What are the pros and cons of using a discount vs. a full service broker?
The obvious difference is the disparity between marketing plans, physically servicing the listing, etc. But the point that I drive across as a full service agent is that the added service and exposure is only the tip of the iceberg. You also pay a full service agent for their wealth of local knowledge and experience. You get research that can’t be done online. The internet is a great tool, but too often anymore, access to information is confused for expertise. In the areas I actively work, I physically see all of the listings that I possibly can. When I prepare an estimate of value, my clients don’t just rely on the stats that can be found in the MLS and elsewhere in cyberspace. I visit the competition, and I have seen the sold comps. I know the builders and the floor plans. Not all 2000 square foot homes are alike (even within the same subdivision), and there are many factors that can mitigate the price per foot numbers that people love to crunch. I know the schools and the local amme
