Published: Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 1:00 a.m.
The longtime chief executive of BuyOwner.com built a successful business in Florida and Georgia, helping people sell homes without a professional Realtor.
But that has not stopped Al Bennati from hiring a professional REALTOR to help in listing his own Florida mansion, now on the market.
Bennati has listed an estate on St. Petersburg Beach for $3.78 million with Coldwell Banker agent Donna Miller.
The custom-built residence, at 604 55th Ave. in Brightwater Beach Estates, sits on 90 feet of waterfront and has five bedrooms, seven full bathrooms and a six-car garage. In all, the living area measures 6,682 square feet.
"To sell a home it needs to be done by a person and a company that reaches buyers," Bennati said in a statement.
"I was a spokesperson and co-owner of BuyOwner with my sister for over 20 years in Florida and Georgia. Selling homes like mine was never the market for BuyOwner."
The three-story, Mediterranean Revival-styled residence features a gourmet kitchen with upscale Wolf appliances; a custom billiard and pub room; marble and mahogany floors; and a master suite with its own private entry, sitting area and his and hers custom walk-in closets.
A guest suite boasts fossilized travertine tiles, marble countertops and flooring, and wooden blinds.
Established in 1984, BuyOwner.com capitalized on a growing trend involving "for sale by owner" transactions that arose when the Internet gained in popularity.
Its website claims "BuyOwner.com allows you to reach the most potential buyers in the shortest amount of time, in the most effective (the Internet) and most cost effective manner (no commission!) possible."
Yet, Bennati couldn't sell his own home using his own product which claims to be "the best tool on the market".
If he does not have enough confidence in his own product (which he sells to millions), why should you as a consumer hoping to save "a few bucks"?
According to the National Association of REALTORS, “the typical FSBO home sold for $184,000 compared to $230,000 among agent-assisted home sales.”
There is so much information out there on the news and the Internet about home sales, prices, mortgage rates; how do you know what’s going on specifically in your area? Who do you turn to, to tell you how to competitively price your home correctly at the beginning of the selling process? How do you know what to offer on your dream home without paying too much, or offending the seller with a low-ball offer?
“When getting help with money, whether it’s insurance, real estate or investments, you should always look for someone with the heart of a teacher, not the heart of a salesman.” – Dave Ramsey
You wouldn’t hike up Kilimanjaro without a Sherpa, or replace the engine in your car without a trusted mechanic, why would you make one of your most important financial decisions of your life without hiring a Real Estate Professional?
