Why You Should Consider Hiring A Realtor vs. For Sale By Owner

If you are looking to sell your home, it is acceptable to do so on your own. However, it is generally in your best interest to hire a professional who understands what it takes to sell a property in a timely manner. Let's take a look at a few specific reasons why you might want to allow a realtor to sell your home as opposed to trying to sell it without any assistance.

Do You Know How to Create an Ideal Listing?

These days, buyers want to see your home online before they schedule a showing. This means that you have to post quality photos, videos, and other content that will help a prospective buyer put your property on his or her list of homes to learn more about. A realtor will have the tools, skills, and experience necessary to create a quality listing that can make your home as attractive as possible.

Will You Be Available for Showings?

A good seller makes his or her home available whenever it is convenient for a buyer to take a closer look at it. If you try to sell the home yourself, you may have to skip your evening or weekend plans to ensure that someone is available to give a guided tour of the property. Conversely, when you work with a realtor, he or she will be able to come to the house for showings on your behalf.

Do You Know Anyone Who Wants to Buy Your House?

Typically, a realtor will sell your home quickly by leveraging his or her network. This network may include social media followers, other real estate agents, or interested buyers who have added their names to that person's email list. Furthermore, realtors may be able to get leads from former clients or others with who they have crossed paths with throughout their careers.

A Realtor Knows How to Price a Home

One of the trickiest parts of selling a home is determining how much it should be listed for. A real estate agent will first lookup the sale prices for all homes sold in your neighborhood over the past six months. He or she will then account for any features that your home has such as a deck, a third bedroom, or a finished basement that may be attractive to buyers.

After taking these factors into account, your representative will calculate your home's fair market value and use that as the list price. As a general rule, it is easier to sell a home when the asking price is based on objective data as opposed to what you feel it should be worth.

Although you may not want to pay the 6% commission that your realtor will collect for helping you sell your home, it is generally a good idea to do so. Your agent will be able to take a variety of steps that you may be unable, unwilling, or too busy to take to ensure that your home sells as quickly as possible.