Category Archives: For sale by owner tips

The Multiple Listing Service is a primary database for anyone looking to buy a house in a specific area. If you’re selling in Minnesota, getting your property listed on the local MLS can help you sell quickly. But there’s a problem: only licensed real estate brokers and agents can actually create and manage Minnesota MLS listings. So, if you’re going the “for sale by owner” or FSBO route, you’ll need a way to get your property on the MLS. That’s where a flat-fee MLS listing service —like the one we offer — comes in.

Here at Real Estate Corners, we help homeowners in Minnesota sell their homes through the MLS while saving them thousands of dollars in the process. How? Read on as we unlock the secrets of MLS listings in Minnesota in this blog. We will share everything you must know about Minnesota MLS listings and how they can make your home-selling experience less stressful and much more rewarding.

Benefits of MLS listings

Think of the MLS as a great marketing and selling tool for real estate around the country. Licensed Realtors, real estate agents, and brokers use it to show clients potential homes in a certain area. At Real Estate Corners, we specialize in Minnesota MLS listings with our FSBO package. Here are ways by which your home sale can benefit from the Multiple Listing Service:

Expand your listing’s reach

If you’re selling your house and it’s not on the MLS, many potential buyers will never find out about it. You’ll miss 90% of home buyers who might be looking for your property. Listing your property on the MLS is different from using selling platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. It expands your property’s exposure, which lets you price your home more competitively and sell it as soon as possible.

Minnesota MLS listings appear on hundreds of other real estate websites, thanks to the property syndication in the state. This means your home will also be shown on Trulia.com, Realtor.com, EdinaRealty.com, Zillow.com, and other major property websites that display MLS listings.

Save money

A flat-fee MLS listing service will give your property more exposure while saving you money. Here at Real Estate Corners, we can get you started for as low as $399. That’s significantly cheaper than the listing broker’s 2.5-3% commission, so you can keep more profit from the sale. This could mean thousands of dollars in savings while benefiting from the vast exposure from the MLS.

Gain control over your home sale

One of the biggest reasons to go FSBO is for greater control over the home-selling process. Flat-fee MLS services allow you to take on a hands-on approach and make choices by yourself without a traditional Realtor. You can set the asking price, negotiate directly with a buyer or their agent, and schedule showings. This lets you get involved directly with the sale and control it according to your schedule and preferences. In turn, it allows you to align the sale with your goals while ensuring efficiency.

How to list your property on the MLS

The best way to do this is by engaging a flat-fee MLS listing broker like us. Our service will save you money as we present your home to eager buyers. We provide a reliable and cost-effective solution to sell your house quickly.

What’s in an FSBO package?

Our FSBO package will market your property on the MLS for 6 months, with up to 24 photos and free unlimited changes or edits. We will forward all email and phone leads to you at no additional cost. Plus, we make it easier for buyers and their agents to request showings and give feedback through home-showing electronic services.

Considerations before using an FSBO service

Check for hidden fees, especially when you want to cancel and pull out your listing from MLS. At Real Estate Corners, our Minnesota MLS listings come with no surprise charges. Plus, you can cancel at any time without additional costs. We’ll provide the required state disclosures and broker listing support and feature your full ad here on our website.

Get additional support

You can maximize the marketing power of Minnesota MLS listings with solutions like color brochures, a professional yard sign, and an online open house directory. We offer these services for additional fees, but they may be worth considering if your home sale needs an extra boost. We can also provide the following:

• Monitoring of the competition: This will help you stay up-to-date and competitive in your neighborhood. The MLS will email you for any sold or new properties or price updates in your market.
• Market analysis: Do you want to sell your home at top dollar quickly? Our licensed Realtor will provide a comparative market analysis and suggest the best listing price.
• Email blast to other Realtors: We will send digital brochures to local Realtors in your market.

Extend Minnesota MLS listings to 12 months: Our basic FSBO package is good for 6 months. We can extend it to 12 months for an additional $200.

Not just for selling homes

Moving homes in the same state? Browsing Minnesota MLS listings can also help you find your dream home. The local database makes it easy for local real estate agents like us to find and share information on properties for sale so we can connect buyers looking for properties that meet their needs and budgets.  It provides detailed information on available properties, so you can see all the important details like square footage, listing price, and key features all in one place. This helps you make informed decisions and find the perfect home for your needs.

