By: David N. Slavin, ABR,SRES www.SellMyHouseDave.com www.FortBendHomeFinder.com
The short answer is NO. You do not need a Realtor to sell real estate. If you decide to sell your house on your own, it is called a FSBO (For Sale By Owner - pronounced Fizbo). There isn't any law that says you have to use an agent to sell.
With that said, you need to understand and be willing to perform the tasks that an agent would be doing for you. Many people think that all they have to do is put a sign in the yard, maybe place an add in the newspaper and the buyers will be lining up. Just relax and the house will sell itself and all you need to do is put your feet up an wait. This is just flawed thinking.
The truth is that by using a Realtor your home will usually sell more quickly than as a FSBO. By using a Realtor your home will statically sell for more money than as a FSBO. By using a Realtor you will take most of the hassle and stress out of the transaction and selling process than as a FSBO. For many people, this last point is worth every dollar the Realtor makes just so they won't have to deal with the hassle and stress. Buyers also know that as a FSBO you aren't paying any commission so they should get a better deal. Now how good are your negotiating skills? Realtor are trained to help you negotiate.
How much would you spend to advertise your house to get the buyers to come? If you hire a professional Realtor, the advertising costs are paid by them and costs you nothing. Newspapers won't be the only place your house will advertised when you use a Realtor. Many agents will have your house on 10, 20, 30 or more different websites as well as many other forms of advertising plus networking with other agents to get the word out about your house. Now how much is this worth to you? In today's market, many agents housing inventory is taking longer to get sold. If an agent is doing all of this advertising, networking and web presence and it is still taking time to get homes sold, how do you think you'll be able to get your house sold quicker. All you'll do is save the agent commission but you'll be giving it up to the buyer and you'll be paying for your own advertising and expenses.
Basically, as a FSBO you think your going to be saving the commission, statistically you'll be coming out with a lower bottom line than is you just hired a professional in the beginning. One thing my parents always taught me, "Do what you do for a living and do it well and let the specialist do what they do for a living and make sure they do it well." This is so true. I wouldn't think of performing my own surgery unless I was a doctor, fixing my pipes unless I was a plumber, or sell my own house unless... You get the picture.
Call a professional and EXPECT them to earn their commission... and they will!
Comments(7)