The Iggys House Web site is live again after an extended downtime in late June and early this month, and the company is announcing plans for new service offerings.
Even after the Web sites came back online, messages at IggysHouse.com and its buyer services site BuysideRealty.com stated, "The Iggys House buyer services Web site is currently undergoing enhancements," according to messages at the sites. "Please e-mail us … if you would like us to notify you when the services are available."
The Iggys House Web site still advertises the availability of services for both buyers and sellers: The company offers to list properties on multiple listing services for free in some market areas, and offers up to 75 percent commission rebates to buyer clients.
Joseph Fox, Iggys House CEO, told Inman News on Tuesday that the company is offering free MLS listing services in 10 states and buyer rebates in two states: California and Florida, with plans to add Illinois within two weeks. That represents a downsizing: The company formerly had free MLS listing services in 20 states and offered cash rebates to buyers in six states.
The company is launching a "Classic" agent service in 10 states through which the company will offer 30 to 40 percent rebates to buyers who work with an Iggys House agent. "We are beginning to sign up agents, and we expect to begin offering this service to the consumer within 30 days," Fox said.
Fox told Inman News during the online outage that the company was "in the middle of restructuring," and some brokers for the company "are no longer with us." The prolonged inactivity of the company’s Web sites prompted several online discussions on real estate blogs and other industry-related sites, with participants questioning the future of the company.
And a couple of brokers who worked for Buyside Realty told Inman News earlier this month that they understood the company was closing its doors.
Fox told Inman News last week: "We are taking customers again, and we’ve never stopped working with our old customers. We want to be there and we will be there when the market turns. We look forward to continuing to provide these services."
The company changes have been frustrating for some sellers. Janice Dowden, a home seller who had worked with Iggys House to list her home for sale in an MLS in Texas, said she received an offer on the property just before the period in which the IggysHouse.com Web site was inactive.
"I faxed, I telephoned and I e-mailed (Iggys House) and there was no response," she said, "as did the real estate agent who was representing the buyer."
She posted details about her dilemma at the Trulia Voices question-and-answer site.
Dowden said she worked with MLS staff to change the MLS listing information about her home to "under contract" because she was unable to contact her Iggys House broker.
Since the Web site went live again, Dowden said she received a communication from the company with an apology. She said she decided to list her home with Iggys House because she sought to avoid paying typical commission costs for real estate services.
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