Do You Need An Agent To Sell

Selling a house requires more than what most people generally imagine.  Gone are the days when everyone knew that "Joe, down the road" was selling his house and the deal would end up settled on a handshake.  While it may seem simple, so does setting up a home entertainment system from IKEA.  In fact, a real estate transaction is a very complex legal, financial and emotional process with so much involved before ever getting to the final sale itself. Only about 7% of sellers decide to attempt a "for sale by owner" (FSBO) and a portion of those who do eventually lose heart and hire an agent. Why is that?  Let's look at what to consider if you want to try to sell without representation.

Some people think they'll save by selling on their own because they'll avoid paying a commission.  The truth of the matter is that while you may save a broker fee of about 6% (more or less), broker sold homes bring in about 22% more on average than FSBO.  That extra 16% can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in your pocket, very quickly, even on moderately priced homes.

Agents have a lot to offer sellers. Agents can:

• List your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) which places it on all the major platforms so that more buyers know about your home
• Run a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) so that you know what your home is likely to sell for in the current market
• Advise you on how to stage your home to attract buyers
• Juggle phone calls, queries, showings and weed out those who are just browsing or are unqualified
• Handle negotiations on your behalf, unemotionally and methodically, to ensure you and your property get the best representation possible
• Prepare all paperwork to help protect you legally from any allegations of fraud, negligence, breach of contract and beyond (Having someone representing you who is knowledgeable in the complexities of the multiple contracts associated with property transfer is something to consider very strongly)

So, don't end up like someone sitting in the middle of their living room amidst boards and hardware ready to set an IKEA manual on fire because they got in over their head with something they imagined would be easy.  Real estate agents are skilled professionals in their field and have so much to offer. It's certainly worth sitting down and having a discussion with one to understand fully what they bring to the table before going it alone.  

Real estate questions? Reach out…I'm here to help! #justaskjillian 

Jillian A. Mills, REALTOR®

Associate Broker

ruidosojillian@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/ruidosojillian

#ruidosojillian

(915) 208-0270