A popular topic lately in Real Estate conversations has been the fact that No-commission Real Estate firms have become a part of the Multiple Listing Service. Basically, companies like Comfree are being treated like Real Estate agents, and are now allowed to list on MLS and Realtor.ca, as long as they adhere to the rules and regulations set out for all of us.
Lots of people are really upset about this, and I can understand why. We work hard, we pay fees, we deserve a bit of an edge etc. Truly though, I’m not too worried about it; and here’s why.
For me, the Real Estate business is relationship based. Lots of my clients have been friends and family, or former colleagues, but I can also get calls from total strangers sometimes. I try extremely hard to build relationships and make sure that every client I work with is happy with my services for a myriad reasons. 1- I truly want the best for my clients. 2- I want them to feel comfortable talking to me about anything, including if they’re unhappy with anything I do, so that I can take note and continue to learn and improve! 3- If they’re happy with me, they are more likely to pass my name along to people they may know who may want to buy or sell a home. Getting a call from a referral because they’ve heard good things about me is a wonderful feeling, and a heck of a compliment!
If we’re “competing” with firms like Comfree, it will force agents to step up their services and really work for the benefit of their clients. What could be bad about that? The market changes, and the days of simply planting a sign and selling a home are over. Expertise, staging and marketing are SO important! You get what you pay for, and honestly I believe that working with a REALTOR® is well worth the fee. The services, options, personal care, liability issues, expertise, and so much more is just better with agents. You can build a relationship with them that will be much more rewarding in the sale of a home, and potentially take some of the stress out of what can be a stressful experience!
People are free to choose whom to work with in the purchase and/or sale of their homes. Whether they choose one agent over another, a private sale, or a no-commission firm, it’s completely up to them. This is a relatively new development, and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Who says more choice is a bad thing?