Selling Your Home, Questions You Might Ask Yourself BEFORE You Begin

So you are thinking of selling your home and you are trying to decide whether to sell it yourself, use your best friend or family member Realtor®, or hire a Realtor® that sells a lot of homes in your area.

You have a tough choice to make, but do yourself a favor and base your decision on your needs, not the feeling of personal obligations, or faulty misperceptions.  Ask yourself some important questions, so you can make a decision that works for you. Here are a few that you might think about, but add your own to help you make a well thought out and intelligent decision.

SELLING YOUR HOME YOURSELF

•1.       Do I really have the time to invest?

•2.       Do I know the market well enough to price your home appropriately?

•3.       Am I willing to allow just anyone into my home?

•4.       Do I have the marketing skills to effectively promote my home both locally and online?

•5.       Do I know how to pre-qualify potential buyers and know if they are capable of buying my home?

•6.       Am I knowledgeable about real estate contracts or know where to get assistance with this?

•7.       Am I a good negotiator?

•8.       Do I know how to prepare my home for sale?

•9.       Do I understand the details of what it takes to sell a home?

•10.   Do I understand legal risks and liabilities or know whom to contact for that information?

•11.   Can I get the best price for my home on my own that will truly save me money from hiring a real estate professional?

•12.   Do I know the facts about how a Realtor® is paid and how much they are paid?

USING A FRIEND OR RELATIVE

•1.       Do I have a good enough relationship with this person that if things get rough or don't work out, we can maintain that relationship?

•2.       Is this person going to give me the best representation possible?

•3.       Do I trust this person?

•4.       Would it be awkward for this person to know my personal information?

•5.       Am I only using this person because I feel obligated?

•6.       Will I relieve a potential nasty situation by using someone other than my friend or family member?

USING A REALTOR® THAT SELLS A LOT OF HOMES IN YOUR AREA

•1.       Will this Realtor® give me the service I am looking for?

•2.       Why is this Realtor® better than any other Realtor® in town?

•3.       Do I know for a fact that this Realtor® is especially good at selling homes in my neighborhood?

•4.       How does it help me to get my home sold, by hiring this Realtor® that has other homes for sale in my area?

•5.       Will this Realtor® market my home effectively?

•6.       Would it be better for me to interview more than one Realtor® to see what each has to offer?

•7.       Would I buy a house just because a certain Realtor® has that home listed?

•8.       Would I not buy a house just because of who it was listed with, even if I loved the home?

The truth is, there are many pitfalls to these types of choices if made without a great deal of thought. Too often, people jump into selling their homes without really considering what is truly best for their situation. And why would you do that when this is likely one of the largest transactions of your life?

If you are going to sell on your own, you need to be prepared and understand that it may not be as easy as it looks. If you are a busy person, how in the world can you afford to waste so much of your valuable time? If you don't know much about the real estate business, why risk your home and yourself with your novice expertise? Selling on your own should be thought about very carefully. Realtor®s specialize in selling homes and do it multiple times a year. They know the ins and outs of a transaction and know how to price your home. They know how to get buyers pre-qualified. Realtor®s also have the best network in town through the local MLS.  And lastly, before you forgo hiring a Realtor® just to save money, remember everyone else knows this and will want that lower price without the real estate fees. Understand that Realtor®s are really not what the media negatively portrays. The commissions earned are a lot less than you might think.

As far as using a friend or family member. This is very personal and certainly different for everyone. Just make sure you don't enter into this scenario before considering the downfalls and problems. These people mean a lot to you, and you don't want to ruin a relationship over the sale of your home.

Don't base your selection of a Realtor® on who has more signs in your area. If the Realtor® that is right for you happens to be that person, then so be it, but HOMES are sold, not the signs out front. Every Realtor® is different and should be viewed in that respect. What is good for one home seller may not be good for another just like everything in life. Give more than one Realtor® an opportunity to tell you how they can help you get your home sold. You will be surprised at the variety of marketing plans and services offered. Choose the one that you most feel will service you best and get your home sold. For example, what good is it if the Realtor® with all the signs in your neighborhood does little to no online advertising, never calls you, and has all the homes priced too high? My point is that you need to look beyond the yard signs and look directly at the individual Realtor® to really get the service you deserve.

Regardless of what you decide, decide with a well-informed mind and don't let common misconceptions trip you up. This is YOUR HOME, and YOU and YOUR home deserve the best.

Wendy Montoya, Realtor, Waco TX

Waco Residential Listing Specialist

SRS, e-PRO

http://www.WendyMontoya.com/

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Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)