DALLAS – Owners.com has identified the top 20 U.S. real estate markets where consumers sold their homes using its leading self-directed flat fee multiple listing service model in 2014.
New York topped the list, followed by Chicago, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Philadelphia. The ranking is based on total unique listings on Owners.com in 2014 in each market area. Dallas was the only Texas city in the top 20.
Self-directed real estate sales allow individuals to sell and buy homes without using a full-service real estate professional. With this self-directed strategy, consumers realize an unprecedented level of market transparency, accessibility and savings. According to Owners.com user data, 2014 was a high-growth year for self-directed real estate sales. On average, sellers reduced commissions by $9,500 by selling their home on sites like Owners.com, the company said.
“Real estate had not changed for nearly 100 years, but technology has helped remove many of the barriers in the industry. Today, consumers can finally conduct their own research, make informed decisions and ultimately buy and sell homes with substantially lower transaction costs,” said Steve Udelson, president of Owners.com. “Empowered consumers are leveraging technology to take control and save time and money in the process.”
By charging a flat fee to list properties, Owners.com makes it affordable for self-directed consumers to use real estate agents. Self-directed properties listed on the MLS via Owners.com typically offer a market commission to selling agents of 3 percent, and these properties are 80 percent more likely to sell than traditional owner-sold properties.
Founded in 1996, Owners.com is part of Altisource Portfolio Solutions S.A.