Have you actually signed a contract with the first realtor? If not, there's no need to "fire" her, just tell her that you're going in a different direction. If your neighborhood is selling quickly, go ahead and try FSBO (for sale by owner) with a real estate lawyer to handle the paperwork.

Hi, no we never signed a contract. How do we handle it graciously?

Also, I just recalculated and found that the first realtor was actually off 50K, not 40K.

This post was edited by Ehfivesixtwo3 on Sun, May 11, 14 at 18:11

First, the per sq ft value of other homes is meaningless. What matters is what the homes are selling for. If your home is in same condition as those selling AND same exact development, they might be comps. The final appraisal price, not the per sq ft price is what matters. An appraiser doesn't look at per sq ft, they look at selling price.

For interior, Kilim Beige is a popular color on the decorating forum. I believe is is a SW color. Anywhere can match it.

I'm not sure you are prepared to do FSBO since you have so many questions and really don't appear to know how things work. (frankly, you sound very cheap). If you don't want to pay someone to paint, paint yourself. It isn't that hard. Or, sell as is.

If you haven't signed a contract, she isn't working for you yet. What are you worried about handling gracefully? Just let her know for now, you think you'll try FSBO.

OR, if you're smart, you'll discuss with her first about raising the price since you have concerns that she is suggesting a price too low. Give her that feedback, and see if she is open to it. Also, ask to do your own pictures.

Sellers can be in control, esp in a hot market. There is no reason you can't negotiate with a good RE professional to get what you want/hope.

As to how to graciously fire the first realtor, I find tactful directness the best route. I'd say something like, "we've decided not to list with a full-service realtor after all, and we're going to FSBO. Thanks for your interest and time." If she does seem to honestly want feedback, I'd share it: "we looked at your other listings online, and didn't feel like the photos and descriptions presented the houses in the best light."

Heck, when we switched from FSBO to an agent, they weren't that great at photos and write-ups, so I requested some re-writes and re-takes (or I asked them to use the pro photos we had done, which were better than theirs). I was respectful about it, and they were fine with the feedback.

I disagree with kirkhall that not wanting to pay $3K for painting 3 rooms and patching a few drywall dings, or wanting to save $8K on a realtor commission constitutes "cheap." If you've got a hot market and can do a flat fee MLS (google it to find someone in your area), I'd definitely attempt FSBO. You can always hire realtor #2 later if you aren't successful. Or negotiate with him now: tell him you're thinking of doing FSBO because of the cost, and if he'll do 1% you'll sign on with him.

I would paint myself, though. It's not that hard.

With more information, you seem to have a good start.
Whether or not your are being a penny wise and a pound foolish depends on your market and your labor market (real estate market, and your painting market). 3k seems spendy for interior painting, but you don't mention if they are buying paint, or you are supplying it; if they plan to wash down the walls and/or prime them first, roll or spray, re-do trim or just the walls, etc.

I wouldn't pay 3k for painting (I didn't when we remodeled either--I did it all myself). But, I'd much sooner pay an experienced REA and paint myself than I'd hire a painter and do FSBO, even in a hot market.

(for the record, I am not against FSBO; nor a RE professional. So, take what you want. I was just giving you my straight up read of your first post). Now, you say you've done it before. You can probably do it again. Especially if your market is like mine.

This is a business deal. Even if you DON'T go the FSBO route, what is so hard about explaining to the first professional that you got a better offer from another agent? There's no way I would handcuff myself to a particular agent to buy only through her. What if the relationship gets strained during your selling process? What if you should find a FSBO you want to BUY? What if, what if..!! I'm sure the friend who hooked the two of you up will be fine.

This is a business deal. Even if you DON'T go the FSBO route, what is so hard about explaining to the first professional that you got a better offer from another agent? There's no way I would handcuff myself to a particular agent to buy only through her. What if the relationship gets strained during your selling process? What if you should find a FSBO you want to BUY? What if, what if..!! I'm sure the friend who hooked the two of you up will be fine.

If I'm reading Ehfivesixtwo3's posts correctly, the main concern isn't entirely the commission % each agent proposed, but that s/he feels Agent #1 is incompetent. If Eh states that s/he got a "better offer" from Agent #2, s/he will be in a pickle if Agent #1 matches the commission rate. Maybe it's better to go with a neutral non-arguable reason for the decision, like "We felt the other agent was the best match for our needs". Or, if Eh decides to go FSBO, that'll be all s/he needs to say.

I agree that price per square foot can be fairly irrelevant. In my neighborhood, smaller(2400-2900 sq ft) homes sell for $15-$20 more per square ft than larger(3000-4000 sq ft) homes in same condition.

As far as agent #1 goes, it appears that you lack confidence in her ability, therefore the direct approach is best, we have decided to go another route, either a different agent or FSBO. If asked, I would answer honestly that you were not impressed with her marketing photos and descriptions. But if your market is so hot that a house on the market for 2 weeks is a long time, marketing is a not much of an issue, is it.

