subject: Attention: For Sale By Owners!!! [print this page] Attention: For Sale By Owners!!! Attention: For Sale By Owners!!!
Many homeowners believe that to increase their profit on a home sale they should sell it by themselves. At first glance, they feel selling a home is easy and why should I pay a broker fees for something they could do? In fact, close to 25% of all the homes sold last year were sold for Sale by owner. When you decide to list your home for sale by owner most people are motivated by the desire to save money and believe that since they have already bought or sold a home they can handle the intricate nature of a real estate transaction.
There are many benefits to working with an agent and I can't say 100% that every seller needs to list with an agent but in most cases working with an agent to sell your home will net you more money and sell your home faster than going alone.
Working with an agent allows you to utilize a professional expert advice and negotiation skills in marketing and discussing potential offers.
Most agents have a working relationship with several lenders in the area and when a buyer walks into your home and needs financing options that agent can connect them with the lender to get them financed to purchase your home.
Agents are exposed to numerous homes on a daily/weekly basis and they can use their knowledge of what's on the market to help you with tips regarding price and staging ideas to help set your home apart.
When you have your home listed with an agent that agent makes sure that any buyer brought to the home is accompanied by a licensed agent and that the buyer is pre-qualified and that they are a serious buyer. No strangers walking through your house on their own.
There are many other reasons to list with an agent but these are just a few that come to mind and I make sure to mention when I work with other For Sale By Owners. If you do decide to go forward with for sale by owner make sure you research the company and if anyone promises to put you on the MLS for a fee please take the time to research the agent/company. More agents are exploring that route and I feel that that does a disservice to a seller. The reason a seller hires an agent is to get their expertise and if all you want is the sign in the yard then that's all you will get. What happens when you have to deal with counter-offers, negotiations, inspection request and God forbid that there is a dispute after closing? If you use an agent it makes more sense to have an agent who is working for you!
Selling a home requires a solid understanding of the real estate market. If the property is priced very high, it will sit and develop a reputation for being a problem property. If the property is priced too low, you will cost yourself lots of money. Some discovered that the lost money as a result of worst decisions outweighed the commission.
