Home@Ease Realty Inc. is the premium full service discount brokerage in Ontario. Home@Ease helps clients save thousands of dollars while successfully selling their homes, achieving great savings and even greater results for sellers. Home@Ease has streamlined the real estate process and is able to pass significant commission savings on to our clients. Our experienced Realtors have years of experience in the areas they serve, allowing you to save thousands, without compromising on full service. Home@Ease was founded by people from inside and outside of the real estate profession who believed 5%-6% commissions were too high for the value provided. The founders didn’t feel that so much of our hard-earned, after-tax money should disappear each time we moved, and invested their own money to search for a way to do it more economically. A way was found and Home@Ease is the vehicle by which these savings can be brought to every consumer involved in buying or selling a house. Up till now, real estate sales involved many layers and parties in a structure which have been the same for many years. Home@Ease created a different management and incentive structure, and also leveraged the Internet and new software. The Company’s proprietary technology, marketing support, and training and brokerage resources result in a much more efficient system which lowers the per sale cost significantly – savings which can be passed onto the customer.

Home at Ease Realty has two commission packages for our Sellers. The first option is our 1% Full Service plan where the Home at Ease listing agent receives 1% for listing the Seller’s home for sale and the Seller’s decide how much Buyer’s agent commission (if any) they will offer when they list the property. With the 1% plan, the Seller enjoys Full Premium MLS Service, savings, and the entire process is handled by the Listing Agent. The “Home@Ease Corporate Team” provides MLS, Newspaper & Internet advertising, professional photographs, yard sign, viewings arranged, feedback, etc.

The second option is our $395 Flat Fee MLS plan. With this plan, Sellers receive MLS, professionally installed yard sign, Internet advertising, and more…but Sellers have to do much of the work themselves. Sellers decide how much Buyer’s agent commission (if any) they will offer when they list the property. Only when the Seller’s house is sold and closed do the Sellers pay any commission to any agent who may have sold their home. Sellers pay no commission if they sell the home themselves. Buyer’s and Buyer’s agents will be calling Sellers directly for information and Sellers will be responsible for showing the house, doing any open houses, marketing, follow up, negotiations, etc. Sellers listing will appear on the exact same MLS the local Realtors use, just like any other listing. Buyers and agents will not know how much the Seller’s are saving in commission. Basically with the Flat Fee MLS plan Sellers are paying $395 plus whatever Buyer agent commissions the Seller decides to offer. Sellers on the $395 plan can switch to the 1% Full Service plan at anytime and if the property sells the $395 fee is reimbursed to the seller on closing.

The following are some questions and answers that will help you to know us better.

What is the difference between your “Corporate Team” and your “Associates”?

All the marketing on a Corporate Team’s listings are paid by the company. With all Corporate Team listings the seller receives MLS, Newspaper & Internet Advertising, professional photographs, coloured feature sheets, viewings arranged, weekly feedback, open houses and yard sign (where applicable). Whereas Associate sales representatives pay for all of their own marketing costs and the services provided by each Associate may differ. The seller must contact the individual sales Associate directly to understand better what services the Associate provides. Both Corporate Team sales representatives and Associate sales representatives work solely on commission so they have a huge incentive to sell your home.

How long has Home@Ease been in business?

Home@Ease has been in business since 2000 and has successfully sold thousands of homes and over a billion dollars worth of real estate. Our model has become widely accepted and applauded. New clients are taking advantage of Home@Ease services every day.

Home@Ease will list my house at a commission of between $395 and 1% where other realtors are going to charge me 5.0%. How do your commissions work?

The Flat Fee MLS Plan gives sellers maximum savings. The plan is ideal for sellers that want to handle the sale of their home themselves. If the seller finds a buyer on their own, they cut out all the agents and save all the money that would go to commissions. The 1% commission plan allows you, the seller, to receive Home@Ease Premium service which includes MLS and a Full Marketing Plan designed to get the best selling price for your home.

What is the catch and what compromises am I making?

No catch and no compromise. All Corporate Team 1% listings are professionally photographed, listed and featured on MLS and the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) where they are viewed by thousands of buyers and buyer’s sales representatives. Your home is also featured on our website which draws hundreds of interested buyers per property every month. High quality feature sheets are immediately prepared and available to sales representatives and buyers who come to view your home. We are regular advertisers in large publications such as the Toronto Star and are continuously advertising to draw traffic to our website and your listing. In addition, our sales representatives will outline exactly what happens with your listing its first 30 days and how it is managed to help best ensure maximum exposure and response. Our Associates also offer full service and you need to speak to them individually to understand better the services that they provide.

Why it still makes sense to sell with Home@Ease when the large franchise companies have more market share and company brand?

