Taking advantage of a growing segment of the real estate market, Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty and Vicki L. Brubaker, a professional real estate auctioneer and agent, have teamed up. Together, they will sell homes and commercial properties listed with the Toledo and Waterville, Ohio, Assist-2-Sell offices through live real estate auctions.

"In greater Toledo, the market for residential and commercial auctions is rapidly growing. We're hoping to create more buzz around our listings and believe this trend will help us sell homes faster," say Tom and Kim Greive, owners of Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty.

Brubaker has been a professional auctioneer and REALTOR® for more than 20 years. Her experience includes estate auctions, car sales, private auctions, livestock, charities, farm land, commercial, farm machinery, antiques and business closeouts. She graduated with honors from the World Champion College of Auctioneering and has a master's degree in certified auctioneering. Brubaker has also won the Seneca County, Ohio, "Woman of the Year" award for women in business.

Says Brubaker, "Real estate auctions are a great opportunity for would-be homeowners to buy a house in Toledo and the surrounding areas for a great price. Auctions are also a great option for business owners who want to buy commercial property. A wide variety of real estate comes up for auction so buyers have a lot of options."     

For more information, including a schedule of upcoming auctions, call Assist-2-Sell at (866) 234-7871 or e-mail info@shop4toledohomes.com, or visit http://www.shop4toledohomes.com/. Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty is located at 5950 Airport Highway, Suite 12 in Toledo, and 18 North Third Street in Waterville.

Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty is owned by Tom and Kim Greive. The Waterville office opened in October 2004 and the Toledo office opened in August 2005. Assist-2-Sell, North America's Leading Discount Real Estate Company(SM), provides home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers more than $800 million in real estate commissions.[1] Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database. All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®. 

[1] Savings based on statistics since Jan. 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell offices in North America compared to paying six percent commission. Six percent used for comparison purposes only. Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

Assist-2-Sell, the leading full-service discount real estate company, is encouraged by the proposed settlement reached this week between the National Association of REALTORS® and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The settlement of allegations of anti-trust violations against NAR puts an end to a protracted battle that began in 2003.  It started when NAR, in response to pressure from REALTOR® members, passed new rules and regulations that blocked Internet-based real estate companies from accessing Multiple Listing Service data.  The DOJ filed a complaint because they believed these restrictions were not in the best interest of consumers.  This week's settlement, while proclaimed by NAR as a ‘Win-Win,' appears to give the DOJ what they wanted: Accessibility to MLS data by real estate companies who seek to do business primarily over the Internet.

Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle Martin, co-founders and co-chief executive officers of Assist-2-Sell Inc., had these comments on the settlement:

"This week's proposed settlement between the National Association of REALTORS® and U.S. Department of Justice does not directly impact Assist-2-Sell because we have always had full, unrestricted access to the Multiple Listing Service.  NAR's past policies were obviously targeting online real estate brokerages.  While our business model certainly takes full advantage of the Internet, we have more than 500 ‘brick-and-mortar' offices staffed by full time brokers and agents.  We personally believe the best solution combines full-service ‘feet on the street,' in the form of experienced, knowledgeable local agents, with a discounted and more competitive fee.

"As a ‘non-traditional' real estate company that has received its fair share of opposition, we are encouraged by the broader implications of this settlement.  We believe it demonstrates that the industry is at least willing to acknowledge that how we buy and sell real estate is changing.  We hope this will encourage further innovation and wider acceptance of alternative business practices.

"Assist-2-Sell has consistently maintained that any new business model should have the opportunity to prove itself without interference in the form of rules, regulation or legislation that is intended to restrict competition.  Many companies, in an attempt to mirror the success of online insurance companies, stock brokerages and mortgage companies, have tried to implement business models that take the real estate agent out of the equation.  So far, no one has been successful-despite millions of venture capital that has been invested.  It seems the role of an agent is safe for the time being.

"Those who continue to resist change, though, will only damage the industry as a whole.  While it's true that the real estate industry has grown technologically over the last five years, despite the ongoing litigation, much more can be done.  If real estate brokers and agents want to avoid obsolescence, we must give consumers what they want: Full access to information and resources related to buying and selling homes, and the ability to choose how that information is accessed and acted upon.

"We believe NAR can do more to encourage innovation, competition and an improved consumer experience.  Thousands of REALTORS® have embraced ‘non-traditional' business models like Assist-2-Sell's.  Through them, NAR has the opportunity to better understand why more and more consumers are looking for alternative methods of buying and selling real estate.  Perhaps this knowledge will help ensure that consumers realize the true value of REALTORS®, despite further technological advancements that are sure to come our way."

LaMeres-Pomin and Martin are available for additional comments.  Assist-2-Sell also has franchise offices throughout the United States that can be made available to the media.  The owners of these offices can talk about the impact this settlement will have at a local and/or regional level.  Simply e-mail Assist-2-Sell Media Relations at ecampbell@assist2sell.com or call (760) 494-5979.

About Assist-2-Sell Inc.
Based in Reno, Nev., Assist-2-Sell was founded by Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle Martin in 1987.  Their full-service discount business model caught on with consumers who were tired of paying high commissions.  Today, there are more than 500 Assist-2-Sell offices throughout the United States and Canada.  These offices provide home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers nationwide more than $800 million in commission.*  Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings databases.  All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®.  On the Net: http://www.assist2sell.com/ and http://www.a2stalk.com/.

*Savings based on statistics since January 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell® offices in North America, compared to paying six percent commission.  Six percent used for comparison purposes only.  Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

Michael Sinton, a real estate broker in Hamilton, N.J., has found a way to beat the slow housing market. Since implementing several new marketing programs and back office systems earlier this year, Sinton's Assist-2-Sell® office has experienced tremendous growth. The Hamilton Assist-2-Sell office is now expanding and hiring additional buyers' agents to handle the increased workload.