Talk to at least three agents before listing and ask for a formal presentation, and tell Agent #1 that's what you are doing and request the same from her. Then she won't be surprised when she doesn't get the listing.

Thank you for all of your feedback. Right now, I am leaning most towards Realtor #2. That paint bid turned out to be very high, thank goodness -- and did not include painting baseboards, ceilings, or the cost of paint. I can't even believe anybody pays that much to have plain light colored walls of rooms painted.

The second bid is not back, but the second contractor told me today that he charges $129 labor per gallon of paint, and that a 12 X 15 room usually takes two gallons. I would have to pay the cost of paint -- including baseboards and ceilings and doors, so that would be much more fair.

Thank you for all of your help, and Kilim beige is beautiful and I wish I could paint our entire home that color.

(glad I could help with color selection at least. :) Yes, I do like it, esp in a house that has a lot of light).

shaker beige by sherwin williams is nice too. Our realtor commission and fees is 6 percent here so i think you're getting a deal

I have Shaker Beige as well--almost the exact same color as Kilim beige (though, I do prefer kilim). Putnam Ivory (BM) is also a nice color--they are all neutral beiges. If you find that the kilim is too dark, try the putnam.

Thank you, I will get all of those color chips and suggestions. I had just talked myself in to Realtor #2 but dh is now pushing hard to go FSBO.

When you said you found a realtor who will take 2%, is that the total commission you will pay, or will it be a total of her 2% plus a % to the buyer's agent?

2% is fantastic, IMO. In fact, I've never heard of a realtor around here just taking 2%.

The first thing I noticed was the 1% 2% 3% and holy cow - that's crazy low! I just have to assume that's the listing agent's split because I wouldn't bring a buyer to a house if my split was .5% - not worth my time or effort unless we're talking about over $500K.
(That said, I might steer a buyer towards the house on their own if it's what they are looking for, but I would remove myself from being involved in the transaction unless the buyer would be willing to pay me adequately.)

OP: You're right, this forum often tends towards anti-FSBO, but keep in mind that many of us are RE professionals, and many of us have been around this forum for years and years, bought and sold many many homes (w/ and w/o agents), and basically, we've seen dozens and dozens of folks interested in FSBO who are obviously researching on the internet and run across this forum, sign up, and on the same day (pointing finger at you) and post a bunch of questions hoping to save a few bucks.
Because you are new, we don't know if you have any idea what you're getting yourself into (and most don't, unlike you) and for those folks, we tend to advise not going FSBO.
Many new members don't ever return to check the responses anyway, so you also won't always get very good answers on the first go-around either, because us older and wiser folks know it's not worth our time and effort to answer to someone who won't even read them.
As you've experienced, once you engage, you'll start getting the answers you need. Good luck with your sale!

Those percentages are for the listing agent, not the total commission. Even with a 2% to the listing agent, I will pay 3% to the buyer's agent.

Yes, I signed up and posted the same day. I have lurked a bit, though. I am by no means representing that I know all there is to know about FSBO.

I just had our home inspected, and was stunned at the things the inspector found. Tiny problems on the roof (such as a caulk around a pipe starting to flake, that sort of thing.) The inspector said we have the choice of sharing the report or not but we had to list the items on the seller's disclosure. We could then state that we knew about and disclosed the problem and considered that when setting the price, or we could

Our second bid came in at about 1/3 of the first bid, and I have seen the work for the second contractor, which is good, so I am going with the second guy. The second contractor includes baseboards, doors, trim and ceilings and the actual paint and supplies, whereas the pricey one only does the walls.

The inspector said we have the choice of sharing the report or not but we had to list the items on the seller's disclosure.

This is why I never get an inspection or read the buyers inspection report when selling.

If you fix the item on the inspection report then you don't have to disclose it as it is no longer an issue.

Thanks, all of you, for your help and advice.

At this time, my husband believes that the second realtor will bring enough value to the table that his commission will be worth it to hire him. I don't think that either of us feel that way about the first realtor. We feel sorry for our first realtor, but not so sorry for her that we want to give her thousands of dollars for putting some iPhone photos on MLS.

Suggestion:I don't think choosing a color that's popular or that you like the looks of is a good way to make a paint color choice.

You need to look at what existing features you have that will convey with the house -- carpet, countertops, trim, tile, things like that -- and choose a color or colors that work with those features.

Look for the undertones. Are they rosy or yellow or blue or green? You might find a pale grey that looks great with all of what's "nailed down" in your home. Bring home lots of chips and look at them next to what stays in your property.

I never heard of a painter charging by the amount of paint used. Trim painting takes LOTS more time than wall painting, and trim paint costs more.

Good luck with your decision-making. I think you're on course.

OK, after reading the FSBO primer website, and the keep agents honest website, I am now learning back towards FSBO. I think the first realtor undervaluing our house may have been to make a fast sale. That concerns me. This is still an ongoing investigation. Wish me luck!