Please consider giving me a call to discuss what I will offer you, and my fees, before you attempt to market your property on your own, or visit Seller Info for an overview of what I can offer you. I think the difference between having a really stellar agent and a ‘bad’ agent is of note when comparing selling on your own vs. with an agent. Please note, I am presenting the differences you can take advantage of with a GREAT agent, not someone sub par. Selling with an accomplished, extremely motivated and skilled agent will mean the commission you pay is worth it.
Potential issues with selling on your own, that I am prepared to confidentially discuss in detail with you, include the following, at minimum:
- Pricing Strategy-The minute you advertise a certain list price on your own, you have affected in some way what I will be able to ultimately secure for you. I have almost a decade of daily experience pricing homes to maximize my clients profits. Your initial list price is a very crucial factor in your overall success.
- Arms Length Transaction-Buyers typically prefer not to interact with the seller directly, and my years of real estate experience have solidified this as best over and over for me as well. I have seen some unbelievably innocent interactions turn negative quickly due to the buyer/seller speaking directly over a relatively simple aspect of a negotiation. Negotiating and interacting without a skilled facilitator creating an ‘arms length’ transaction for all involved for the entire duration of a sale, which takes 30 days minimum typically and is fraught with potential pitfalls and under tight deadlines for all steps to be completed. (One type of buyer that will not be affected as much initially by this, is the buyer that is specifically looking for a for sale by owner property because they feel they have the ability to exploit the situation to their own benefit, and some will be able to based on their past experience.) It is awkward for buyers, most of which have agents, if they are serious, to schedule showings directly with sellers also, and then have the seller there most often while they are trying to look as well.
- Contracts/Legalities/Liability– Working with a good agent will ensure that every document within the transaction is up-to-date, completed correctly, and built to protect you from liability and future issues.
- Marketing Coverage-You need to showcase your home in the absolute best way-Every character used in the description matters, every angle of every photo, the sites you appear on, the ability to instantly and effortlessly coordinate showings matters. You need to make sure every AGENT in the area sees your listing, not just the buyers searching online on their own, but every working agent needs to know what you are offering, and that requires MLS insertion, social media campaigns, professional marketing and lead generation and follow up. Tech savvy buyers need instant info, instant answers, and even small delays in the initial interest can solidify if they convert to a showing or not, then ultimately an offer.
- Financing-I have the ability to expertly advise you on the financing a buyer offers, and it takes a lot of local experience to know which loan will be most likely to get all the way to closing on each particular home.
- Inspection Negotiation-Year after year I negotiate intense inspection reports/replies on both the buyer and seller side, and every year new issues/nuances pop up. You will make or break your deal at this phase if you do not understand your own, and the buyers, legal capacity to terminate, or proceed. I have years of compounded experience understanding the issues homes have, know which contractors are available for quotes/work quickly and can be trusted, and know how to communicate very effectively with a wide variety of people to ensure this next step in negotiation continues to solidify the largest profit for you at closing.
- Closing/Deed Transfer Process-I am able to ensure your closing is handled expertly and that the documents and deed transfer are correct.
- Buyers Agent Commission-It is very common for For Sale By Owner sellers to pay the buyers agents commission, as most serious buyers have agents that they value and will bring them into the process if they want your home. This further reduces any potential savings the seller envisioned from not having an agent. You need to factor this in when understanding what the real cost is of having your own agent is vs just paying the buyers agent and negotiating/overseeing the selling side on your own.
- Safety-Interacting directly with the wide variety of communications you are likely to receive if you put your home online or market it in other manners is time consuming and can be a safely issue. As your agent I am going to ensure that you do not have to interact directly with buyers who may not even be qualified to buy your home. I can determine the financial status of leads, and then convert them to a showing for you if they are qualified, all extremely quickly and with a focus on getting as many qualified leads in your home as possible in the most timely manner, and minimizing the potential for any safety issue you may experience by lead generating and showing your home on your own.
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