|
Selling your home is a complex procedure, involving large sums of money,
stringent legal requirements and the real potential for very costly mistakes.
It requires a tremendous depth of knowledge and experience, as well as a
substantial amount of time to follow up on every detail promptly and properly.
Your Realtor has these qualifications and experience and is committed to
spending the time it takes to help you sell your home successfully so you can
focus on the things you do best and enjoy the most.
Will you really "save" the real estate commission?
No. Most buyers will see a bargain. They assume you will sell for a discount
because "you don't have to pay the real estate commission."
Do you have the time?
Without a Realtor's support, you're the one who will have to write and pay for
the ads to market your property, remain available day or night for calls from
prospects, run open houses on weekends and show your property on short notice,
screen potential buyers, fill out all the paper work and do the dozens of other
things required to sell a home.
How will you reach potential buyers?
Without a Realtor, you will not have access to an extensive network of
potential buyers.
Do you really know the true market value of your home?
Setting the right selling price is critical. It requires extensive knowledge
and training, as well as access to sophisticated market analysis developed over
years of experience. If you set the price too high, prospective buyers will be
frightened off; too low, and you could leave thousands of dollars on the
negotiating table.
Are you ready to "prescreen" every prospect?
Prescreening prospects is absolutely necessary to weed out the "lookers" from
serious buyers. Do you have the skills and experience to ask the right
questions over the phone before you let a prospect visit? How are you going to
find out whether they're really qualified to purchase in your home's price
range?
How are you at selling and negotiating?
Understanding a buyers needs, providing just enough - but not too much -
information about your house, and completing the sale successfully through
firm, impartial negotiation are all required.
Do you have a thick skin?
The emotional investment you have in your home may prevent you from dealing
objectively with comments from prospective buyers. Hearing every comment a
prospective buyer makes about your home could make you defensive and interfere
with the sale. And you will encounter buyers you don't like personally but must
still consider as prospects.
Are you up to date on real estate law?
Selling your home is a complex contractual and legal procedure. You will have
prepare your own legal documents or translate the language in an offer
presented from a buyer.
"Most people who sell their home do so with the assistance of Realtors. Of the
few who do try it themselves, most change their minds and end up using a
Realtor because the process is too complex, too time consuming, and too
dangerous without the help of a professional."
|
