By Sam Skopp
After witnessing firsthand all of the administrative legwork that went into selling a condo, the team at HomeLister created a web-based alternative to a traditional real estate service, automating many parts of the process. Sellers need only purchase the services they need, and have more control at each step of the way. HomeLister recently moved into Santa Monica, and already sees the benefit that their service can bring to the unique housing market here.
“The Santa Monica real estate market has grown exponentially in the last five years; which means that commissions based on percentage of sale have grown with it. These costs have been rising much faster than the average salary. For some that means that it’s harder to afford the next home up – the money saved in commissions by using HomeLister can help the seller have more cash available for a down payment on the next house,” said Lindsay McLean, Homelister CEO.
Customers can essentially pick and choose how much they want the team at HomeLister to be involved in the sale of their home, from basic online MLS listing and marketing services, to help staging and photographing the home, to help negotiating offers, paperwork and closings. Many folks here in Santa Monica have their retirement savings tied up in their real estate. That means that cost savings on the sale of a property go directly to the cash contributed to retirement savings.
“Our number one focus is customer service and making sure our customers have an outstanding home selling experience. We know selling a home can be overwhelming and even confusing and we are here to help our clients navigate through the process confidently,” said McLean.
Since each individual seller can pick and choose how much involvement they want from HomeLister, the service is adaptable to the sales of all kinds of properties, and can help owners maximize the amount received through their sale, whatever its scale may be. HomeLister uses the same tools as traditional real estate services while also allowing a higher degree of freedom, so its users are able to take advantage of professional tools while remaining as involved as they would like to be.
“These days, much of the work on the selling side can be automated and that is what we strive to do – utilize the basics of technology that have been around for a long time to make the process of selling a home easier, more transparent, and definitely more cost effective. We are the best of both worlds: the seller has complete control and pays only for the service that they need, and they have the support and experience of a real estate professional available to them if they need it,” said McLean.
For more information about HomeLister, or to try it for yourself, visit homelister.com.
