When selling your home you want to make sure as many potential buyers as possible are aware of your property. The best way to ensure "maximum exposure" is through the services of a REALTOR®and the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®).
What is MLS®?
The MLS® is a central registry of all properties used by REALTOR®(s) to match buyers with homes on the market. MLS® is described as a "cooperative marketing system" to ensure maximum exposure of properties for sale. The MLS® is very effective. Simply listing your property, which is correctly priced, almost assures you of selling it..
The MLS® is a sophisticated computer database of properties indexed by price, location, type of home, number of bedrooms, amenities and so forth. Photos of homes may also be available on-line and, listings in the MLS®, also go on Realtor.com, the larges nation-wide database of properties for sale..
The advantages for the consumer
The major benefit of MLS® to consumers is that it put the REALTOR®(s) to work for you selling your home to potential buyers and a large part of the REALTOR®'s job lies in finding properties that suit their clients.
With MLS®, a REALTOR®can search the database for homes that suit budgets, location preferences and family requirements, and quickly put together a short list of suitable homes.
Many consumers will find themselves first viewing MLS® material at their REALTOR®'s office to preview potential properties and narrow the list further. A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors shows that mare than 85% of home buyers search the Internet first. Realtor.com is the largest database of home for sale in the Nation.
When it comes time to view in earnest, they know exactly what homes they want to see, what their options are and what types of properties the market has to offer.
Through the MLS®, REALTOR®(s) can literally view details of the homes that suit their clients needs.
This gives the home buyer an extraordinary amount of choice and flexibility. The search for homes doesn't have to involve driving around neighborhoods looking for "for sale" signs. Nor will it mean relying on homes listed only in newspapers or real estate magazines. With the MLS®, an entire spectrum of available properties is at the buyers fingertips thru their REALTOR®'s and Realtor.com.
Even if the buyer is moving across country, the MLS® can be used to scout homes in advance, greatly reducing the worry that often comes with relocation.
The bottom line is that what's good for the buyer is good for the seller. This is because the main obstacle for any seller is to find qualified, motivated buyers. The only way to overcome this is to match your home to the requirements of as many potential buyers as possible. Listing in the MLS® cuts through the complexities, exposes your property to those most likely to purchase it, and makes sure you won't waste time showing your home to those who aren't truly interested.
So, when you've made the decision to sell, make sure you get an MLS® listing. It could be that the REALTOR® in you area will already know of a number of potential buyers, but in most cases, an MLS® listing will open up a broader range of interested parties.