The folllowing article was written by a real estate agent named Doug Quance and we thought it was worth reading!!!

This following "top ten" list from a local "for sale by owner" website landed in my feed reader this morning. I would provide a link - but it’s not my intention to draw further attention to this particular site.  To each "point" that the author makes, I will provide a "counter-point" for your consideration.

1. You Can “Sell” Your Home Better Than Anyone Else: You know your home best and what is special about the area, as well as other details about the property. A well maintained, fairly priced home virtually sells itself.

You might know all the particulars about your home and area - but you may not know what NOT to say. You could be held legally liable for what you say to buyers!

While a well-maintained, fairly priced home virtually sells itself - you need to make sure your home can be found by the most buyers… and the most important place to get the widest possible audience is the Multiple Listing Service.

 

2. More Money in your pocket: Calculate 6% or 7% of what you think your property is worth, then ask yourself: is it worth paying this much to have someone else show my property? Chances are the answer is NO.

If Realtors did nothing but add 6-7% to the cost of selling a property while bringing no value to the transaction - there wouldn’t be very many Realtors.. and justifiably so.

In addition to the many services that Realtors bring to the table - they also deliver worldwide marketing exposure which results in the best prices for sellers.

 

3. You’re in control: You can advertise where and how you want to, schedule showings when it’s convenient, talk directly with prospective buyers, and even take your house off the market when you choose. Remember, listing a home usually requires a minimum of 6 months with a Realtor.

Realtors know where to advertise your property - and if you are serious about selling, you need to allow showings when it is convenient for the buyer… not you.

The reason why most competent Realtors require a six month listing has to do with the current real estate market absorption rate -  because we don’t want to give it away for free.

 

4. Less Hassle and Frustration: When selling by owner, you don’t have to leave the house because an agent wants to show it, or clean every morning “just in case”. You know exactly when people are coming and can prepare accordingly. When a buyer makes an offer, there is not all the frustrating back and forth phone tag between agents.

In a buyer’s market - like the one we’re in - a seller should be delighted to leave so an agent can show their home. Buyers are not easy to come by, and you only get one chance to make that first impression - so if you’re serious about selling, get that house in ship-shape and smile when an agent wants to show it.

 

5. Less Uncertainty:  Because you meet the prospective buyers, you have a much better idea how interested people are, what they like about the home, how serious they are about buying and what their time frame and situation is. The direct feedback is easier to live with than wondering how things are going, or worse why no one has made an offer yet.

You don’t get less uncertainty simply because you are dealing directly with the buyers! Do you think that a seasoned Realtor doesn’t know how to interpret a Buyer’s signals and ask the proper questions to determine how motivated the buyers are? Do you really believe the buyers are going to tell you why they don’t like your home - directly to your face?

 

6. You Can Sell Faster: If you list your home with a real estate agent, everyone knows you’ll probably inflate the asking price to cover the commission fee amount. Three to six months down the road you’ll come to the painful realization that no one is going to buy it at that price, and you will end up reducing your price ( or accepting an offer) equal to the original amount you would have asked if selling by owner. Do it right the first time, and avoid taking the loss. Pass the savings along to yourself and the buyer and sell your home quicker.

If you believe that you can inflate your asking price to cover the brokerage fee - you are mistaken. You would be equally mistaken if you believe you can inflate your asking price because you have kids in college or because you need a big down payment for your next home.

The reason why the vast majority of "for sale by owners" end up listing with a Realtor is because selling your own home is not easy… and most FSBO’s are a failure at doing it, themselves.

 

7. Show Only To Interested Buyers: You can be sure that buyers are truly interested in your property when they visit because they have personally made the effort to be there. They haven’t been dragged there by an agent using your property for comparison purposes only.

Spoken like someone who knows nothing about showing property. Agents will show your property in the interest of helping you sell it. But if they find that your home is overpriced, then yes - it will help sell another property. It’s called comparison shopping. Every educated consumer does it.

 

8. You have greater access to out–of-area buyers: Our internet site allows buyers anywhere in the world, easy access to your ad and phone number. Currently it is estimated that 1.3 Billion people have internet access.

My neighbor’s daughter has a MySpace page that anyone in the world can access… but few people can find it. If you want worldwide reach, a Realtor will have your listing on Realtor.com - as well as hundreds of other websites that pull their listings from the listing services.

 

9. It’s Easy: If you can sell your own car, you can sell your own home…it’s that simple. Once our marketing efforts locate a buyer—lenders, lawyers and title companies take over. Use our marketing resources as your best advertising resource.

Sorry - it’s not that simple. And if you believe that once a buyer is found, then the lenders; lawyers; and title companies will take over - you are sadly mistaken. Don’t get me wrong… I am not saying that you can’t sell your own home - many people do each year. If you decide to take this route, be sure you get educated in the process of selling your home. Just because someone says it’s easy - doesn’t make it so.

 

10. What is your alternative?  Listing with an agent? The “gravy train” days for agents asking 6% for listings should be dead. Understand that 9.5 out of every 10 listing agents don’t sell their own listings. So why would you even think about listing for a 6% commission. No Listing Commissions-EVER!

The reason why the so-called "gravy train" days of asking 6% aren’t over is because they never were "gravy train" days! Successfully listing and selling a property - especially in a buyer’s market - is not an easy affair.

And the reason why most agents don’t sell their own listings is the same reason why you should list with an agent. Agents are able to attract other agents who are assisting their buyer-clients in their quest for a new home - and this is done through the cooperation of the listing services.

Also, keep in mind that without an experienced agent to help guide you through the transaction - all sorts of bad things could happen. Sometimes, it’s just better to let the professionals handle your affairs!