Inman

Real estate company refers flat-fee listings to Realtor network

A Seattle-based discount real estate referral company allows consumers to pay a flat fee online with a credit card to sell their home with agents at brand-name brokerages, according to a company announcement today.

Progressive Homesellers Inc. announced that it refers consumers to agents at brokerages such as “Coldwell Banker, Century 21 and Prudential who have agreed to list and sell homes for a $2,500 flat fee.”

Jeremy Stamper, CEO for the company, said in the announcement, “We’ve taken the hassle out of listing your home. There’s really no need to invite a bunch of agents to your house, conduct interviews, and sign a listing agreement in person. We’ve already done the interviewing and negotiated the commission and now you can order online.”

Consumers can pay the flat fee online with a credit card.

Progressive Homesellers requires that its affiliated Realtors have been actively selling real estate for at least five years and are in the top 5 percent of agents in their state by sales volume.

“To keep costs low, agents conduct all business remotely, by phone, fax and e-mail. Although sellers almost never meet their agent in person, they receive full service representation, complete with (multiple listing service) exposure, yard sign, contract negotiation and transaction coordination from offer to close,” the company announced.

Progressive, a privately owned, licensed real estate corporation, profits by charging Realtors a referral fee for each qualified lead it generates, according to the announcement.

The Web site describes a three-step process to enter the flat-fee listing program:

–If your home is currently listed, ask your agent to cancel the listing or wait for it to expire.

–Fill out our online form to request the listing. Within two business days you will receive a customized listing package with detailed step-by-step instructions. To help you price your home, you will also receive an e-mail within one business day from your assigned Realtor with detailed profiles of every property sold in your area within the last six months, the Web site states.

–Return your signed and completed listing agreement in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. Your home will be listed for sale within two business days of receipt of these items. Your yard sign and key box will also be installed within two business days.

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