Should You List Your Home Without A Real Estate Agent's Help?
Although many homeowners opt to contract with a real estate agent to sell their home, there are others who attempt to take on the challenge themselves. There are risks associated with selling the home yourself, including the possibility that fewer people will see your home. If you are thinking of selling your home without the help of a real estate agent, here is what you need to know.
What Are the Risks?
Real estate agents bring experience to the table. They know what it takes to drive traffic to your home. Through the use of colorful listings and networking with other agents, they can make sure your home is seen by as many people as possible. If you choose to sell without a real estate agent, you run the risk of losing out on potential buyers. Fewer people could see your home, which could mean your home will sit on the market longer.
There is also the possibility that your home will sell for less than expected. Your home needs to be competitively priced to receive reasonable offers. Unfortunately, some homeowners tend to price based on the wrong factors, such as emotion. The result is often fewer bids and being forced to accept a lower offer.
In addition to these risks, there is the possibility that your contract with a buyer will fall through. One of the responsibilities of a real estate agent is ensuring that the accepted offer is solid. Unless you are familiar with the criteria that real estate agents look at, you could end up accepting a weak offer that does not result in closing.
What Can You Do?
If you are still planning to sell your home without a real estate agent, there are a few things you need to do to protect yourself. You can start by checking out the homes in your area that have recently sold. Look for ones that are similar in size and amenities to yours. You want to choose a listing price that is close to what the homes originally listed for.
You also need to declutter your home and take good pictures for the listing. Even though you are trying to do the entire process yourself, you should consider hiring a photographer to get the best pictures for your listing.
Before committing to selling your home yourself, meet with a real estate agent. He or she can further discuss the benefits that working with a professional can bring and even help you get started on the road to listing your home.
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