When it comes to selling your home, market share, or number of sales representatives, company brand doesn’t matter because approximately 90% of the homes are normally sold through another co-operating broker. All sales representatives within an office compete against each other and they have no incentive to sell their own company listing since the buyer’s agent still earns commission as other listings. Most buyer agents don’t care which properties their customers buy because they normally earn the same commission. In addition, we have all the sales representatives in the city working with us to sell your home since we offer commission for the buyer’s agent.

How is Home@Ease different?

Home@Ease is a pioneer in real estate. We introduced the proposition of a $395 Flat Fee MLS Plan and a 1% listing with MLS exposure and because of that our clients have saved huge amounts of money when they have sold their home. As opposed to an individual sales representative in a traditional realty company trying to do everything, Home@Ease Corporate Team has specific specialists and departments involved in every listing, overseeing marketing, customer service, operations and compliance so that our sales representatives can focus on what is important; the selling of your home at the best possible price.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of a $395 Flat Fee MLS Plan versus a 1% listing commission?

The $395 Flat Fee MLS Plan gives sellers maximum savings. This plan is ideal for sellers that want to handle the sale of their home. If the seller finds a buyer on their own, they cut out all the agents and save all the money that would go to commissions. The 1% Commission Plan allows you, the seller to receive Home@Ease Premium Service which includes MLS and a full marketing plan designed to get the best selling price for your home.

Sometimes sales representatives offer to match your commissions? Why should I still use Home@Ease?

If a sales representative offers to match our low commissions that is not necessarily a good thing. All our 1% listings pay Home@Ease a total of 1%. There are no exceptions and all our listings get our equal and full attention. Unless the sales representative who is offering to match our lower commission rate has all their listings at 1% rather than the traditional 2.5%, there could be a tendency to prioritize listings that pay them the higher 2.5% rate. In addition, Home@Ease Corporate Team advertising is budgeted and paid for by our company whereby a sales representative operating under the traditional model would have to pay these advertising costs themselves. This could also be affected in light of the reduced commission.

How experienced are your sales representatives?

The Home@Ease Corporate Team model consists of various departments working in concert to promote and manage each individual listing so that our agents can focus their attention on the selling of your property at the best possible price. As a result, our sales representatives are able to be extremely productive with many Corporate Team sales representative selling over 50 homes a year.

How will Home@Ease get me maximum exposure and maximum price?

In your review of our “first thirty days of your 1% listing” marketing efforts are outlined clearly along with timelines. These initiatives combined with our sales representative’s experience in pricing strategy and marketing offer you superior exposure compared with most traditional realtors. Corporate Team sales representatives have access to individuals in marketing, customer service, operations, and compliance all working with your sales representative’s to best ensure maximum exposure and maximum selling price.

What will Home@Ease do for me once I list with you?

We have a very specific sales and marketing schedule designed to go into action the moment you sign a listing with Home@Ease Corporate Team. You are informed in advance exactly what is going to happen within the first 24 hours of signing the listing through to the first thirty days of the 1% listing. In addition our sales representatives outline how they personally will be involved with your listing to ensure best price and exposure in order to help ensure a successful sale.

Other agents won’t show my home if I don’t offer a buyer’s agent commission.

In addition to saving you money, the 1% program works for you in two ways. First, the increasing number of real estate buyers who go on the internet (87% National Association of Realtors, 2008) will be able to find your home on the many websites who carry the MLS for Toronto, as well as the unique Home@Ease website that attracts thousands of buyers each month. Second, the other agents will still bring you buyers and then you can negotiate to give them a commission if you want. If your home is located in a high demand area, you’re not rushed to sell and savings is extremely important to you than we recommend the 1% plan. On the other hand if you want a quick sale with significant savings than we recommend offering commission to the buyer’s agent.

If Home@Ease only makes 1% how can you afford to advertise my home?

Two ways, because of our success, and the involvement of different departments in your listing, each Corporate Team sales representative is able to effectively manage a higher number of listings and as a result, we sell a large number of homes per sales representative. The second way is our effective marketing strategies that allow us to provide maximum exposure through a variety of vehicles but remain cost effective, therefore saving you money.

What does Home@Ease do if my house is not selling?

When you sign a 1% listing agreement, your Home@Ease sales representative undertakes to continually monitor activity relating to listings used in your original comparative market analysis as well as new listings as they come on the market. They will also monitor current activity and general pricing trends in the area as well as comparable “just sold”. Our customer service also continues to request feedback from any sales representative or buyer that has come in to see your home. With this information, the sales representative will assess after a couple of weeks if the listing is generating suitable activity and if not, what obstacles may exist? Depending on this assessment, possible adjustments may need to be made including a change in price, property description and/or marketing strategy.

Is it not better for me to use a local sales representative?

At Home@Ease our marketing department constantly monitors the real estate activity throughout the city. Our sales representatives are assigned to designated areas and are very familiar with past and current residential activity as well as changes in the community. Our average Corporate Team sales representative might sell 50 or more homes in an area in one year compared with many traditional agents who have not sold that many homes during their entire career.