Navigate MLS listings with Real Estate Corners

Take charge of Minnesota MLS listings with our flat-fee FSBO service here at Real Estate Corners. Set a meeting with our team by calling (612) 483-1230.

Selling your home without a real estate agent means listing it as a For Sale By Owner property in Minneapolis. Also known as FSBO, this strategy will save you from paying commission fees that typically go to the agents.

Is it really possible to sell your home by yourself? Yes. The statistics are encouraging: The National Association of Realtors says that 77% of FSBO homes sell in less than two weeks, often because the seller already knows the buyer.

But what if you don’t know anyone who might want to buy your home? In that case, we’re here to help! At Real Estate Corners, we offer affordable solutions to help you sell your home as an FSBO property without the traditional agent. How? In this blog, we will share a guide to selling your home independently while saving time and money and how our services can take the guesswork out of FSBO sales in Minneapolis.

Working with a flat-fee MLS listing agent

One of the services we offer here at Real Estate Corners is our For Sale By Owner package in Minneapolis. For a flat fee, we will list your home for sale on the Multiple Listing Service to help you market it.

An affordable way to sell your home

We only charge a low one-time fee for our For Sale By Owner package. For as low as $399, we will list your property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to market it to more potential buyers and their agents. Your property can be promoted to a wider audience because it will appear on many other real estate websites, including Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, and CBBurnet.com. It’s better than listing your home on one platform like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, which might attract some casual browsers, but they aren’t specifically designed for real estate transactions. Plus, you save the hassle of manually posting your ad on multiple websites.

As you can see, our For Sale by Owner in Minneapolis can help you save thousands of dollars. At the same time, you can benefit from wider exposure when your property is listed on the MLS.

Understanding real estate transactions

Selling a home traditionally usually involves two real estate agents: one representing you as the seller and another representing the buyer. These agents typically charge a commission of 5% and 6% of the final sale price.

At Real Estate Corners, you can list your home without needing to pay a commission to a listing agent. This allows you to potentially save 2.5% to 3% of the sale price!

Get your home listed on the MLS

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is like a giant online network for real estate professionals. It’s where real estate agents and brokers list all the homes they’re selling. Essentially, the MLS helps connect potential buyers with sellers by making it easier for agents to find the right homes for their clients/

Real Estate Corners is part of this network. We work closely with other real estate agencies in the region to keep the MLS up-to-date. This means we can see all the homes for sale listed by other agents, and they can see our listings.

Only licensed real estate agents like us can access the MLS. So if you want to sell your home as For Sale By Owner listing in Minneapolis, working with one of our experts at Real Estate Corners will ensure success.

Our flat-fee MLS package includes marketing your home on the Multiple Listing Service for 6 months, with up to 24 photos and free unlimited changes and edits. In addition, we will also:

• Forward email and phone leads to you
• Provide home showing electronic services to organize showing requests and gain feedback
• Post your full ad and listing on our website
• Provide broker listing support

Hassle-free service

With Real Estate Corners, you won’t have to worry about hidden fees when listing your home as For Sale By Owner in the Minneapolis MLS. We’ll provide the required state disclosures and allow you to cancel at any time at no extra cost.

Maximize your home’s marketing potential with add-ons

For additional fees, we can take your marketing efforts to greater heights. We offer color brochures, a professional 6-foot yard sign, and email blasting to local Realtors. Plus, we can extend your MLS listing to 12 months and monitor your competition! Our team can also facilitate the transaction to give the buyer more peace of mind when buying your home and ensure a smoother closing.

Tips for a smoother FSBO sales process

Minnesota has a competitive real estate market that provides For Sale By Owner sellers in Minneapolis more chances to save money. You just need to take the time to handle the paperwork, showings, and negotiations. Here are ways to overcome those challenges for a smoother transaction:

• Set a competitive selling price for your home – Did you know that 8% of sellers had to reduce their asking price in November 2024 because their initial pricing was inaccurate? This resulted in homes remaining unsold for more days. If you’re selling as For Sale By Owner in Minneapolis, check the prices of similar properties in your area.
• Make sure your home is market-worthy – Staging your home creates a positive impression and positively influences the buying decisions of 58% of buyers. We recommend highlighting the best features of your property so a buyer can visualize themselves in your space. Take the time to declutter, remove personalized items, and enhance the house’s exterior.
• Boost your home’s visibility – One of the things to do when selling your house as for sale by owner in Minneapolis is ensuring that it’s visually attractive and visible. You can do this by hiring a professional photographer and writing an engaging property description. Listing on the MLS can also maximize your property’s exposure online, so be sure to use our service!

