Unless you tell us not to renew your plan, your plan will be automatically renewed and you will be charged a renewal fee as detailed in Section 7F of the 'Terms and Conditions'. You are responsible for notifying us not to renew your listing even if you do not receive the email notifying you of the expiration.

Q: How does your 100% money back guarantee work?

A: You can rest assured with our 100% Money Back Guarantee, the "Anytime Transfer Advantage." Regardless of the plan you select, you will receive a refund of all USRealty.com listing fees, exclusive of fees paid to list on the local MLS or REALTOR.com, if you cancel your USRealty.com listing and transfer your home listing to one of our partner real estate companies (Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, Century21®, Coldwell Banker®, ERA® and Sotheby's International Realty® or other local provider), when the home sells with the assistance of the partner real estate agent. At any time during your listing period, you can activate the money back guarantee by calling (800) 818-3054. A specialist will work with you, and you will be contacted by at least one agent from the real estate network. Each agent will provide a market analysis and strategy for selling your home. You will choose one of these agents to list your home (usually for 3 to 6 months). Within 30 days of the final closing of your home with the assistance of the real estate network agent you choose to list your home, you will receive a your refund. In the event that your home remains unsold at the end of the listing period with the real estate agent, you may renew the listing agreement for additional term with the same agent until the house is sold.

Of course, you may cancel at at any time and opt out of the Anytime Transfer Advantage program, in which case you will not receive a refund.

This 100% Money Back Guarantee is available in all 50 states, except Iowa.

Q: What is the Home Sales Hotline?

A: Our Home Sales Hotline answers calls from our sellers between the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, EST, Mon-Fri. The toll-free number of the Home Sales Hotline is (800) 230-6685.

Q: What is the automated Personal Home Visit Scheduler?

A: USRealty.com has developed an automated Home Visit Scheduler to take the hassle out of setting up appointments to show your home as well as advertising Open House showings. You'll set up your personal Home Visit Scheduler on our website indicating to buyers when your home is available for a home visit and when it is not available as well as when an Open House is scheduled. Your Home Visit Scheduler can be changed at any time to suit your needs.

Buyers will view your scheduler by clicking on the Calendar icon above your listing. Before buyers can schedule a home visit, they will be required to register with their name, phone number, email address and provide one reference (personal or work). When a home visit is scheduled, you'll receive an email confirmation of the appointment together with the buyer's registration information. We recommend that you confirm the information supplied by the buyer before confirming the appointment.

It is the seller’s option to use or not use the Home Visit Scheduler. If you do not use the Home Visit Scheduler, buyers will only be able to contact you via email or phone.

Q: I'm already listed with another FSBO or Flat-Fee MLS website. How can your program help me?

A: If you are already listed elsewhere you can simply "double-up." You don't need to cancel what you're already doing. We'll help you expand your marketing and sales efforts. Contact us to find out more.

Q: What happens after I buy my Listing Plan?

A: You'll receive a confirmation Welcome email with instructions on where you can obtain free Market Comparables pricing information and a link to our Home Selling System along with your unique login credentials and listing number, and tips for getting started on pricing your home, creating your property listing, and setting up your personal Home Visit Scheduler on the USRealty.com website. Your property listing on USRealty.com will also be automatically sent to other real estate websites like Zillow.com, Vast, Propbot, Facebook, ByOwnerMLS and others to give your home additional exposure to potential buyers. Within 3-5 days you'll receive the lawn sign. You will add your personal contact phone number as well as the listing number.

If your listing plan includes either a Realtor.com or an MLS listing in addition to your listing on USRealty.com, you will be contacted by a licensed real estate agent with 24-48 hours via email to complete and return a required listing agreement in order to have your home listed on Realtor.com or your local MLS. Only a licensed real estate agent can list your home on Realtor.com or the MLS. You will not be required to pay the listing agent any additional charges. The listing agent is contracted by USRealty.com to only place your listing onto Realtor.com or the MLS. The listing agent provides no additional services, but is available to make changes to your property listing on the MLS or Realtor.com. Contact us to find out more.

Q: What other websites will my listing appear on?

A: In addition to your listing on the USRealty.com website, your listing information will be sent to Zillow, ByOwnerMLS, Oodle, Vast, PropBot, WalMart Classifieds, Lycos, Facebook Marketplace and other real estate websites. The “syndication” of your listing will give you exposure and coverage that a single website cannot. So buyers visiting these other sites will find your listing and learn about the property you have for sale. Syndicated listings have links back to our website, or display our toll-free number, or both. So buyers visiting any of these sites are only a click or a call away from scheduling an appointment.

Q: When will my listing appear on the partner real estate sites?