What should I expect and what are my responsibilities?

Once your home is listed, if the house is well priced, there will be a strong initial interest in your home which is why effective pricing is so important. Showings will have to be arranged so it is important to provide maximum accessibility to buyers and to keep and maintain the home in a clean and orderly fashion. Buyers are looking at many homes so it is always to your advantage to make sure they have access to see your home and see it in its best possible state. Keeping your home clean and orderly can make the difference of an offer to purchase. Remember a buyer is picturing themselves living in your home.

How do you determine the value of my home and how do you decide on the asking price?

With the 1% commission plan, the sales representative defines a price range which will likely produce adequate interest and showings. The sales representative will usually price initially at the top of the range so that you are given an opportunity for best price while maintaining a pricing attractive enough to draw the showings and activity necessary to possibly generate an offer.

Will I not get more exposure if I list with one of the larger realtors?

That is very unlikely and it is the nature of the exposure that is important to a successful sale. MLS exposure is one of the most powerful tools. Home@Ease invests heavily to ensure your home receives full exposure. Our signs and marketing materials do not feature pictures of sales representatives and our sales and marketing initiatives go towards the marketing of your home. Our marketing efforts and dollars are directed where they should be. Your home.

Another sales representative promised they would get me a higher price or said they would list my house for a higher price. Why should I go with Home@Ease?

Listing at a higher price doesn’t mean you’ll sell at a higher price – in fact listing too high will bring you far fewer buyers and potentially lower final sale prices since lots of buyers never see your house because it’s outside of their price range. We also don’t want you to list too low. However, we’ll always respect your decision after showing you our advice and rationale. No sales representative should promise you any price for your home. They should promise to work to the best of their abilities on your behalf. You should never choose a sales representative or decide on a realtor because they suggest a higher price than another sales representative. Some sales representatives may price your home too high in order to secure the listing knowing they will be asking for a price reduction later on. Since the majority of the activity occurs the first two weeks of a new listing, pricing a listing too high can damage your chances of getting the best price for your home and an overpriced listing can discourage serious buyers from selecting your home to view. Our sales representatives clearly explain their comparative market analysis and pricing strategy and answer any questions you might have. Your criteria should be largely based on your level of confidence in the agent and realtor to best represent your interest and acquire the highest possible price for your home.

Other sales representatives said they will spend more money on advertising because of the larger commission they will receive and so that I will get more exposure and a higher selling price.

With a traditional realtor, a great deal of advertising that you the client ultimately pay for has nothing to do with advertising your home and more to do about advertising the agent. Any agent working for a traditional realtor who is advertising your home is also likely spending their own money and will likely do this sparingly, constantly trying to balance the minimization of advertising costs with adequate exposure to sell your home. At Home@Ease, the company pays for the advertising (for the Corporate Team), not the sales representative. The sales representative is not conflicted. We sell a huge number of homes per agent and an ingredient for that success is our effective home marketing strategies.

Won’t more advertising $$$ get me a higher selling price?

Advertising and marketing are utilized to ensure all buyers and agents are aware of your listing and your home’s features. Spending more money beyond this objective will not raise the price of your home. Comparable sales and valuations in your area are the largest determining factors in your final selling price.

How do you have time for my listing if you are selling so many other homes? Other sales representatives are only selling 2 or 3 homes at a time.

Other sales representatives have to take care of their own advertising and marketing among other responsibilities. With Home@Ease Corporate Team we have specialists in marketing, customer service, operations and compliance all of whom are involved with your listing and assisting our sales representatives so they can effectively focus on selling your home.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flat Fee MLS Listings

How does the $395 Flat Fee MLS listing work?

With this plan, Sellers receive MLS, professionally installed yard sign, Internet advertising, and more…but Sellers have to do much of the work themselves. Sellers decide how much Buyer’s agent commission (if any) they will offer when they list the property. Only when the Seller’s house is sold and closed do the Sellers pay any commission to any agent who may have sold their home. Sellers pay no commission if they sell the home themselves. Buyer’s and Buyer’s agents will be calling Sellers directly for information and Sellers will be responsible for showing the house, doing any open houses, marketing, follow up, negotiations, etc. Sellers listing will appear on the exact same MLS the local Realtors use, just like any other listing. Buyers and agents will not know how much the Seller’s are saving in commission. Basically with the Flat Fee MLS plan Sellers are paying $395 plus whatever Buyer agent commissions the Seller decides to offer. Sellers on the $395 plan can switch to the 1% Full Service plan at anytime and if the property sells the $395 fee is reimbursed to the seller on closing.

What is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)?

