THE DIY Program Be Your Own Pro with an MLS listing… $595.00 !!!

MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR YOU

Before you buy, please read this.

We offer this program in order to be available to people who are in need and are feeling the pressure of the com-mission to get out some equity when they have little or none, at a very low price to save money.

I personally do not believe that this is a good choice for most people. However I do recognize it might be a pre-ferred choice for a few and also believe that people have the right to make their own decisions about how to buy and sell their own real estate. I do hope that if you have chosen this program, you see it for what it is and make that choice as an informed consumer.

There are a few things I’d like you to consider:

• The value of your time.

• Working with someone that knows better about a topic. Any topic.

• And what is the most important outcome of this experience.

Let me make my point. Your time is worth money. You will be spending more time than you need to do some-thing that you don’t know how to do well, and not doing something that you do know how to do well. Be it your job, hobby or whatever. If its is your job, do it better and spend the money to have someone do a good job for you in real estate. So you get my point about time. There is a price you are going to pay. That is fact.

To be a professional or expert in anything takes about 10,000 hours according to many sources. Maybe you bought or sold a property before or even a few properties, which hardly makes you an expert. The difference in that market and what you face today could be enormous and most likely is. Additionally you are putting your-self in a very stressful position with little or no support.

And lastly, the most important outcome of your sale, is to walk away with the most money. If you look at things that way, reconsider the best approach to accomplish that. By using MLS, you are already going to pay some-one a coop commission to battle against you. I believe a good professional is the best investment battling for your best interest. Notice I say good professional. A lot of people have had either a bad experience with a real estate sales person or have not seen a good one in action. Good meaning that someone is smart, ethical and knows the ins and outs you don’t. I don’t think I’m going to convince you if your mind is made up, but you can’t plead ignorance now.

After being in this business for 25 years, I understand your motivation and reasoning. But as you experience trying to sell in this manner, we offer a trade up program so the money you spent in the flat fee program can be applied towards a service that will be better for you to sell for top dollar.

WHAT IS THE DIY PROGRAM

Our DIY program gives you the ability to have a built-in sales force of tens of thousands of professional realtors to assist you in selling your home. When I say assist, that means bringing a buyer, but more likely that the Real-tor will be representing the buyers interest, not yours.

Your property will be listed on MLS, automatically placed on several other prominent real estate websites such as www.realtor.com, the www.ChicagoTribune.com and over every local company’s website and large national database. So your property has immediate exposure to all professionals and is listed in the most prominent databases.

When you sign up with us, we will give you a computerized one-line report of all the activity for properties like yours in your area for the last six months. We also provide three closed (sold) full listing comparables to help you price your property correctly. Professionally speaking, this is the same data professional appraisers, banks, and agents used to derive value.

As part of our service, you get one free half-hour consultation to assist you in preparing for the sale. We also provide a workbook and outline for a basic step-by-step how to guide. If you need more assistance, you can purchase blocks of time or maybe consider using a different program or just trading up later if you feel the need. But this half-hour is all personal time allotted to this program. That is why we can deliver this service at this price point. As you use this program, you have chosen to act as the professional for the sale of your home. You are not hiring us to assume that responsibility.

The upside is that you can save a lot of money in fees if you are successful. Over the years, I have done many transactions with owners representing themselves. The ones that are the most successful acted and conduct-ed themselves professionally, and did things as if they were in the business. The ones that weren’t successful thought they could do whatever they wanted, acted erratically and were generally difficult in every aspect. So my advice is to act professionally and to treat people well. Easier said than done.

At this point you might be thinking, this does not sound like a very good deal. He doesn’t sound very optimis-tic. The odds are against you and that doesn’t take into account the probability that you will undersell your property as you tire of this process. Most people end up hiring a Realtor when the gas in the tank is empty. It’s only a good deal if you work well, and it is important to me that I communicate honestly, everytime, to each of you. Honesty is a very big part of what I offer. Now is no exception.

You are the owner of the property, by definition you are not objective. Try to see things from a buyers point of view for best results. If your ego needs stroking you might be working against your own interest in getting the best contract. You have the pride of ownership, but in the end so do many others, so be careful how and what you communicate. There is an old saying: The jawbone of an ass killed one Philistine and a million salespeople. I would suggest keeping your comments to yourself and listening to the prospects in this process. Keep your eye on the prize!

What is included in the DIY program?

We will list your property on the local multiple listing services (MLS) for a one-time flat fee of $595.00. Our local MLS, MRED is one of the largest MLS systems in the country and services from Lake Michigan to Rockford and from Indiana to Wisconsin. Your property will be available to Realtors in all of Northeastern Illinois.

Websites that MRED broadcasts:• Yahoo

• Zillow

• Google

• Trulia

• Realtor.com

• Craiglist

• MSN

• AOL

• Chicago Tribune

• As well as every major real esate company

You will fill out the forms we give you and we will input that information into the system. You are responsible for the accuracy of that information, and for any fines or penalties for misrepresentation, violations of the rules etc. We will then send you a copy of the rules and all pertinent information. We will review your info to assist in getting you the best results, but we do not take any liability or responsibility for your property or informa-tion.

Your listing includes:

• The market reports as describe above

• A half-hour consultation

• A write up edit of your remarks and description

• All necessary forms

• Input of up to 20 pictures

• A workbook, step-by-step outline

• Open house listings as you give them to us

• A professionally designed sign made of corrugated plastic

• Communications and negotiating assistance with any parties that provide written documentation*

*This includes offers for purchase and inquiries about a property’s condition. All responses will be from you, but we assist in the logistics and mechanics. We will provide valid and up-to-date market information as nego-tiating assistance. This information will be delivered to you in electronic formatted transmission. For personal assistance in any area, you can buy time and services to give you more in depth assistance and experienced perspectives to help make tough decisions.

