Real Estate Agents using the MLS assisted over 75% of home buyers nationwide

According to the newest study of home buyer habits by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), over 75% of home buyers now find their home through real estate agents using the Multiple Listing Service. The study entitled Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers also indicated that 78% were buying a home that was previously owned.

What exactly does this mean for the average home seller? The results of this study indicate that unless your home was listed in the MLS, you would have missed out on over three quarters of the market. One could only surmise that reducing demand for your home by 75% ultimately results in a lower sales price and a longer time on market.

Why do agents tend to primarily, if not exclusively, use the MLS listing service to search for homes for sale when preparing to show homes to their buyer clients? The number one reason is that they know they will be compensated for their efforts. Each home listed in the MLS has a field indicating the amount of compensation to be paid to a buyer’s agent who sells the property. For sale by owner’s (FSBO), by contrast, have no written promise to pay the agent for their work.

Secondly, it’s just easier. The MLS represents a database of homes currently for sale. Agents know that homes published as active in the MLS are for sale and available for showings. Most MLS listed properties are provided with a key lockbox which makes showing the home more convenient for an agent with several homes to show on a tight schedule.

The NAR data indicates that the MLS is, in fact, THE market for home sales nationwide.

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