Of course you can... My question would be why would anyone want to...

     What a great way to say it, Richard.  

    Yes, I can do minor repairs on my cars... but I'm going to a mechanic for serious problems.  I can cook like a pro.  Until it comes to sushi, or French sauces.  Then, I'm going to Lucy Ho or La Provence!

hahaha, I'm going to eat out more.  I'm going to tell Donald we need to leave the cooking to the professionals. LOL

Great points.  Trust me however, if I am going to have major work done that requires trained professionals you can be that is the way I will turn.  Likewise, real estate typically involves the largest financial assest for most folks.  

There is some more buzz in the industry about self-service and "a la carte" but in the end selling a home requires more expertise that just signing a contract.  Nicely put Richard.

FEATURED IN BANANATUDE

Richard, True!  However, I wish that those willing to sell without an agent would still recognize the importance of being willing to work with (and pay) an agent who is ready to bring them a qualified buyer.  Bill

Richard, nice job with this. Usually it's only after a DIYer has run into a problem that they say, I should have hired a professional!

The biggest thing in listing with an agent is that MLS/internet marketing exposure.  The second best thing is their expertise.  If you need these things to sell your house, then it is best to hire a professional even if it costs some money. 

Yes you can, but the question is will you get what you should have, and will there be obstacles that hinder you that an agent would have seen a mile away?

Richard, one of my sisters did a great job of getting her own home sold quickly and for top dollar.  That was before there was a pro in the family.  Last time she let me do it.  Since her first try, the market has gotten a little more complicated.  But I'm sure that in the future, she might try again.  And like it does for a lot of sellers, it could work for her, too.

Why isn't this post featured? This is right on for those considering for sale by owner.

Hi Richard - I'm with Chris Ann; why isn't this post featured?!  There is value in a service such as real estate, just as there is in my service.  Really, anyone can do what we do but with our level of experience, it is highly unlikely that they can do it as proficiently as we can.

Richard, several years ago I was having excrutiating pain in my right side. I did a little research and was able to determine that I probably had a gallstone. When I went to the doctor, I told him I thought I had gallstones. He asked where I got my medical degree. I, of course said, WebMD. Well, guess what? I was right. However, when it came time to remove those gallstones, I went to the hospital and had a surgeon do the job. My point--there are many things that can be researched on the web but actually doing it is better left to the professionals.

Hi, Richard!  You can find this post on today's "Last Week's Favorites".

And you do your business very well. Beyond my level of skill? is what a consumer should be asking himself.

Richard - perfect example.  I can do certain things ok but a professional in that area can give me results beyond my own expectations.  That is true with a Realtor.

Yes, you're right - of course they COULD, but should they?  

Excellent post - we all have choices, after all.

Folks think they know a  lot more than they really know due to all the information on the web.  I think the NAR ads do not educate folks on the value of hiring a profesional to assist them.  

Richard Weisser - one thing is for sure, Doctors cannot do surgery on themselves (just kidding!).

We are in a service industry and we should be paid for what we do! And if the consumers think they don't want to, well, have fun! They can - however, it won't be as good as what a PRO would do - most of the time.

Great points!  I just took my vacumm cleaner to the shop, because I didn't know how to tune it up.  It works like its brand new again.  We go to professionals for  a reason!

Well done Richard. You are right some can do it and some can not. We have here  a large second home market. Most settlers  usually find that second homes are very hard to sell from a distance.

Good morning Richard,

I just came over from Patricia's post highlighting your post. I'm still not sure why it is not featured! Well done...I firmly believe "I do what I do best and hire the rest!"

The key in all of these situations is simply knowing your limitations and comfort level.

Good morning, Richard Weisser what a great post.... someone missed this one when selecting features.... the bottom line here is yes, they can sell but many will get a sale price of less than if they had listed with an agent and many will get themselves in th middle of a legal battle ....and all they needed to do was pay a "modest commission" to avoid all problems....

well said!  as one of my favorite Bible verses says "everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial" 

Hi Richard, what a great blog with lots of analogies about our service.

Spot on.  I'm giving a talk this week on "Outsourcing", which you now give me the change to link to again.

Lots of those things I can do on my own too, but I'll draw the line on surgery.  That, I won't even try.

Richard:

You do more than I would.  But I think a lot of people think in the current market that anyone could sell their own home.  Not true.  there are so many elements of a sale that we know that a home owners does not know.  We have the expertise necessary to take a sale to concludion.  Not everyone can do that.

Richard, i agree, it depends.  Like you, I am a do it yourselfer.  I don't like to pay for services that I don't need.  That being said, you won't find me crawling around on the roof of my two storey house cleaning the gutters.  Somet hings are worth the money to offset the risk.

If only I had a ranch...

Love it! That is exactly right. It's a business decision. Sometimes people make the right decision and sometimes they do not. It's good to know they have a choice.