What value do you think that an ex-agent, now employed in some other industry, has to offer when they represent themselves by owner?  We've been loosing 100+ members in our board annually since 2005.  that is 20% of our membership.  Some exiting agents want to sell their home by owner.  If you were one of those agents would you be a FSBO or would you work with a full time agent and a brokerage? 

No matter how skilled or world renowned a lawyer may be they don't represent themselves in court.  What about real estate agents?  A local city attorney was arrested on criminal charges and hired a lawyer.  He assisted with the preparation of his case, compiled case law, and discussed the legal merits of a point of law that affects his case.  He put hundreds of hours of research into his case and could easily have prepared Motions, but he didn't represent himself. 

We've lost about 1% of "value" per month since January 2006.  Some property has been reduced even more.  If a FSBO is on the market for 1 year on their own they've lost 12% of their value.  The home could have been priced 5% under value a year earlier and sold a year earlier saving the home owner all of those interest payments on their mortgage. 

Consider these areas:

1.  Emotional involvement tied to the sale 
2.  Pricing
3.  Showings
4.  Potential to telegraph motivation (demeanor, body language or voice)
5.  Responding to offers and counter offers
6.  Internet marketing
7.  ForSaleByOwner.com as MLS access
8.  Marketing associated with a local brokerage and / or a franchise
9.  The concept that knowledge is power and the party that knows more is more likely to "win" in a negotiation. 
10.  Would the buyer or buyer's agent have an advantage working directly with a seller.

Maya Thomas
REALTOR®
(305) 522-1398
Maya@RealEstateFloridaKeysInfo.com
http://www.floridakeysrealestatemayathomas.com/
http://www.myspace.com/topkeysrealtor