For Sale By ..... Realtor?

It’s probably the first thing you consider when getting ready to sell your home.  Sell it yourself?  Or list with an agent.  Here are just a few reasons why listing with an agent trumps selling it yourself.  

POTENTIAL BUYERS - Have you ever walked through a home being shown by the owner? Normally, it’s a little uncomfortable. It can be a awkward perusing through a stranger’s personal space knowing that they are within ear-shot. Plain and simple, it’s more comfortable looking at a home without the seller present. Not to mention, a realtor can show your home when it is convenient for the BUYER – which means MORE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT YOUR HOME. Let’s face it, more traffic means more potential buyers!

PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE - A GOOD realtor (notice my choice of words?) will educate you on all the aspects of the current market that could influence your sale: current market conditions, property values, mortgage rates, insight into local economy, etc. A major benefit of using a realtor is their ability to view your home through objective, professional eyes. They know what sells and what is trending. They can offer invaluable tips for improvements to your home that could pay off big in the end. Also, having a realtor on your side once you have a buyer can be a game changer. They can negotiate your contract and know the ins and outs of local real estate regulations.

NETWORKING - A realtor can gain your listing so much exposure!  Find a brokerage that offers a great marketing strategy.  Exposure to a large audience gains you more traffic.  As stated above, MORE TRAFFIC MEANS MORE POTENTIAL BUYERS. 

There are plenty of other reasons to list with an agent rather than try to sell your home yourself.  Only about 9% of sellers choose to sell their home without the assistance of a realtor.  Mainly because they don't want to pay the realtor's commission.   A typical commission is 6% of the sale price.  More times than not, though, the benefit of hiring a realtor far out-weighs the cost of commission.