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House 2 Home business is new concept

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Saturday, July 5, 2008 10:45 PM CDT

MARION - Celia Robertson says her House 2 Home business in Marion is growing and will soon expand into Cape Girardeau.

The Herrin native has a simple business concept. She can list your house for sale on her Web site only and if you sell the house, you pay her $199. If you list your home through her House 2 Home business and still manage to sell the house yourself after having potential buyers sent to you, you pay a flat fee of $899.

"This concept is nothing new," Robertson said. "It's been going on for years in the big cities like Chicago. Southern Illinois has simply been behind the curve."

Robertson said she was working for a real estate agency as a sales rep about a year ago and became frustrated with the growing number of potential customers placing their own "for sale by owner" signs on their properties.

Last July, she launched her Web site. In October, Robertson completed the required state and national tests and became a real estate broker. Immediately thereafter, she opened House 2 Home.

Since then, Robertson said she has completed successful sales transaction for 22 homeowners from Mount Vernon to Jonesboro.

Robertson said her biggest obstacle as a new business owner is building faith and trust with the general public. It's hard, she said, for some homeowners to believe that they can receive help selling their home from anyone other than an established agency.

Bob Newman of Herrin said he is pleased with the service he has received from Robertson.

"I build and then sell houses and Celia has helped me sell two of them," Newman said. "She did a good job of keeping me informed and told me when there were parties interested in viewing my houses."

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805