A: Websites owned and operated by third parties are not under our control, and we cannot guarantee that your property listing information or images associated with your property listing will appear on a third-party website will appear in a certain way on such a third-party website, or will appear within a certain number of days, nor are we responsible for any modifications or changes made to third-party websites.

Q: What yard sign do I receive?

A: All USRealty.com listing plans include one 18”x24” weather-proof coroplast yard sign with stake, with the exception of the Free listing plan which does not include a yard sign. You will enter your phone number and listing number in the white ‘box’ on both sides of the sign with a wide-tip, indelible marker for greater visibility. You'll receive your yard sign by UPS Ground within 3-5 business days of placing your order.

Q: Do you provide sales flyers for my property listing?

A: A sales flyer is automatically available once you create your listing. The sales flyer will include a photo and property details. Buyers and Sellers can easily print as many sales flyers as needed from their property listing to give to their friends or interested parties. Be sure to print enough for your Buyer Information Packets and to give to anyone you meet! For more about creating your Buyer Information Packet, see Part Three of your Home Selling System, SELLING Made Simple!

Q: Is it necessary for me to hire an attorney to sell my own home?

A: In most real estate transactions in the United States, a title company can handle every aspect of a real estate transaction. However, we recommend that you hire a real estate attorney to thoroughly protect your interests throughout the real estate transaction.

First, an attorney will represent your legal rights and ensure the integrity of the closing process. As you can imagine, during the process of selling your home you will be issuing binders, signing contracts, making statements pertaining to the condition of your home, and attesting to the fact that there are no hazardous conditions such as lead paint. All of these transactions carry with them the possibility of misunderstandings, and the possibility that a buyer may have a potential legal action against you in the future if the documentation is incorrect or if you make any untrue statements, either willfully or in error.

Second, having a qualified real estate attorney communicates confidence to the buyer in the transaction. If your buyer is about to give you a check for a binder or is about to go to contract and give you a non-refundable deposit, he or she will feel much more comfortable knowing that the deposit and the transaction is being managed by a licensed real estate attorney and that the money is being held in a bonafide trust or escrow account pending a closing.

Finally, USRealty.com recommends that you consult with your real estate attorney on state and federal housing laws.

Sure, you want to save money; that's why you're selling your own home. However, attorney fees are really not an expensive item in your home sales process when you consider that an attorney may save you a fortune by preventing a serious mistake.

Q: How does the Flat Fee MLS listing plan work?

A: With a Flat Fee MLS listing plan, you'll have a six-month listing on the Multiple Listing Service (“MLS”) in your local area, which is the primary place real estate agents or brokers look for properties, in addition to your listing on USRealty.com. Placing your home on your local MLS includes a bonus of an automatic listing on REALTOR.com®, a national website listing service which is the public access version of the MLS. The MLS listing is handled by an independent, local real estate broker/agent in your area. When you select the Flat Fee MLS listing plan, USRealty.com will notify a local broker or agent in your market to contact you within 24-48 hours to sign and return via fax a separate local MLS listing agreement in order to place your listing on MLS and REALTOR.com.

You are not required to pay any additional fees to the local broker/agent with whom you sign a listing agreement to place your home on the MLS and REALTOR.com, beyond the fee paid to USRealty.com. However, the local listing agent may offer you numerous enhancements to your listing for additional fees, which would need to be contracted separately with the local real estate agent and not USRealty.com. By selecting the MLS option, Sellers should be aware that all MLS listings require the Seller to pay a buyer’s agent's commission if a real estate broker assists you in finding a buyer. The amount of the commission will be set by you and is generally 2-3% of the sales price at closing.

Q: Is a Realtor.com listing included with the MLS Listing Plan?

A: Your property listing will appear automatically on Realtor.com for six months when you purchase the Flat-Fee MLS Listing plan. The national Realtor.com listing will be available for buyers to see in 1-2 days following the activation of the local MLS listing.

Q: What is a Flat-Fee MLS listing agent?

A: Flat-Fee MLS listing agents are licensed, independent local real estate brokers/agents who are in business to assist For Sale By Owner sellers place their property onto the local MLS for a fixed one-time fee. USRealty.com has a national network of Flat-Fee MLS listing agents. There is no additional fee for placing your property listing onto the MLS other than the fee charged by USRealty.com. However, the Flat-Fee MLS listing agents may offer numerous enhancements to your listing for additional fees, which would need to be contracted separately with the local real estate agent and not USRealty.com.

Q: Why am I required to complete an agreement with the MLS listing agent?

A: All 50 states require the MLS Listing agent to obtain a signed listing agreement from the seller. The listing agreement authorizes the agent to place your home on your local MLS website so other agents/brokers can see your home for sale. Only licensed agents can view the property information on the MLS. Buyers do not have access to the MLS. The MLS Listing agreement details the terms to include the length of the listing and the commission the seller is willing to pay a buyer's agent (generally 2-3%).

