Selling a house is no simple task. While some homeowners opt to sell their homes on their own, known as an FSBO (For Sale by Owner), they often encounter various challenges without the guidance of a real estate agent. If you’re currently considering selling your house on your own, here’s what you should know.
The most recent Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveyed homeowners who’d recently sold their own homes and asked what difficulties they faced. Those sellers say some of the greatest challenges were prepping their home for sale, pricing it right, and properly managing the required paperwork, just to name a few.
When it comes to selling your most valuable asset, consider the invaluable support that a real estate agent can provide. By partnering with an agent, you can navigate the complexities of the selling process with confidence. Here are just a few of the many ways an agent is essential to your home sale:
- Marketing and Exposure
Effective marketing is a key piece of attracting qualified buyers to your property. Real estate agents have access to various marketing tools and platforms, including MLS listings, professional photography, virtual tours, and extensive professional networks. They can create a compelling listing that highlights your home’s best features and reaches a wider audience.
If you sell on your own, you may struggle to match the reach of agents, resulting in limited exposure and, ultimately, fewer potential buyers.
- Managing Liability and Legal Considerations
Today, more disclosures and regulations are mandatory when selling a house. And all that paperwork and all the legal aspects of selling a home can be a lot to manage. Selling a house without professional guidance exposes homeowners to potential liability risks and legal complications.
Real estate agents are well-versed in the contracts, disclosures, and regulations necessary during a sale. Their expertise helps minimize the risk of errors or omissions that could lead to legal disputes or delays.
- Negotiations and Contracts
Negotiating the terms of a home sale can be challenging, especially when emotions are involved. You may find it overwhelming to navigate these negotiations alone. Without an agent, you assume this responsibility on your own. This means you’ll have full accountability for working and negotiating with:
- The buyer, who wants the best deal possible.
- The buyer’s agent, who will use their expertise to advocate for the buyer.
- The home inspection company, who works for the buyer.
- The home appraiser, who assesses the property’s value to protect the lender.
Another consideration. Most For Sale By Owners do so for one of two reasons, maybe both:
- The seller wasn’t impressed by the agent(s). The seller may be thinking, “If they can do it, I can too.” With 87% of real estate agents failing within the first couple of years of getting into the business I would agree.
- Both buyer and seller are trying to save the same commission. The 2nd reason to be a For Sale By Owner is to save the Realtor’s commission. However, it’s been my experience, the buyer is trying to save the same dollars by submitting a lower offer. Bottom line? Both can’t save the same commission dollars.
- Bonus reason. Sellers have often said their lawyer can do it for a lot cheaper. When I inquired how much their reply is normally an hourly dollar. BUT, if I inquire from the lawyer what is your average fee for the complete sale process they’ll quote a much higher amount. Typically, that higher amount is not much different from the listing Realtor’s commission. Note too, that lawyers aren’t experts at pricing. They know the law, but they probably don’t know accurate market values.
Rather than going toe-to-toe with all these parties alone, lean on an expert. Real estate agents act as intermediaries, skillfully negotiating on your behalf and ensuring that your best interests are protected. They have experience in handling tough negotiations, counteroffers, and contingencies. When you sell your house yourself, you’ll need to be prepared to manage these vendors on your own.
- Pricing and Housing Market Knowledge
Determining the right asking price for your property is crucial. It requires in-depth knowledge of the local real estate market, including recent sales data, neighborhood trends, and the current demand for properties. Real estate agents have access to comprehensive market data and the expertise to analyze it accurately. Many times I’ve heard sellers say, “My neighbor X accepted an offer of $X for his house. Yet, when I research I discovered that neighbor X actually received a lot less, or neighbor X failed to mentioned the seller concessions he contributed to the buyers.
When you sell your house on your own without this comprehensive information, you risk overpricing or underpricing your home. This can result in an extended time on the market and also the risk of leaving money on the table – which decreases your future buying power. An agent is a key piece of the pricing puzzle.
Bottom Line
While selling a home on your own might seem appealing at first, the challenges that come with it can quickly become overwhelming. The expertise that a real estate agent brings to the table is vital for a successful sale. Instead of tackling it alone, make sure you have an expert on your side.
Much of this article was written by Keeping Current Matters. Tom Slupske added his personal experiences.