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For Sale By Owner vs. Realtor
Why Choosing a Realtor to Sell Your Home Could Save You More Than Just Time!
Only Realtors are Allowed Access to the MLS
If you choose to sell your home by yourself, you are not allowed to use the MLS; or Multiple Listing Service. Only real estate agents are allowed to use these services because of licensing agreements with the organizations involved. You can run advertisements in various local newspapers at your cost, you can put advertisements on various free Internet sites, and you can put a sign in your yard. But chances are, your home will not get the advertising exposure that it might get with the MLS. Moreover, you will have to pay for any advertising you book, whereas a realtor pays for all of your advertising costs up front, which means no out of pocket costs for what might be an already stretched moving budget.
Buyers Will be Unrepresented
Because they will not receive any compensation for the sale, and because a For Sale By Owner transaction can involve more problems than a listed home, most agents will have nothing to do with a house listed as "for sale by owner." That means that you would be dealing with an unrepresented buyer, which makes it more difficult to qualify that buyer. This could present serious problems and complications for your sale if you are inexperienced.
Inaccurate Asking Price
Selling your own home also brings the possibility of over-pricing your home, or even worse, under-pricing your home. A real estate agent is typically much more familiar with the market conditions and the likely selling price of a home like yours. As a result, they are more apt to be able to offer you a good estimate on your home?s value, which is likely to attract more buyers in less time than an over-priced home would.
Buyers
Often Feel Uncomfortable with the Seller Present
Another reason to list with a professional real estate agent is because many buyers feel intimidated in a home sale situation with the seller present. This is particularly true during the initial showing of the home. Buyers typically feel uncomfortable about discussing the positive and negative aspects of the home while the owner can hear the conversation. An agent offers a buffer zone for both the buyer and the seller, which can cause less intimidation.
Legal Issues
There are also many legal snags involved in real estate. Selling your home through an agent will prevent you from falling into legal problems before, during, and after the sale. Once the sale is finished, it is finished. You do not have to worry about legal issues once you are done. This can provide great peace of mind for both the buyer and the seller.
A Realtor is Working for You at All Times
But assuming that none of the above issues apply to you, the most obvious reason for choosing a Realtor to sell your home is because every time you leave your house, you?ve just taken your home off of the market! A Realtor, on the other hand, is paid to be ?on-call.? They will show your home on short, or sometimes no notice, regardless of whether you are there, or not.
About the Author: Chris Parry is a successful freelance writer and journalist, His most recent features include contributions to http://www.lake-arrowhead-real-estate-4u.com - A User's Guide to Buying real estate in Lake Arrowhead.
Source: www.isnare.com
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