Ready to sell your home?

Allow us to take the guesswork out of selling your home as for sale by owner property in Minneapolis. Call us at (612) 483-1230 to learn more about our flat-fee FSBO and MLS listing package.

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Minneapolis, you’ll likely encounter the MLS. For buyers, the MLS in Minneapolis provides a comprehensive database of homes for sale in the state, so you can easily search for properties based on specific criteria like location, price range, and property type.

If you’re a seller, listing your home on the MLS gives it maximum exposure to potential buyers. Real estate agents and brokers use the MLS to showcase properties to their clients, increasing the chances of a quick sale. However, you need the help of a real estate company to list your home there because the platform is exclusive to real estate professionals.

In this blog, we will take a more in-depth look at the MLS in Minneapolis and how it helps home buyers and sellers. Moreover, we will share how our flat-fee real estate service and home-buyer service here at Real Estate Corners can help you achieve your goals cost-effectively and quickly.

Understanding the MLS and its significance in real estate

The MLS connects real estate agents and brokers to facilitate collaboration. By sharing property listings on the MLS, real estate professionals can work together to provide better service to their clients. By partnering with us, you’ll have access to a wide range of properties listed on the MLS, giving you more options to find your dream home.

What is the MLS?

The Multiple Listing Service is essentially a database of properties listed for sale in a certain geographic region. To outsiders, it looks like a massive national database. But the truth is it’s actually a network of regional databases around the country.

Simply put, there isn’t one big MLS. The MLS in Minneapolis is made, maintained, and paid for by real estate agents in Minnesota. It’s where we share our listings with other agents and brokers to keep one another up-to-date. We upload pictures and share detailed information about every property we represent. Plus, we connect home buyers and sellers.

To use the MLS, Real Estate Corners pays a membership fee to list or view homes in a particular area. If we want to see homes in other regions, we must join the Multiple Listing Service for those areas, too.

Who can access the MLS?

Since only real estate agents can make entries and update listings, you will need our help to find homes or sell your home in the MLS in Minneapolis. At Real Estate Corners, we offer a flat-fee MLS listing service starting at $399 so we can sell your home there. It’s significantly cheaper than the 6% commission that goes to traditional real estate agents. Plus, we will feature your full ad and listing here on Real Estate Corners!

Are you looking to buy a home? Our home-buyer service connects you to a wide range of properties listed on the MLS. As a bonus, you could receive a rebate of up to $4,000 when we successfully close the deal on your behalf.

Why list on the MLS?

Selling a home through the MLS means more exposure for your listing. The MLS in Minneapolis facilitates property syndication, which makes your listing appear on hundreds of popular real estate websites that display properties from the Multiple Listing Service. These include national websites like CBBurnet.com, EdinaRealty.com, and Realtor.com.

Save time and effort

Thanks to the MLS property syndication, you don’t have to visit each real estate website one at a time to list your property there. At Real Estate Corners, our flat-fee MLS listing service includes home-showing electronic services and broker listing support. Plus, we forward all email and phone leads to you at no extra cost with our basic package.

Get additional support

For additional fees, we can do more for you to take the guesswork out of marketing your home. Our basic package lists your home on the MLS in Minneapolis for 6 months. This can be extended to 12 months for $200. We also offer other services such as color brochures, a professional yard sign, and email-blasting to other Realtors in your area.

How does the MLS help home buyers in Minneapolis?

If you’re a home buyer, you can also use the MLS to find your dream home. With our home-buyer service, we will help you find another home as we sell your property through the MLS in Minneapolis. We can find listing brokers and other agents representing homes that meet your needs.

Uncover details only available to professionals

MLS listings offer basic information about properties for sale, such as the square footage, pictures, and number of bathrooms and bedrooms. You’ll also find details on features like the neighborhood and garage.

