And the Winner Is...

As previously noted, we were selected to represent the "for sale by owner" industry in an online debate held by U.S. News & World Report. We faced off against Jay Thompson, a blogger and real estate broker based in Phoenix.

We debated the topic, "Do You Need an Agent to Sell a House," and U.S. News & World Report asked readers to decide who won. The results? We are proud to report that we captured 66% of the votes, an overwhelming majority that shows that more people are looking to gain independence from using real estate agents. Greg Healy, VP of ForSaleByOwner.com, gave an interview to RealEstateRadioUSA.com on winning the debate. Click here to listen to the interview.

We've been asked to defend our strong showing in yet another upcoming debate on another real estate topic, and we'll keep you posted.

Funny Video on Real Estate Agents

I just came across this funny YouTube video on what real estate agents might be doing when clients aren't around. I'm not not going to provide my own comments, as the video speaks for itself.

The Polls Are Open!

As noted in a previous post, we've been engaged in an online debate hosted by U.S. News & World Report. The topic.... "Do you need a real estate agent to sell your home?" pitted our very own Greg Healy - VP of Operations - against Jay Thompson, a blogger and real estate broker in Phoenix.

The actual debate part of the contest has concluded, and now we're on to the voting stage. Luke Mullins, who is an Associate Editor at U.S. News & World Report, has moderated the debate and has asked readers to cast a vote to decided who won the debate.

The McCain-Obama presidential election might be in November, but for the next day or so if you click here you'll have the chance to vote on who won our FSBO vs. Realtor debate.

Trump Sells $95 Million Mansion... What About the Commission?

The Palm Beach Post is reporting that Donald Trump has sold his Palm Beach oceanfront mansion (at left) for $95 million. He and his real estate broker originally listed it for $125 million. Since it sold for $30 million less than the asking price (or 24% less than the asking price), we now have another great piece of evidence that agents don't do a good job in effectively pricing homes. For a better way to price a home, click here.

We'd also like to know how much in commission The Donald had to pay his agent. While the average commission rate is in the 5-6 percent range, we suspect that he is paying more in the 3.5% range. Even at this percentage, Donald Trump is paying a $3.325 million commission!

Fighting on Behalf of FSBOs

As the "for sale by owner" industry's leading website, we have been asked by U.S. News & World Report to participate in an online debate on the topic "Do You Need a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home." For the next seven days or so we're facing off against a representative of Realtors, and you can follow the debate by visiting this site.

Add your comments to the U.S. News & World Report debate, and give your thoughts as to why agents aren't needed.

Starting July 21, the magazine will be having an online ballot box allowing readers to vote who won the debate. So remember to check back and vote for ForSaleByOwner.com!

ForSalebyOwner.com Reaches Milestone in Florida

ForSaleByOwner.com today became the first real estate website to offer pre-paid legal services to home sellers in Florida. The Sunshine State is one of the hardest-hit states in today's housing market, and the availability of these services will help people sell their home. Since the pre-paid legal services is being offered at below-market rates, Floridians who utilize it stand to see significant savings.

Click here to listen to a radio interview that Greg Healy, VP of Operations, gave to RealEstateRadioUSA.com on our new pre-paid legal services program.