Why Selling Your House with a Real Estate Professional is Essential S
elling your house is no simple task. ensure your house is viewed by the most And when you sell on your own – buyers. Without access to these tools and known as a FSBO (or For Sale by Owner) your agent’s marketing expertise, your – you’re responsible for handling some of buyer pool – and your home’s selling pothe more difficult aspects of the process tential – is limited. without the expert guidance you need. 3. Understand the Documentation, InThe 2021 Profile of Home Buyers and cluding the Fine Print Sellers from the National Association Today, when a house is sold, more disof Realtors (NAR) surveys homeowners closures and regulations are mandatory, who recently sold their house on their meaning the number of legal documents own and asks what difficulties they faced. to juggle is growing. It’s hard to underThose sellers say some of the biggest stand all the requirements and fine print headaches are prepping their house for (especially if you’re not an expert). That’s sale, pricing it right, and handling the re- why your advisor is an invaluable guide. quired paperwork. Your agent knows exactly what needs to Working with an agent is the best way to happen, what all the paperwork means, ensure you have an expert on your side and can work through it efficiently. They’ll to guide you at every turn. Agents have help you review the documentation and the skills and knowledge that are essen- avoid any costly missteps that could haptial to navigating each step with ease, ef- pen if you tackle it on your own. ficiency, and accuracy. Here are just a few 4. Act as Your Expert Negotiator things a real estate agent will do to make If you sell without an agent, you’ll also sure you get the most out of your sale. be solely responsible for all negotiations. 1. Make the Best First Impression That means you have to coordinate with: Selling your house requires a significant • The buyer, who wants the best deal amount of time and effort. Doing it right possible takes expertise and an understanding of • The buyer’s agent, who will use their today’s buyers. Your agent knows the anexpertise to advocate for the buyer swers to common questions, such as: • The inspection company, which works • Do I need to take down my personal for the buyer and will almost always art? find concerns with the house • How much landscaping does my house • The appraiser, who assesses the propneed? erty’s value to protect the lender • What colors should I paint my walls? Instead of going toe-to-toe with all Your time and money are important, these parties alone, lean on an exand you don’t want to waste either one pert. Your agent relies on experience focusing on the wrong things. A real es- and training to make the right moves tate advisor relies on their experience to throughout the negotiation. They’ll know answer these questions and more, allow- what levers to pull, how to address each ing you to make the right investments to individual concern, and when you may prep your house before you list. want to get a second opinion. When you 2. Maximize Your Buyer Pool – and sell your house yourself, you’ll need to be Your Sale prepared to have these conversations on Today, the average home is getting 3.6 your own. offers per sale according to recent data 5. Price It Right from NAR. That’s great news if you’re Real estate professionals have the expertise planning to sell, since the more offers to price your house accurately and competyou receive, the more likely you are to itively. To do so, they compare your house sell your house in a bidding war, and for to recently sold homes in your area and faca higher price. tor in the current condition of your house. Real estate agents have an assortment These factors are key to making sure your of tools at their disposal, like social media house is priced to move quickly and get you followers and agency resources, that will the maximum return on your investment. 54 Parade of Homes February 2022
