The housing market is hot, inventory is limited, why not list for sale by owner?
Why not save yourself the commission? What could possibly go wrong? How hard can it be to list for sale by owner? Here are the answers to those questions and more:
- If you list for sale by owner, your home will not appear in the multiple listing service. Most buyers have agents that are using the MLS to search for homes, so they won’t find yours.
- Who will photograph your home? Professional real estate photographers are expensive, and very necessary to capture the unique features and flow of your home to attract buyers. A real estate broker arranges and pays for all of this in advance, and a great broker preps your home for the 3+ hour photography session, making sure your rooms look their best.
- How and where will you market your home? Who will design, print and create the marketing materials and signage needed to draw traffic to your home? Real estate brokers pay for all of this up front on your behalf and have experienced professionals on staff to handle everything.
- Listing for sale by owner means you have to answer all of the phone calls, answer all of the questions, and be present for every showing. Also, you won’t have a key box to allow agents and their buyers to see your home when you aren’t available.
- Who will advertise, promote, prepare for and run your open house? An experienced Real Estate Professional understands personal safety and the security of your belongings and knows how to attract potential buyers to your open house.
- How will you price your home? If you price it too high, no one will look at it, too low and you will lose money. A Real Estate Broker knows your local market and pricing trends; this enables them to price your home to sell quickly and for the highest price. Statistically, homes sold through agents sell faster and for more money than homes listed for sale by owner.
What are the key advantages to having a Real Estate Broker sell your home?
In addition to handling the challenges listed above, your Real Estate Broker provides you with the following advantages:
- You get the knowledge and experience of a trained and licensed specialist.
- They will provide you with the best advice and a clear path to reach your goals.
- Required continuing education keeps them up-to-date on housing issues you might not be aware of and that could negatively impact your sale.
- A Broker knows how to deal with buyers, their agents and how, what, and when to negotiate.
- They know and understand state required disclosures so they can look out for your best interests.
- Brokers have the knowledge and experience to overcome the typical snags that occur in all real estate transactions and closings.
- They know all of the best resources – bankers, home-stagers and contractors – to make your sale go as smoothly as possible.
Your Real Estate Broker is working for you to make your transaction successful, they don’t get paid until they get your home sold. If you list your home for sale by owner, you’ll be competing against all of the other sellers in your area that have Real Estate Brokers by their sides. Are you sure that listing your biggest investment for sale by owner is in your best interest?
Have more questions? Give us a call, we’d love to help.
Learn more about Mindy Hibbard Real Estate.