Apart from that, the MLS in Minneapolis has private remarks that are visible only to other agents. We do this to protect the safety and privacy of home sellers. These comments can include showing instructions and the seller’s contact details. Some may also share HOA regulations and seller disclosures. At Real Estate Corners, we can advise you on these details to help you make an informed buying decision.

Buy or sell a home with Real Estate Corners

Whether you’re buying a home or selling a current one — or doing both — our team at Real Estate Corners will help you make the most of the MLS in Minneapolis. Call us at (612) 483-1230 so we can tell you more about our flat-fee MLS listing and home-buyer service.

You’ve probably heard a lot of horror stories about selling your home with the help of a real estate agent. High commission fees, lack of control over the selling process, and mediocre marketing techniques — these are just some of the complaints that homeowners have about traditional real estate agents.

We completely understand if you are sure the FSBO route (For Sale By Owner) is the best option for you. After all, you know your home better than anyone else, right? But before you go ahead and put up a “For Sale” sign in your front yard, there’s something else you should know about – the Minneapolis Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

Licensed real estate agents like us at Real Estate Corners offer a flat-fee Minneapolis multiple listing service that will get your home on the MLS and in front of thousands of potential buyers. Here’s more to convince you that this service is worth considering.

What is the MLS, and why should you care about it?

The MLS is a platform that licensed brokers, and real estate agents use to put up and search for homes available for sale in a given area. The MLS provides detailed data on properties such as square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, listing price, and more. This information is critical for both buyers and sellers as it allows them to compare similar properties and make informed decisions.

So, should you care about the MLS? Absolutely. Here’s why:

The Internet is a very important resource in the real estate industry

A 2020 survey by the NAR reported that 97% of homebuyers turned to the internet when searching for a new home. This means that almost all potential buyers will use online platforms, including the MLS, to find their dream home. If you hire us to list your home on the MLS, you are increasing its visibility and chances of being seen by a larger pool of buyers.

It is a safe, reliable platform

What makes the MLS different from other online marketplace platforms is that it is exclusive to licensed real estate agents and brokers. This means that the information on the MLS is accurate and reliable as it comes directly from professionals who are held to a code of ethics.

We will start by gathering details about the property and will use comparisons with recently sold homes to set an appropriate list price. Once all the details are in place, we will create a listing in the MLS. This listing includes photos, square footage, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and other home features like a garage.

However, aside from the basic details, MLS listings often include private remarks intended only for other agents to keep the seller’s privacy and safety intact. These confidential notes might have the seller’s contact information, tips on the best times for showings, details about pets in the house, gate codes, or specific seller disclosures and homeowners association (HOA) rules. Every property listed on the MLS is given a unique MLS number to easily identify and find properties. This number is used as a reference for agents and buyers to keep track of the listings they are interested in.

Provides maximum exposure

When a seller lists their home on the MLS, it becomes visible to all the agents and brokers who use the system, which greatly boosts the chance of finding a buyer. This increased visibility is actually one of the biggest advantages for homeowners who choose to work with an agent rather than going the For-Sale-By-Owner route.

In the same way, when buyers search for a new home, they are provided with access to a vast selection of listings via the MLS. Buyers can work with an agent to find a home that fits their needs. During this process, the agent will talk to the buyer about their ideal location, type of home, budget, size requirements, must-haves, and other preferences. The agent then uses this information to search for homes on the MLS that match the buyer’s criteria. When the buyer finds a home they like, they can arrange to see it in person or attend open houses using the information available in the MLS.

Have more control but still have guidance

One of the most important things to note when using MLS is that sellers cannot list their homes on the MLS directly. This is because only licensed real estate agents and brokers are allowed to access the platform. This means that sellers would need to work with an agent who can help them list their property on the MLS with a flat-fee arrangement.

Will this mean that the seller has no control over their listing? Not at all. Unlike traditional real estate transactions where the agent handles all aspects of the sale, with MLS, the seller still has control over their listing. They can choose which photos to use, write their own descriptions for the listing, and set their own price. The only difference is that the listing will appear on the MLS and get more exposure to potential buyers.

