When selling your home, you might be tempted to try to do it yourself by using the For Sale By Owner method, but this may not be the best option depending on your circumstances. If you are considering selling your home without an agent, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the For Sale By Owner method before deciding. Use this realtor vs. FSBO guide to learn what makes real estate agents better than For Sale By Owner sellers.
Agents Avoid Emotional Sales
It’s an unfortunate yet often overlooked fact of real estate: not everyone is rational about buying and selling a home. Some sellers, desperate to sell their homes as quickly as possible, can fall prey to hyper-inflated listings or home staging tactics that drive buyers away. Realtors work on behalf of their clients—not themselves—which means they’ll look out for you during negotiations and price negotiations for sale.
Real Estate Is a Full-Time Job
Buying and selling a home is a big deal, and there are lots of people who make it their full-time job. An experienced real estate agent knows how to navigate all of the unexpected twists and turns that come with purchasing or selling a home. If you don’t have time to be an expert in real estate, or you need some help along the way, working with an agent can give you peace of mind that you’re in good hands.
Agents Access Large Networks
Agents have access to large networks of potential buyers. That means they can sell your home faster than someone who doesn’t have access to these networks, saving you time and money in listing fees.
Agents Do All the Work
You can hire a real estate agent so that they do all of the legwork in selling your home for you. If repairs or updates are needed, they’ll get them done and save you money on the commission since it won’t cost anything extra for their service.
Weeding Out Unqualified Buyers
When you list your home For Sale By Owner (FSBO), you invite anyone and everyone to come in, look around, and potentially make an offer on your home. If you’re not careful, your property could end up attracting a number of interest-only buyers who are simply looking for a good deal—but don’t have any money. Unqualified buyers can be time-consuming, slow down your sale process, and lead to headaches down the road. A real estate agent works with qualified buyers only—those serious about buying—and can weed out all potential lowballers.
Price Negotiations Take Skill
Real estate agents have more incentive to negotiate for you because they get paid a percentage of every dollar your house makes after you sell it. For Sale By Owner sellers often end up underpricing their homes since they’re trying to get rid of them. Real estate agents work hard for their money and aren’t going to let you leave thousands on the table.
Exposure to Legal Risks
Most cities and states require you to obtain a real estate license to sell the property. The For Sale By Owner (FSBO) method works fine most of the time, but you could be personally liable if there is a legal dispute. When you hire a professional realtor, you won’t have to worry about this. Even if your realtor doesn’t assist in closing, they’re on hand to give referrals and provide guidance on aspects of home-selling that are outside your expertise.