The MLS is a database of homes for sale. Realtors use the MLS to find homes for buyers that they represent. Listing a home on the MLS notifies all local brokerages that your home is for sale. Only licensed Realtors can list property for sale on the MLS. These listings are than shared with other agents no matter which brokerage company they are listed with. In other words, any company can show and sell any other company’s listings and receive a commission. Studies have shown that almost 85% of home buyers bought a house that was listed in the MLS.

Who is this Flat Fee MLS service designed for?

Primarily “for sale by owners” sellers who want to save a lot of money in commissions. They want to keep as much of their equity as possible.

What is the total cost for the Flat Fee MLS Service?

The total cost is $395 payable up front and there are no other hidden charges. Seller also has the option to offer a buyer’s agent commission if they choose.

What is the length of the listing contract?

The flat fee MLS listing period is 90 days. Listings can be withdrawn from your MLS at any time by request.

What is the role of the listing agent?

The role of your Flat Fee MLS agent is to post your listing on the MLS system and to help answer some questions you may have from time to time.

Who handles the paperwork?

All the necessary listing forms will be provided by our local Realtor.

Are there any buyer’s agent commission?

No, you pay only $395 but if you decide you want to offer a buyer’s agent commission you can do so if you wish.

What happens if I find a buyer myself?

If you find a buyer on your own, you cut out all the agents and save all the money that would go to commissions.

How do I report that my property is sold?

Notify your listing agent immediately once your property is sold conditional or firm. Home@Ease Realty Inc needs to report your sale as per the MLS rules.

Whose telephone number is on the MLS?

The MLS listing will display both the agents contact information and yours as well. When the listing agent receives inquiries about your property, the interested parties will be directed to you to set up showings and discuss details about your property. Realtor.ca & Realtor.com does not allow seller’s phone numbers to appear in their listings.

How soon will I be listed after I sign up?

An agent from Home@Ease Realty Inc will call or email you within 24 hours after we receive your request to list your home. The agent will meet with you or send all the forms required to complete the MLS listing. Once these forms are completed and faxed or emailed back to the agent, the listing will be on the MLS within 24 – 48 hours (excluding weekends). Once listed on the MLS, it takes Realtor.ca and Realtor.com 1 – 3 business days to upload a listing to their site. This is an automatic upload and can’t be expedited.

What about photos?

Email digital photos of the exterior and interior of the house. Photos need to be saved in a .jpg file, ideally 640 x 480 pixels. Email the photos to the flat fee MLS listing agent. Numbers of photos allowed on the MLS are nine.

Can I get more help from the listing agent?

Yes, we have our 1% Full Service Plan. You pay only 1% of the final sale price to your listing agent and he/she will handle the entire process. Details of our 1% plan are listed on our website.

If I have a yard sign can I still use it?

Due to local regulations For Sale By Owner signs are not allowed when the property is listed on MLS. We do allow our sellers to install a sign rider with their direct telephone number if they wish.

What if I want to list a rental on the MLS?

Same $395 Flat Fee MLS and the process is the same.

How do I cancel my MLS listing?

You can suspend at any time during your listing period and all that is needed is to contact your listing agent so he/she can have you complete the necessary paperwork to suspend your listing.

Who should I speak to if I have questions about my listing?

You should speak with the flat fee listing agent assigned to you. If you need their contact information, you may call Home@Ease Realty Inc and we will be glad to give you that information.

Will agents “boycott” my listing?

Boycotting is against the law. In cases where this concerns the sellers, most offer the buyer’s agent a commission. In the cases where it does not bother the seller – sellers opt to market to buyers directly and save all the commission. In addition, the buyer’s agents are not concerned about the commission you are paying the listing agent. The buyer’s agent ONLY cares about the commission offered to him/her to sell your home, not how much you paid the listing agent.

Will Realtors show my home even though I paid for a Flat Fee Listing?

Yes. Your Flat Fee MLS listing will look exactly the same as any other listing. There is no way to tell how much you paid to get on the MLS. Regardless of whom you listed with or what you paid, your listing will look no different from any other listing in form and style. Your listing will appear the same as all other MLS property listings.

Why would a listing agent want to list my home in the MLS if they’re not going to receive a commission when it sells?

There are a few reasons. Firstly, if the listing agent lists your home and brings a buyer, they receive the commission you have agreed to pay the buyer’s agent. Secondly, if you need help with the sale of your home and decide to switch to the 1% FULL SERVICE Plan your listing agent earns 1% commission. Thirdly, more exposure for their real estate company.

How important is it that the listing agent’s office is located near my neighbourhood?

It does not matter. It’s a fabrication to get you thinking it makes a difference so you end up listing with the local Realtor. Rarely do potential buyers reside in your neighbourhood. Most buyers come from another part of town, different areas, or different cities. Even if a prospective buyer happens to live nearby, why would location of the listing agent’s office make any difference at all? Also most buyers come via The MLS in all likelihood already have a buyer’s agent.