While saving a little money off the top by selling your home on your own might sound
appealing, there’s a reason so many realtors are in business. Selling a home is a complicated
transaction best handled by a professional who is supporting you, the seller. Here are just a few
reasons why you need a realtor to represent you when selling a home.
– Some agents may not want to show for sale by owner properties. Sometimes agents want
to see a professional handling both sides of the real estate transaction. Often there are
issues with the transaction when a homeowner is representing him/herself in a home sale,
so some agents will avoid showing these homes to their clients altogether. Agents may
also discourage their clients from making an offer, even if their clients like the home,
saying there are risks to closing a real estate deal without a professional representing you.
– Realtors don’t get emotional about selling your home. Chances are, you’re attached to
your home, so selling it can be somewhat of an emotional ordeal. You may be tempted to
overprice your home or take it personally when someone bids less than asking price. A
professional realtor is removed from the emotion behind the transaction and can more
effectively negotiate on your behalf while keeping a level head.
– Realtors have large networks they can put to work for you. Even though you can list your
home yourself online, realtors have years of experience networking with other
professionals who have a vested interest in spreading the word about your home. They
form relationships with other agents so they always have access to a large pool of
potential buyers when they list your home. Even if you have a large network personal and
professional contacts, unless you are in the real estate industry, your contacts likely do
not have the same interests as the professional network of your realtor.
– Selling your home is often a realtor’s full-time job. Most people are working during the
day, and it’s difficult for them to rush to the house every time someone wants to view
their home. A realtor is dedicated to doing just that. If you don’t think you have the time
and energy to devote to selling your home as a full-time job on top of your full-time job
and other responsibilities, your best option is to hire a realtor to sell for you.
– A realtor can tell serious buyers from dreamers. When you show your house, it takes time
and effort to ready it for potential buyers, so you really want to limit your showings to
serious buyers. A realtor can screen people viewing your home to tell the difference
between qualified buyers and people dreaming and window shopping.
– When showing your home, it may be awkward for the potential home buyers dealing with
you as the homeowner rather than an agent. If the homeowner is there, many buyers will
rush through the home and be less likely to purchase. A realtor can make sure this does
not happen and that everyone is more comfortable.
Realtors have made it their business and their profession to help those buying or selling a home.
Take advantage of their expertise to get the best offer on your home in a timely manner. For
more information on how a realtor can help you, give our office a call at (703) 485-1435.
Whether you choose to work with us or not, we can point you in the right direction.
Chris Colgan is the CEO and Team Leader of the Chris Colgan Real Estate Team. Chris was
born and raised in Gainesville, Virginia and has been in real estate for 10 years. He is a member
of the Re/Max Hall of Fame and is in the top 25 for sales in the state of Virginia out of all
Re/Max agents. He has been recognized as one of the United States’ and Canada’s Top 500
Marketing Experts by the National Association of Expert Advisors.
