Courtesy – Sean Dreilinger’s photostream at Flickr.com
This is an article for DIY people who don’t like to get involved with middlemen when it comes to fixing things up. It doesn’t go for everything, but it certainly is useful for people who are trying to sell their homes on their own. Though it may seem romantic and novel in the beginning, trying to sell a home without consulting a realtor is not a very good thing. Not only will it get your harried and worried, but you will also feel that you are not getting the price you deserve. Are you trying to save money by not hiring a realtor? Think again!
It is true that you might have heard your best friend saying that he just sold his house a whopping price. Find out more. To whom did he sell it? Ten to one, the chances are that he sold his house to someone he knew well. The buyer would have also known the house, the property, the value for both and hence gave the price they deserved. But that doesn’t qualify you as a FSBO, or a For-Sale-By-Owner bargain.
Here are other reasons why you shouldn’t try selling on your own:
Lesser reach
Another problem with selling your home without the help of a realtor is that you wont be able to get the connections. You can advertise in the local newspaper, the internet and even put a ‘For Sale’ in the front yard of your home, but if you want to get a good buyer, only a realtor can help you. Agents do not promote sellers who try to sell the homes on their own and such sellers do not have a wider reach.
Buyers get intimidated
Most buyers feel a bit intimidated when they see a seller during the home inspection process. They prefer to have a realtor with whom they can openly convey their feelings about the house. The buyers would like to get an honest reprisal about the positive and negative points about the house and the seller’s presence may deter that. Sellers get too emotional when somebody is viewing their house and property and they may not be able to give an honest reprisal.
Pricing the house
If you are pricing your house (whether you are selling it or not), how much would you rate it? If you have a realtor friend check the amount with him and see if the prices tally. You will see that the price you have put to your home is much more than the actual value. Similarly, most buyers would feel that you are overpricing your home, so it is better to hire a realtor. If your house has been in the market for too long then that will make your prospective buyers too cautious. They will begin to wonder why your house hasn’t been sold for so long.
Using multiple listing services
Real estate agents can make use of multiple listing services when they put a house for sale. The exposure that your house will get when you are putting it up for sale is very wide and more buyers would be exposed to your home. True, you can use services like Craigslist to advertise your home, but first you need to identify what kind of visitors come there. Don’t waste your money on services that don’t pay.
Closing delays
Finding a buyer is one, closing the sale is another. There might be countless paperwork, unexpected snags and delays when you are closing the deal, to avoid that you can get in touch a realtor. With their experience in the field, they can most definitely help you close the deal much quicker than you expect.