Do I Need a REALTOR® to Sell My Home?
You don’t need a REALTOR® to sell your home. But you should know you are better off hiring a listing agent that has a solid marketing plan in place so that your property gets the most exposure possible so that you get top dollar for your home. Seller's that forego a REALTOR® and try to save money on commission end up with a lot of headaches and leave a lot of money on the table. There are many reasons why FSBO’s (for sale by owners) either fail and or sell their home for less money. But one of the main reason being, lack of exposure. The buyer pool their home gets exposed to was much smaller than if they had used a professional REALTOR®. Here’s what a professional listing agent brings to the table:
- Accurate pricing. The market is constantly changing and pricing your home correctly is of great consequence. A listing agent will run a free (CMA) Comparative Market Analysis for your property and neighborhood. From there they will go over what your home will appraise for and provide an accurate list price for your home in today's market.
- Professional photos. A listing agent will make sure and take high-quality pictures of your property so that your property gets represented in the best light possible for all of your property's advertisements.
- Create Professional Flyers. A listing agent will design professional flyers for your listing and disburse them in your neighborhood as well as in the flyer box on the sign post.
- Open houses. A listing agent will work with your schedule and hold open houses. And the top listing agents will often have lenders at the open house to provide answers to potential buyers regarding their financing.
- Use online presence to assure your listing gets placed in front of buyers from around the world. Not to mention a REALTOR® will place your listing on the MLS exposing your home to thousands of Real Estate Agents in your market.
- Email marketing. A listing agent will take advantage of email marketing, and send your listing to thousands of investors, agents, and other professionals in their network.
- Availability. You want as many potential buyers viewing your home as possible. A listing agent will provide lock box so agents can readily show the property.
- Professional signage. A listing agent will provide and post a professional sign on your property.
- Protection and adequate disclosures. Selling a home is a major procedure, and there is a ton of paperwork that’s involved when selling a home. A listing agent will provide all the proper disclosures to make sure the seller is protected.
Now that you know what’s involved selling a home, it is easy to see why most folks hire a professional listing agent. But if you think you’re capable of doing all of that on your own, go for it. Otherwise, I would start interviewing local listing agents in your area and see who is a good fit for your property in your market.
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