Everybody enjoys saving money. Many people figure they can save money by selling a home on their own — without using a real estate agent. However, whether you’re buying or selling, you’re involved in an intricate process requiring many specialists.
Here’s a few compelling disadvantages to selling your house yourself:
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
Homeowners selling without the services of a licensed professional are treading murky waters. The truth is that even though we live in the age of information, finding out what your home is worth is not as easy as heading over to Zolo and entering your address. Part of the value that realtors bring to the table is their access to their local board’s MLS data.
Every realtor in Windsor-Essex that sells a home listed on MLS is required to enter all sales data for that transaction within days of the sale. This means that realtors can accurately see the breadth of the market and accurately determine the current value of your home in merely minutes. Fact is, unless you pay for a formal appraisal, you may not know what your home is worth.
Missed Opportunities
REALTORS® are committed to the REALTOR® code as set out by The Canadian Real Estate Association and therefore only work alongside other industry professionals who provide quality service. They have access to the most sought-after photographers, home stagers, inspectors etc. who often may only work with real estate agents or will charge more for independent sales. These connections help prepare your home for a successful sale and help market your property to a larger group of qualified buyers.
When it comes to marketing a property, you need a strong marketing plan that’s aggressive enough to expose your listing to a large population of potential buyers. A sign on the lawn is a small piece of the marketing puzzle. The “For Sale” sign needs to be seen by hundreds in order to actually produce a serious, ready, willing, and able buyer. Even if you’re home is located in a popular city or on a busy street where investors are buying houses with cash, they may not even know that you’re home exists.
The “pre-qualified buyers” are already represented by agents, that are off viewing houses that they were shown to by their agents. Agents only look on the MLS when trying to find homes for their buyers, so if your home isn’t listed on MLS, you’ve just removed a very large pool of available buyers.
Marketing on third party real estate websites like Zolo or Kijiji can offer greater exposure of your home, but be prepared to get a lot of tire kickers and “unqualified” buyers contacting you.
Your Inexperience Will Cost You
How much experience do you have negotiating closing costs, sales price, or even repairs with a home buyer? Real estate agents have much more experience and your inexperience can translate into financial losses.
Why? Real estate agents are constantly educating themselves to be better at their job; negotiating on behalf of their clients. They work hard to get additional certifications and education to perfect their skills. If a buyer is more well-versed than a seller on how and when to properly negotiate items in a real estate transaction, then you’ll be presented with less-than attractive offers.
Here are five advantages to working with me:
- Market Knowledge. I know what comparable homes in your desired neighbourhood have sold for, and the current inventory on the market. Providing you an informed perspective on a reasonable listing price and acceptable end selling price.
- Visibility and Presentation. From professional staging to high quality photos, I will present your home in a highly attractive manner that is appealing to potential buyers.
- Administration and Coordination. I take care of all the showings and open houses, allowing you to be completely hands off until it’s time to review an offer.
- Professional Real Estate Networks. I connect with others working with buyers in the neighbourhood, and present the property to those in your network, further widening the net of potential purchasers.
- Negotiation Skills. I have significant experience negotiating deals and work to get the best price for her home.
To Sum It All Up
Sure, it’s possible to sell a house on your own, but there are good reasons 85% of home owners list with a real estate agent when selling their home.
To find out more about how I can provide my wealth of experience for the sale of your home, schedule a consultation by calling or emailing me today!