Our flat-fee FSBO package offers an affordable and straightforward way to list your home on the MLS in Minneapolis. Beyond our basic package, we offer additional services like market analysis and competition monitoring, which are available for an extra charge. Reach out to our team today at  (612) 483-1230 for more information on our Minneapolis multiple listing service.

Are you aware that more than 21,000 people in Minnesota are licensed to sell real estate? Picking an agent who is well-versed in the local market and the real estate industry can be overwhelming. After all, you literally have over 21,000 different options to choose from.

As one of the leading real estate agencies in Minneapolis, we know how challenging it can be to find the right agent to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Here are some tips on how to find a reliable Minneapolis real estate agency that can make the process smoother and more efficient for you.

Carry out due diligence

One of the most costly mistakes home buyers and sellers make is choosing an agent without doing proper research. Don’t just settle for the first agency you come across or the one with the most flashy advertisements. Take your time to do some background checks, read reviews from previous clients, and, most importantly – check for a license.

While you’re figuring out how to choose a real estate agent, it’s important to remember that they’re licensed and monitored by state regulatory bodies. Each state’s regulatory organization has its own set of guidelines that realtors need to follow to keep working in the industry. Thankfully, this information is easily accessible to the public. All you need to do is go online and search using the agent’s license number or name, and their details should appear. You can even find out if an agent has had any complaints or disciplinary actions against them.

Request a list of recent clients

Whether you’re buying your first home or selling a property, gathering some background information about the real estate agent you’re considering is important. Start by asking the agent for a list of a few clients they’ve worked with recently. This will help you determine if they have the necessary experience and capability to assist with your home-buying or selling journey.

Find out from their past clients what the initial price of the property was and what it eventually sold for. If you’re selling, check with those clients to see if their properties have features similar to yours. You should also learn about the location of those properties, the original asking prices, and the final sale amounts. You need a Minneapolis real estate agency that specializes in the type of property you’re interested in buying or selling.

While figuring out how to choose a great real estate agent, ask the most important question: how long were their properties listed before they sold? You don’t want to end up with a realtor who takes forever to sell or find a home for you. Knowing the average time their past properties spent on the market can give you a good sense of their efficiency and effectiveness in closing deals.

List down at least three top choices with over a decade of experience

When you’re picking a Minneapolis real estate agency, it’s smart to look for those who have been in the business for over 10 years. Agents with this much experience have likely seen all kinds of market changes and can offer helpful advice on the city’s real estate scene. They usually have a wide network that helps match buyers with the right homes quickly and gives sellers access to keen, qualified buyers. Plus, their negotiating skills have been honed over time, making sure you get the best deal possible. It’s a good idea to list down at least three top choices with this level of experience and do further research on their track record and client reviews.

Inquire about their communication style

Let the agent know your preferred way of communicating, whether it’s through text, phone calls, or emails. Remember, it’s best to keep important legal matters over more formal channels like phone or email rather than text. Also, ask if they can promise to send regular updates, say every couple of weeks, about their marketing and activities. Make sure they’re easy to reach whenever you have questions or need a status update. A good real estate agent should always keep you in the loop and maintain open communication throughout the entire process.

Ask if they offer a flat-fee MLS listing

In most real estate transactions, there are usually two brokers involved: one for the seller and one for the buyer. The seller’s broker, known as the listing broker, typically earns a commission of about 5-6% when the property is sold. This commission is usually divided equally with the buyer’s broker. However, with a flat-fee MLS listing in Minnesota, you can avoid the portion of the commission that the listing broker keeps, which is about 2.5-3%. This option allows you to save a significant amount of money while still enjoying the broad exposure of having your property listed on the MLS.

With our broker reciprocity system, your property will get exposure on hundreds of public websites that list by-owner MLS properties, such as realtor.com. Your MLS listing will also be visible on major platforms like MLS Online Minnesota, giving you maximum exposure to potential buyers. By using our flat-fee MLS listing service, you have the chance to connect with buyers who are not represented by an agent, meaning you won’t have to pay any commission. This can result in significant savings, potentially thousands of dollars.

Call Real Estate Corners at (612) 483-1230 and see how our Minneapolis real estate agency can help you sell your property. With over two decades of experience, we are sure to provide you with the best guidance and advice for your real estate needs.