Q. I'm thinking of marketing my house myself as a For Sale By Owner (F.S.B.O.), which means I wouldn't pay any broker's fees at all. What's wrong with that?

A. More than half of the sellers who were F.S.B.O.s the first time around say they would definitely not go that route the second time. They mention two reasons most frequently:

1. Limited Exposure. Brokers, who sell about 65% of the homes, don't show F.S.B.O.s to their prospects. So a F.S.B.O. sees only 35% of the potential buyers. In contrast, a Metro Discount client gets exposure to 100% of the market!
2. Pricing. In retrospect, many previous F.S.B.O.s feel they mispriced their home because of inexperience and could have obtained a substantially better price if they had the benefit of a Realtor's® Comparative Market Analysis. Metro clients get this benefit as well as the the benefit of our experience in advertising, negotiating, and qualifying.

Q. My brother-in-law is an attorney and he promised to help me sell my house. Why would I need Metro too?

A. Of course, we don't know your brother-in-law but if he's a professional Realtor® as well as an attorney, you won't need Metro. If not, like an attorney Metro will help with the paperwork, offer advice, and generally protect your interests, but in addition we can do several things your brother-in-law can't. We can promise excellent exposure through a Multiple Listing Service ® (MLS) placement, and we can refer you to the other professionals you may need to complete the sale of your house successfully. Metro can recommend qualified attorneys (no slight intended), lendors, appraisers, contractors, municipal document expediters, title companies, termite inspectors, home inspection engineers, accountants, surveyors, tax grievance specialists, insurance brokers, and others.

Q. I've never heard of a "discount real estate broker," but I've had very poor experience with discount stock brokers. Will Metro be available to answer my real estate questions after you take my $495 and supply an MLS listing?

A. At Metro "discount" means cut-price, not cut-throat or second-rate. We promise to help you sell your home yourself if you wish and we're glad to answer your questions. We've cut back on frills, not the advice and service you deserve.