These spots are not paid advertising.  The three available spots are awarded to agents based on their AgentRank™. In other words, it’s free advertising for REALTORS who are able to climb into a top spot on AgentRank.com.  If you haven’t already signed up for a FREE RealtyBaron account yet, do it now.  Good luck!

Your current Realtor is likely offsetting the additional costs she incurs in marketing expenditures and overall risk as homes sit on the market unsold. If you want to keep her as your Realtor, here are some suggestions for getting her back down to 6%:

1. Consider passing on expensive services that rarely sell homes such as newspaper advertisements and open houses
2. Offer a “tiered” commission. For example, at $200,000, agree she’ll be paid 6% on any dollar up to $200,000 and paid 10% on any dollar above $200,000.
3. If you’re moving within the same local market, ask her to represent you on your purchase, too. Typically, Realtors will reduce their commission by up to 33% if they have a hand in both transactions.
4. And finally, if all else fails, we obviously recommend using our own service to help find the most competitive sales commission in your area.

Anyone have additional tips?

Now, the Sac Bee is reporting on Stockton’s next foreclosure start-up, the Greener Grass Co:

Owner Nick Terlouw, who formerly had a window-cleaning business, sprays dead brown lawns with a “deep green water-based dye that makes that turf look good enough for a golf course or a professional football stadium.”

Clients include real estate agents selling foreclosures. The cost is $175 to $225 to do a yard.

(Warning: objectionable material ahead)

“My new home is novel-worthy. Larry is an elegant figure whose politeness and intelligibility shine like a glorious supernova in the dark night of smoggy Mordor-esque Houston. After losing my previous home and family in a freak gasoline fight accident, Larry walked me across the sea of my despair into a glorious heaven of warmth. Larry is always at my side, or behind me. Not only is Larry a great man, but he is of great lineage, spawned from the fertile seed of David Gimour and Lars Ulrich. He surfed with Jerry Garcia, and l****oed tornadoes with Pecos Bill. If only my legacy were size of Larry’s pinky toe, and if only my legs were as shiny as his extraordinary buttocks, I would start my own religion. One Realtor to rule them all, one realtor to bind them, one realtor to make me come, buy a house, inside him. Produced by Melvin Goldfarb Written by Kookie and or Crissy Taylor-Jenkins”

I have no doubt it’s a fake. But more importantly, it left me wondering if Larry wrote it himself. If so, I bet Larry’s a likable guy who I’d like to work with. Well done, Larry.

Part One

Part Two

It’s quite simple when you think about it: the longer a home sits on the market, the more costs a Realtor incurs.

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