When it’s time to sell your home, should you try to sell it on your own or should you list it with a licensed real estate agent? Consider the following factors to help you decide:
EXPOSURE
Real estate agents, or real estate agents, are part of an agent’s office, and each one knows of buyers who are currently in the market for a home. Your buyers are pre-qualified, meaning they’ve already seen a lender and qualified for a loan, so the buyer knows exactly how much they can afford, and so does the real estate agent. In many areas, a real estate agent won’t even show a buyer homes until they pre-qualify. The process saves a lot of wasted time on everyone’s part.
Compare this to the prospect of putting up a “For Sale” sign in your front yard and having to deal with people who will call you to talk about your house and want to walk through it, even though they may not have the resources to actually buy it. In the end, they are just wasting time.
Realtors also have contact with many people from out of town who are moving into their area. Every real estate broker in the city is frequently contacted through their website by people looking for a long-distance home. They may be coming to town soon to look for available houses for a few days. The real estate agent lines up a series of houses for them to tour that fit their criteria. One of them could be yours. But, if you’re a FSBO, that potential buyer won’t know your home is on the market until, if then, you get to town.
EXPERIENCE
A real estate agent will be able to help you set the right price to list your home based on current market conditions.
A real estate agent is a trained professional who will spend the amount of time necessary to SELL your home.
The agent understands and will take care of all the paperwork necessary to complete the buying process. The agent will also act as a liaison between you and the inspectors, the buyer’s agent, and between the attorneys, if they are involved.
Most buyers prefer to deal with a real estate agent because the agent will give them an unbiased professional opinion about a home and how it compares to other homes on the market.
Agents understand all the different types of loans and financing options. They can provide buyers with information on local lending institutions that fit their needs.
ADVERTISING
Real estate agents have many ways to advertise your home, not just a newspaper ad and a “For Sale” sign on the lawn. They also use the following ways to advertise a house:
The Multiple Listing Service
open houses
Websites like Realtor.com and Yahoo Real Estate
direct mail
newspaper inserts
Regional Real Estate Magazines
Cable TV
Word of mouth through Realtor “Caravans” where 30 or more
Realtors will tour your home and then match it with your potential buyers.
How much of this marketing muscle will you be able to flex if you do a FSBO?
SHOW YOUR HOUSE
Agents are experienced in helping you get your home in tip-top condition before prospective buyers arrive. They can help you “stage” his house to make it more like a model home that would appeal to a larger group of buyers. They know how to emphasize and focus on the good points of your home.
If you use FSBO, you’ll learn the process as you go, an expensive education when you’re trying to sell your own home.
SUMMARY
With all the time, knowledge, effort, and paperwork it takes to sell a home, you should partner with a real estate agent and save yourself headaches and frustration. Hire a professional!