Sellers often find themselves asking the question, “Why should I pay thousands in commissions when it seems so easy to sell myself?” Are agents guilty of making the task of selling a home look too easy?, You bet! There are many self help books published for people who want to sell their homes themselves. I would have to write my own book, or at least recommend a few good books myself, if a seller was adamant about trying it themselves. I think its a smart idea to read one or two, even if a seller had already at some point sold their home successfully without the help of a real estate agent. It might be harder then ever in a buyers market to save all this money, however.
In this crazy uncertain market I’m continually amazed when I see a home that was previously listed with a broker which failed to sell become a for sale by owner without a price drop. Certainly, a price drop equal to the amount of the commission is what most buyers expect. Is it advisable to try to sell your home yourself if you have a limited time frame?
As an agent myself, I certainly advocate a seller who would like to save the commission so long as they have patience and a knowledge of the real estate transaction process. In the absence of a good Realtor, I would advise that they also seek out a good real estate attorney.
An astounding percentage of privately sold homes end up in some kind of legal action, usually arising from some sort of failure to disclose certain latent defects or misrepresentations. I read a report published by researchers from the National Association of Realtors which stated that in a certain year there were as many as 40%. Another staggering statistic, which most sellers are unaware of, is that nationally, for sale by owner sellers net 16- 20% less without an agent. If your wondering why, read on… (more…)
