When selling your home, it can be tempting to sell it yourself to avoid paying the agent's commission. After all, who wouldn’t want to save some money?
But in reality, you may lose several thousand dollars if you don't use a Realtor. An agent can help you get more for your house. Here’s how.
A Realtor Brings In More Buyers
Realtors have access to a large network where they can spread the word that your house is on the market. Although you can list your home yourself on sites like Zillow, Craigslist, and even the multiple listing service (MLS), agents have a huge sphere of influence with professional contacts whom they will alert about the new listing. By making your listing more widely known, you get a larger pool of buyers, which will lead to more competitive offers.
Even if you are not working with an agent, you will still have to deal with buyers’ agents. For those agents, it’s a hassle and a risk to try to close the deal without a professional on the seller’s side. You will also still have to pay that agent’s commission, and if you refuse, there is no incentive for the agent to show the home. For these reasons, many agents prefer not to show a home that’s for sale by owner. Without a Realtor on your side, you may lose potential buyers.
A Realtor Takes Your Emotions Out of It
Selling a home is emotional. Your feelings about your home make it easy to overprice it or feel dejected about any less-than-flattering feedback. You may be offended by a low offer and refuse to counter it, or sell too quickly because of a deadline.
This can cost you.
A Realtor can buffer any rejection or negativity. They can use that feedback to gain insight into what buyers want and help you sell your house faster without losing money. If your house sits on the market too long, it will only lower your final price.
Selling Real Estate Is a Full-Time Job
You probably have another job outside of selling your home, but Realtors sell houses full time. They can show your home while you’re not there.
Selling yourself means you either need to rush home anytime someone wants to see your house or you miss opportunities because you can’t. That’s extra stress for you, and it costs you potential buyers.
As the owner, it may be difficult for you to see your home’s flaws. Although you’ve gotten used to them, or you may not think they’re flaws, a potential buyer will see them. An agent is trained to see your home with a fresh set of eyes and to know what buyers are looking for. They can help you present your home in the best light.
Get More With a Realtor
Realtors do more than just save you time and energy. They know how to market your house and negotiate the sale.
If you sell your home without a Realtor, you have less visibility, a smaller pool of buyers, limited time, and no marketing expertise. All of these things lead to a lower selling price.
When you’re ready to sell, I would love to help you get the most for your home. Let's connect today!