Selling your home yourself may seem like a way to save paying a real estate agent’s standard commission. So, would acting as your own seller be worth these savings? These 8 reasons may have you reconsider.
- Experienced brokers have generally been burned by people selling their own homes because these sellers did not pay the full agreed commission or they skipped on paying it at all. As the seller, be careful because of the fee the Realtor might tack on.
- Selling your home is emotional. Having an agent keeps you protected from stupid mistakes, rejection sting and negative feedback.
- Do you have the energy to answer questions and show your house 7 days a week? An agent can do all that and more all the while you’re living your life without being bothered by the nuance of buyers.
- You can list your home online, sure. But an agent has a lot more contacts to spread the word about your house. Some agents have contacts into the thousands. Do you?
- Real estate agents can figure out if someone is qualified to buy, if they’re just a dreamer or a window shopper. Agents are trained to ask specific questions that reveal the buyer’s intentions. A huge negative is a potential buyer tends to become uncomfortable when the seller shows a home.
- Do you have experience negotiating a home sale? The buyer’s agent surely does. Which means they’ll dominate the negotiation. Sellers may lack the knowledge of market conditions or local customs, which puts them at a huge disadvantage.
- You ignore the flaws in your house. Agents can spot the flaws and point out what should be fixed so potential buyers will want to buy instead of pass. A seller will have to hire someone like a good property stager, interior designer and/or a cleaning service to deep clean to bring about a show-worthy home.
- An agent would help avoid legal issues. Legal paperwork needs to be completed correctly. You could be held liable for fraud, negligence, or breach of contract if you don’t disclose the property. An agent would know more about that and if they make a mistake, they have insurance to protect themselves. Do you?
In conclusion….
Unless you have a lot of time to put into selling your house, it is worth working with an agent.
