Sure, You Can Sell It Yourself..But Should You?

I'm a pretty honest and blunt person and sometimes that makes me a bad businessman. For example, I run into people occasionally who say, "I'm going to sell my house myself and skip the fees." And a lot of the time I respond by saying that it's actually not a bad idea in certain markets. If the traffic is high enough, you should be able to sell your home without a problem. So there, I've said it in print. yes, you can sell your house on your own. But it's not so simple.

You have to first determine price, and in a hot market that can lead to your losing enough money that you could have paid an expert to keep you from doing just that. Sure, there's a lot of information on the inter-web. But it's not very precise. One leading real estate website tries to place a value on each property but this can be misleading at best and downright incorrect at worst. Your local real estate professional has access to hundred of different records that help you sell your home, including the multi-list system, county records, city planning, and a deep familiarity (we hope) with the community and how the market is in any given spot. This alone can save you thousands of dollars.

Next you have all of the legal documents that go toward a less risky transaction. Property inspection, fair housing, lead based paint, termite - did you think of all of these? One wouldn't want to sell a home only to have legal problems down the road when something turns up that you didn't think of.

Lastly, whenever you enlist the help of a professional, you will hopefully get someone who is schooled in the art of negotiation. Rarely is it that you price your home and sell it for what you have priced it at, unless you have vastly underpriced it. (see above) You want someone who can negotiate FOR you, someone who is watching out for your best interest. You want the most for your investment and the professional real estate agent can do all of that and more.

If you are thinking of buying or selling, why not call an expert? I have 30 years of experience and I can help you make your best decision. Call me today at 479-903-0328 and thank you.