Here are five reasons why it’s a bad idea to sell your home yourself.
There are many reasons why people try selling their homes themselves. One major reason is that they think they’ll save money. However, a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that FSBOs (for sale by owners) net on average 7% less than houses listed by real estate agents. Besides the price, here are the top five reasons why you shouldn’t sell FSBO:
1. Exposure. Some sellers think it’s as easy as putting a sign in the front yard and listing the property on sites such as Zillow and Craigslist. However, exposure is what will get you the largest amount of money. Here in Maricopa County, there are over 60,000 licensed agents, so when you only get a little exposure, you’ll get little results.
2. Liability. You can get basic forms online or at OfficeMax or Staples, but when you work with a licensed Realtor, you get access to forms that provide more legal protection.
3. Knowledge. When you interview a licensed real estate professional, they have knowledge from past clients and transactions to help you make the best decisions possible. They work in the industry daily, so they’ve seen every scenario.
A study conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that FSBOs net on average 7% less than homes listed by agents.
4. Safety. This is one of the most crucial reasons to work with an agent, in my opinion. When you sell on your own, you may be letting disreputable people into your home that might want to harm you or your property. Real estate professionals vet clients to ensure qualified buyers are the only people walking through your house.
5. Time. You have other things to do with your time besides selling your property like working, spending time with friends and family, or even taking a vacation.
We would love to hear your real estate questions—I may even answer them in a future video. So if you have questions about selling FSBO or any other real estate topic, call or email us. We would be happy to speak with you.