Q: Why should I consider adding the MLS to my listing?

A: Without an MLS listing, agents will not bring their buyers to see your home because they know you are not willing to pay a commission. If you need to have your home seen by as many buyers as possible and you are willing to pay up to a 3% commission, adding a local MLS listing will give your home maximum exposure. The addition of the MLS also gives you an added bonus of placing your property listing on Realtor.com as well. Only real estate agents can view the MLS. Homeowners and potential buyers can see the same homes on Realtor.com. Adding the MLS (and Realtor.com) to our For Sale By Owner listing gives you a hybrid plan with the flexibility to attract buyers without an agent and pay 0% commission as well as the ability to attract buyers with an agent and pay up to only a 3% commission. Agents will bring their buyers to see your home and increase the likelihood of a quicker sale. You can choose to list your home on the MLS (and Realtor.com) by purchasing the Flat-Fee MLS Listing Plan or call us at (800) 230-6685 to add it to our FSBO listing plan at any time.

Q: How do I get listed on my local MLS so agents can see my property for sale?

A:

Step 1: Purchase the USRealty.com Flat Fee MLS listing plan.

Step 2: You will be contacted by one of our flat-fee listing agents from our national network of licensed real estate agents within 24-48 hours of your purchase with instructions on how to complete the MLS listing agreement. A separate listing agreement must be completed and faxed by you to the flat-fee listing agent in order to have your home listed on your local MLS. When you complete the MLS listing agreement, you must indicate what commission amount you are willing to pay the buyer's agent – this should be between 2-3% of the sale price of your home.

Step 3: The flat-fee MLS listing agent will post six (6) photos of your property on the MLS and four (4) photos on Realtor.com. You will receive instructions on how to submit your photos to the agent.

Step 4: Your property will be placed on your local MLS within 1 business day, following receipt of your completed listing agreement. You will receive e-mail notification from the flat-fee MLS listing agent that your home has been successfully listed in the MLS along with a copy of your listing to review.

Step 5: Your property will be uploaded to Realtor.com within 72 hours of being listed on your local MLS

Step 6: You must contact your flat-fee MLS listing agent directly for any changes to your MLS and Realtor.com listings (details, photos, sell price, etc.).

Any changes to the MLS and Realor.com must also be made by you on your USRealty.com listing by logging into your property listing and making the changes.

Please note: This process may vary slightly based upon the geographic location of your property due to variances in the rules of MLS boards around the country, which are beyond the control of USRealty.com. There may be additional fees in some MLS markets.

Q: Why should I consider adding the REALTOR.Com® Showcase Listing to my listing plan?

A: REALTOR.com® is the most visited real estate website, with over 6 million visits from home buyers each month, so the REALTOR.com Showcase listing dramatically increases the exposure your home listing will get on the internet. REALTOR.com is visited by buyers, not by agents, so it is unlikely that a local agent will see your listing unless a buyer directs their agent to your listing. You'll still have greater control over the sale of your home with the flexibility of paying a negotiated commission to an agent who brings you a buyer.

Q: How does the REALTOR.com® Showcase listing work?

A: REALTOR.com has 6 million visitors per month. It is the public-access national website of the National Association of REALTORS® and receives all its listings from local Multiple Listing Services (MLS).. When you select the REALTOR.com listing plan, USRealty.com will notify a broker or agent outside your area to contact you to sign a separate, open, non-exclusive real estate listing agreement in order to place your listing on a non-local MLS. The USRealty.com website listing must be activated separately. After your listing is placed in the non-local MLS market, it will automatically be added to REALTOR.com with a Showcase listing permitting up to 25 photos. Buyer and/or their broker/agent will contact the listing agent whose name and contact information will appear in your property listing and will forward all inquiries to the Seller. Realtor.com does not permit the seller’s contact information to appear in the listing.

Beyond the fee paid to USRealty.com for the REALTOR.com Listing option, you are not required to pay any additional fees to the local broker/agent with whom you sign a listing agreement to place your home on the non-local MLS and REALTOR.com. With the REALTOR.com listing it is possible that a buyer who is working with a buyer’s agent and who sees your home on REALTOR.com. will ask their agent to contact you to see the home. All MLS and REALTOR.com. listings require the Seller to agree to pay a buyer’s agent commission if a real estate broker assists you in finding a buyer (commission may vary by market). USRealty.com recommends that Sellers agree to pay a buyer’s agent 1% of the sales price. By signing an open, non-exclusive agreement, you and the buyer’s agent may negotiate the buyer’s agent commission before agreeing to show the home.