To expose their listings to as many potential home buyers as possible, the Hamilton Assist-2-Sell office is enhancing all of their listings on REALTOR.com® and posting video home tours on YouTube. Assist-2-Sell is also utilizing a call capture and response system, as well as a Web-based showing application, to make it easier for interested buyers to learn more about homes for sale in central New Jersey.

"For the first time since opening, we've been able to establish a strong foothold in the local real estate market. Sellers are excited about the additional exposure we can offer their homes, and buyers are responding positively as well," says Sinton, owner and principle broker of Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Edge. "The number of home buyers calling us has increased substantially. We're receiving more than 200 ‘warm' buyer leads each month."

Assist-2-Sell is now looking to add a few additional buyers' agents to help Sinton and his team better service their growing customer base. 

Says Sinton, "Assist-2-Sell is a great opportunity for real estate agents who want to spend more time with buyers and sellers, and less time looking for more business. Our agents pay no desk fees or advertising expenses, and compensation is as good as or better than what other real estate companies offer."

To learn more about Assist-2-Sell, call (609) 587-4227 or e-mail msinton@assist2sell.com. Additional information is available online at http://www.wesellcentralnj.com/. Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Edge is located at 2622 Nottingham Way in Hamilton Township.

Michael Sinton opened Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Edge in November 2005. Assist-2-Sell, North America's Leading Discount Real Estate Company(SM), provides home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee. The Hamilton office charges a low, flat fee of $3,995 for homes up to $300,000, with moderate increases for homes that list for more. Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database. All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®. Each office is individually owned and operated.

With a little extra effort, you can improve the chances that your home will sell quickly and for top dollar.  Get potential home buyers off the street and into your home with these tips:

* Make your home sparkle.  With so many new houses on the market, buyers often expect a resale home to be in "like new" condition.

* Consider staging.  Professionally decorated model homes have set high expectations for how a home should look.  If you can afford to stage your home, you should.  Staging is proven to benefit sellers both in price and speed of sale.

* Enhance curb appeal.  Make sure your landscaping is neat and weed-free.  Keep the grass cut, trim bushes and trees, rake leaves, and get rid of yard clutter.  Fix sagging gutters, replace missing shingles, and paint areas that are faded or peeling.  Finally, add some bright flowers around the entrance.

* Avoid being labeled a "fixer-upper."  Take care of all the pesky things you've been meaning to fix but haven't gotten around to.  Fix leaky faucets and loose floor boards.  Replace broken light bulbs and cracked electrical panels.  Patch holes in the wall and cracked ceilings. 

* Clean and de-clutter, and then clean and de-clutter again.  Throw away old newspapers and magazines.  Organize closets.  Clean the attic and cellar.  Dust the furniture, vacuum the rugs and straighten wall hangings. 

* Make your home light and bright.  Take advantage of natural light by keeping the curtains open.  Make sure the windows are clean.

* Focus on the kitchen and bathrooms.  These are the most important rooms in the house so make sure they are renovated and up to date.  You can also make small changes to keep them looking fresh and new.  Put nice handles on less expensive cabinets and replace old light fixtures with more modern ones. 

* Get rid of all that stuff.  Box up as much as you can and stack it neatly in the garage, not in the closets.  The house will appear larger and potential buyers will be able to picture themselves living there. 

* Paint.  This is an inexpensive way to make your home pop.  Painting the family/living room and the master bedroom will have the biggest impact.  Be sure to fix problem areas like chips and water stains.  Take down outdated wallpaper and touch up the baseboards.

* Air it out.  If you have pets, get rid of as much hair and dander and pet odor as possible.  Make sure your home doesn't have any other smells that might turn off potential buyers.

Today's buyers expect a lot.  The Internet has made them more educated, wiser and more demanding when it comes to their next home.  Sellers need to educate themselves as well.  An experienced, reliable real estate agent should help sellers understand current market trends.  They should also supply home sellers with pertinent information about their home, like the tips listed above, that will enable a quicker sale at the best price possible.

Assist-2-Sell is a full-service discount real estate company that was started in 1987.  Today, more than 550 Assist-2-Sell offices offer full brokerage services to home buyers and home sellers throughout the United States and Canada.  Find an office at http://www.assist2sell.com/ or by calling (800) 528-7816.

The Newnan-Coweta Board of REALTORS® has honored Michele Feeley, owner and principle broker of the Newnan and Peachtree City Assist-2-Sell® offices, with its "Professional Achievement Award." Feeley was among 99 winners of the award, each of whom had real estate sales in the amount of, or in excess of, $1 million for 2007.

"I'm really excited to have won this award for the second year in a row," says Feeley.  "After  purchasing the Assist-2-Sell offices in Newnan and Peachtree City within in the last two years, my team and I have worked really hard to not only build a strong reputation with local home sellers and home buyers, but also with other brokers and agents. Winning this award proves we've been successful."

With its "Full Service with $avings!"® program, Assist-2-Sell saves homeowners a significant amount of money on the sale of their home. The Newnan and Peachtree City offices charge a low, flat fee of only $2,995. Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings databases.

"This may sound strange, but our success wouldn't be possible without the help of our competitors," continues Feeley. "We market our listings directly to buyers but we also cooperate with real estate agents at other brokerages. They show and sell our listings all of the time."  

To learn more about Assist-2-Sell, call (770) 253-8784 or e-mail mfeeley@assist2sell.com. Additional information is available online at http://www.soldingeorgia.com/. Assist-2-Sell Buyer & Seller Realty is located at 1 Bledsoe Road in Suite D in Newnan and 111 Petrol Pointe Suite F, Peachtree City.