A lot of folks think that Realtors work for free and they take tons of money to promote a property.  (How those two things could possibly be true at the same time is a mystery.)  But if it were true, that Realtors work for free, that would be a great deal for the homeowner.  If it were true that selling a house was easy, more folks would be doing it.

Selling your home without a Realtor could actually cost you money.  Why is that?  Because the buyers searching out For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) are looking for a bargain.  They don't just want to save money on commissions but they want a bargain too.

So if you have a home that should be listed for $200,000 and a Realtor charges $X the seller thinks, I can sell this on my own and save $X.  So comes along the buyer, who takes the price the seller has determined, and takes $X more off, which is what they determine the seller would pay if it was listed, and make an offer.  In the buyers mind the seller is netting what they could have gotten if they were using a Realtor. 

You have probably heard the phrase, "An attorney who represents himself has a fool for a client."  The reason this is because usually if someone is personally involved they usually makes mistakes.

If the negotiations turn into a ratified agreement the seller has to do all the work in ordering the inspections, drafting the property documents etc...

The Realtor brings to the table a sense of objectivity.  If a seller uses a Realtor the Realtor does all the negotiations for you.  Realtors have been trained to negotiate.  Most folks sell less then ten homes in their lifetime.  Successful Realtors sell hundreds and thousands.  Doesn't it make sense to rely on an expert?

If that is not a good enough reason, here is another one:  Realtors have more available resources.  Selling homes is a numbers game.  The more buyers you can get through the door the more likely you are going to sell your home for the most money, with the least amount of inconvenience to you.  Realtors get the most exposure on the homes we list.  Homeowners do not have the marketing tools that a professional has.

I personally market all over the internet.  My market is global.  I have a database that grows in the hundreds every month.  I talk to several people all over the country every day who want to buy or sell and are considering relocating to this area. 

So in other words the seller who is selling their home FSBO is missing out on the best, cream of the crop buyers.  This is a perfect example of how professional marketing tools can get more exposure for a house and therefore a higher price.

If you or anyone you know is interested in buying or selling real estate or relocating to the Central Virginia area, give me a call, text me or email me.  I would be happy to show them how I can expose their property to the best buyers and show buyers the best homes in the area.