Auction (might have) worked on Beechcroft

35 Beechcroft, listed on our MLS with a Greenwich broker, collected offers via an online auction company, Sparkoffer.com. I don’t know whether that helped — sales credit is given to a local Raveis agent — but it least it’s sold, for $3.6 million. No home run here: the owner paid $4.995 for it new in 2006, and originally listed it at $5.385 back in January 2018. But still, it’s sold, and that must be a relief.

I hadn’t heard of this outfit before, but checking their website I see that they claim credit for one of their co-listings, 50 Sumner Road. Their site says it sold for $3.560, our MLS records show a sales price of $3.150. Consumers prefer accurate information, as a rule.

UPDATE: Received the following note from Sparkcom’s principle, Mike Russo, which clarifies both the company’s business model and the different prices reported for Sumner’s sale:

HI Chris. Thank you for mentioning SparkOffer. For clarity, SparkOffer is NOT an auction. An auction is when something is publicly sold to the highest bidder. As in our name, SparkOffer is a residential real estate marketplace that enables buyers, sellers and agents to find, list, offer and negotiate properties completely online. Buyers offers can contain whatever terms they choose including contingencies. The seller is also free to accept, counter or reject any offer. None of which is possible at an auction. As for the 50 Sumner Rd property, the price reflected on the website is the actual price paid by the buyer per the contract.