FSBO vs. Hiring a Houston Real Estate Agent - 7 Points to Ponder

Selling a home isn't easy, especially now.  Yet some homeowners believe they can stick a "for sale" sign in the ground and have the house off the market within a few days. 

While FSBO (For Sale By Owner) sales do occur, four out of five homeowners still use a Houston real estate agent.  Why?  Because selling your home on your own is hard work, and even more importantly, statistics prove that real estate agents get homes sold faster and for more money than FSBOs. 

 If you're not sure what you should do, here are a few things to think about:

 FSBO

Sometimes, for sale by owner purchases are a good deal for the homeowner.  That doesn't mean you should just jump in, however.  FSBO might be a good thing for you if:

1. It's a seller's market
2. You don't care how long it takes
3. You are unwilling to pay the typical real estate agent commission
4. You have a good attorney who can keep you protected for the legal aspects
5. You have the time to learn how to do it, answer the phone and provide open houses
6. You're comfortable negotiating
7. You're confident you can price your home correctly

Real Estate Agent

Although you will have to pay your agent a commission, there are some definite benefits to hiring one:

     A good agent can help you price your home correctly.

1. They have an abundance of resources to help find buyers, get the best price and get your home sold.
2. They make sure the potential buyer can actually afford it.
3. They're good at negotiating and aren't emotionally invested in the sale.
4. If for no other reason, they're interested in getting the highest price possible because of their commission.
5. They put in several hours a day, that you may not have available, to get your home sold.
6. They have advertising resources, such as real estate magazines, that you may not be able to touch (or afford). 

A Houston real estate agent may not be the best way to go for you.  On the other hand, you may not have the necessary information and time required for FSBO.  Before going one way or the other, take the time to really look at both sides and decide which works well with what you expect from the sale of your home. 

If you've tried to go the FSBO route, and it didn't work out, or if you know FSBO isn't for you, I can help.  Call me at 713-623-5195 or email me at chempel@securemortgagecompany.com for more information

Links:

1.  Seller's market

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sellers-market.htm

2.  Good agent

http://www.ftc.gov/bc/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/zrea01.shtm

3.  Real estate magazines

http://www.world-newspapers.com/real-estate.html