Eligible for our trade up program and purchase of additional time and services

• We will provide a showcase listing on Realtor.com. This includes up to 20 pictures (provided by you), an expanded write-up, a headline (provided by you), and a scrolling text (provided by you), plus a gold border around the picture. Many companies charge extra for this feature but we include it at no extra charge for our clients.

• Unlimited postings of your open house notifications on both MLS systems and on Realtor.com.

• A free, professionally designed yard or window sign with a place for you to put YOUR telephone number on it. The sign was designed with you and Realtors in mind. It lets people know that you are for sale by owner and also that you are for sale with a Realtor. Naturally, you want the passersby to know that you are for sale by owner and you want them to call you. Also, the Realtors want to be able to identify your property as the one they saw in the MLS so they know they are at the correct property. Here is an example of the sign. It is 18×24 and made of corrugated plastic.

• Any changes to your ad on a weekly basis. All done through electronic commucaniton and mediums.

DIY DETAILS

When you sell your property, you are responsible for the coop commission as offered. If there is not another Realtor, you do not pay that fee.

You can use your own signage, and advertise FSBO if you wish. Everything you do in the form of advertising is your responsibility and we have no participation or liability or knowledge of any of your activities outside the MLS listing. You will need to determine the selling price. You will supply all of the room dimensions and neces-sary forms. You will provide the pictures. And, you will provide the write-up.

You can pay one of two ways, credit card at the store or by check. Payment is made before service are ren-dered, and there are no refunds after the listing is entered.

The listing period is 7 months. Frankly, if it hasn’t sold by then you need to rethink something. We offer no guarantees or warranties of success or a sale. We are merely providing you a service to assist your efforts. You can terminate your listing at any point in time, but the laws of Illinois and the rules of MLS are still applicable for any activity or participation you had so we advise that you consult an attorney.

The Steps:

You will need to fill out a Exclusive Right to Sell and an Exclusive Listing Agreement. Fill out the information online, or print them out and send back as PDFs to service@RESS.co.

Our contract and agreement for services must be signed by all parties on the title of the property and fully filled out. The agreement gives us the permission to enter your property on MLS. We will supply you with the rules and regulations of MLS. These agreements are not negotiable, and if need be, we suggest that you review it with your attorney.

Professional Tip about the Coop

A very important consideration when you list your property is the percentage you offer as compensation to the buyer’s broker, their Realtor. This professional expects to be compensated, and offering less than normal, while it is totally your decision, might not work in your best interest. For many years, I have used a 2.5% coop for the buyers agent. I am being truthful and sharing this information, but the coop is up to you and IT IS TOTALLY NEGOTIABLE.

On the other hand, I have in the past used the coop commission as a strategic tool to motivate other agents by offering a higher percentage, say 3% or higher to generate both more interest and higher prices. I have had success with this approach almost each time, and that is why I share it.

The commission you decide upon is up to you, but it’s not what you pay, it’s what you take home that counts at the end of this.

A Little SUMPIN SUMPIN You might want a few more tools or help, but not enough to trade up. If you want to review the other pro-grams click here.

Below is a list of the most popular extras. If you need something different or you are just stuck, email us and we will get back to you within a day to address your situation. But if it is to talk about something, coaching is available for purchase. So just buy the time and schedule it. No cheating. WE reserve the right to fire any cus-tomers for abusive conduct or violating their agreement. There are NO REFUNDS if terminated.

Click here to purchase any of the extra’s below or click on the links below

Quote1 Year Home Warranty. Put link here As a marketing tool, it can address many perceived issues such as appliances, the major mechanicals, and more.

$250.00

Electronic Lock Box (rental). Using this box is a great way to tack every Realtor and open-ing. Both secure and programmable, a great tool. An additional deposit of 250.00 is fully refundable when returned in good condition.

$75.00Combination Lock Box (purchase). This is similar to the locks on the lockers at school. It is a secure way to hide a key.

$100.00Concierge service. A professional marketer to sit at an open house, do a showing…each occurrence or need.

$100.00Setup and manage an escrow account for your transaction. All escrow accounts are subject to the laws of the State of Illinois. Any question should be directed to an attorney

$75.00 1 Color Brochure in PDF format: full color, 8.5 x 11.

$500.00

Communications package. We field all calls and send each message to you as an attach-ment for your action or decision. THE benefit is you are not disturbed and maintain priva-cy. We also provide an automated scheduling process for your approved showing schedule with feedback mechanism. This is for a package of 100 inquires, over 100 is an additional $500.00 package for every extra 100

$50.00 Each extra sign. The first sign is free.

What do I do next?

Click open this link and purchase the program. You will directed to a site to purchase with a credit card, and then a calendar to set up your half-hour phone meeting. We suggest you schedule this meeting after you have filled out the forms (which will be sent to you after you purchase) and reviewed the pricing data and market information. This meeting may be the most valuable portion of the program, and we are strict in keeping to the time allotted. So your preparation is in your best interest. We want you to get the most for your money.

Please remember that we are available for you if your needs change or you need additional help, but this is at an additional charge. It is not fair to us or clients that pay for a greater level of service to violate the agreement in place. We would be glad to change it if it no longer works for your best interest.

Hours and Contact info

Service hours:

• Monday - Thursday: 10am-6pm

• Friday: 9am-5pm (by phone and email)

• Saturday - Sunday : 11am-4pm (by email only)

Contact Info:

• Phone 773-283-5959

• Email service@ress.co

Before you go

Real estate is a tough business. We suggest that when you embark on this journey, you do this as well as possi-ble and be kind to yourself in the process. There are a lot of people out there, good and bad. You will probably encounter them all, and that is just part of the job. Don’t let it get you down.

GOOD LUCK!

Joe QuartanaReal Estate Services Store