A quick search online will provide you with numerous “Pros and Cons” lists for hiring a Realtor to sell your home. I’m not attempting to reinvent the wheel with this blog post, the arguments for and against REALTORs are pretty much the same as they’ve always been. What I’ve addressed below is how Andy Werner & Associates responds to some of the most common reasons that sellers want to be FSBOs.

You want to save money. 

As REALTORS, we are constantly fighting against the misconception that all we are all mustache twirling villains hoping to sell your home at a rock bottom price so that we can make a hasty getaway with our commission check. For our Team, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Approximately 80% of our transactions are referrals from past clients, friends and colleagues. Not many REALTORs can say that! We are able to maintain this high number because we consistently sell our clients homes for top dollar.

We know that in this economy every dollar counts and we understand the belief that selling your home yourself will amount to massive savings. This option works for some experienced sellers but what is your time worth?  Prior to listing your own home you should ask yourself the following questions,

 - Where will you advertise? Online? Sure, but what websites provide the most exposure? As a FSBO, your home will not be listed in the MLS which means it will not appear in internet searches for many buyers. In addition to listing your home in the MLS, Andy Werner & Associates will post your home on dozens of other websites, send print mailings announcing your listing and provide you with a dedicated website and 24 hour 800# just for your home!

 - How will you qualify buyers? Are you prepared to follow up with potential buyer’s lender to see if they are qualified? Are you sure your home qualified for that buyer’s specific loan program? If a purchaser is not properly qualified up front, settlement delays or loss of the contract could cost you thousands in additional mortgage payments as you search for another buyer. Prior to bringing you a contract we will check with the buyer’s lender and make sure that the loan application process is well underway and that the loan officer has verified the information provided by the purchaser. There are many things in a Real Estate transaction that cannot be predicted but due diligence early on will save time and money later.

 - Are you familiar with the sales contract and closing process? Do you know what you are required to disclose about your property? You might not think it's a big deal that a small amount of water comes under your back door during torrential rain but you'd be wrong not to tell potential purchasers about it! The average sales contract for a home in Montgomery County MD exceeds 50 pages. That is 50 pages of instructions, conditions and consequences. We live in a litigious world and mistakes such as delaying an escrow deposit or failure to respond promptly to a buyer’s home inspection addenda can be disastrous and cost a seller thousands of dollars.

No one knows your home like you do.

Absolutely, but no one knows your local Real Estate market like we do. Most homes need some degree of sprucing up prior to going on the market. Should you paint and replace the carpet? Maybe you just need someone else to explain to your spouse that their ventriloquist dummy might freak people out, or that the living room would look larger if their clown figurine collection was in storage – our Accredited Home Staging Professionals can do that! It can be difficult to price your own home because you have an emotional and financial attachment that is nearly impossible to completely set aside. As Real Estate Professionals we know how your home stacks up against the competition in your area. Andy Werner & Associates has over 70 years of combined Real Estate experience in Montgomery County and the surrounding areas. It’s our job to know that the house down the street doesn’t have an addition but that they do have updated bathrooms, hardwood floors and a first floor master bedroom. We bring you the information you need to make the right choices for your transaction. This brings us to…

You want to be in complete control of your transaction.

Our sellers are always in control. We act on your behalf and in your best interest alone. Nothing happens without your say-so. PERIOD.

If you are considering selling your own home, call us today for a no obligation in home consultation. We’d like to opportunity to discuss your goals and address any concerns you may have about hiring us as your REALTORs. We’re not interested in convincing you of the merits of hiring ANY Real Estate Agent. Our interest is in showing how our Team can meet your specific needs. Our clients resoundingly agree that hiring Andy Werner & Associates was money well spent!