|
Property Search
|
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, and has provided features for many media outlets
including; About.com, InternetContent.Net, and eFilmCritic.com
among others. His most recent features include contributions to
Lake Arrowhead Real Estate, a user's guide to buying
real estate in Lake Arrowhead which includes access to the
Lake Arrowhead MLS. |
|
