Selling on Your Own VS With an Agent

With a hotter than ever housing market, we are seeing an increase in real estate media. It’s hard to avoid eye catching billboards, sleek construction wraps, editorial coverage in your favorite publication, sponsored social media content and television shows and commercials with celebrity spokespeople promoting the latest and greatest tools for those at home looking to buy or sell. With this influence, sellers are attempting – and are sometimes successful – at listing homes themselves with the access to these online resources such as how-to guides and online estimators. Buyers also feel they have all the information they need to navigate the purchase of a new home. However, digital resources do not come close to measuring up to an experienced professional. By hiring a real estate agent, you gain access to your own industry expert 24/7. Going with an agent you know or an established firm in your market, you gain a portfolio of agency resources such as marketing benefits, access to pocket listings, a network of buyers and sellers, a professional negotiator and an overall guide take you through the process from start to finish along with dozens of professional referrals.

Know Your Surroundings

Real estate sales professionals specialize in different markets or territories within a larger market. Hiring a professional who does the majority of his or her business within your desired location will give you a leg-up on your research. The agent is going to know the buyer’s preferred location inside-and-out. From the school system to finding comparable sales to giving you an overview on recent crimes and demographics, you will have a town expert on your side. Your agent will also research data such as median and average sales prices, average days on market and ratios of list-to-sold prices, and other critical stats you may not have the time nor experience to research.

Insider Access

Real estate professionals have access to the most up-to-date and accurate home sales information. Sites like Zillow and Trulia on the other hand do not necessarily reflect the market value of a home. Note, homes that are listed on such real estate websites may not include all available homes in the area. They also sometimes neglect to factor in important data such as proximity to train tracks and town dumps in their estimates of value. Having an agent who is an expert in the area gives you background information that is invaluable and difficult to get elsewhere. He or she may also give you access to additional listings that may not be advertised properties. Your agent may have connections to “pocket listings” which are homes for sale that are not on MLS. Your agent can work within his or her network to find private sales that perfectly fit your requirements.

Marketing

When selling a home, realtors know when, where, and how to advertise your home effectively. Locally and outside your market, your agent will know who to target and how to show your property by emphasizing your home’s best features, while downplaying any slight imperfections of the home. Your agent will study the property and develop a strategy for staging, outreach and hosting open houses. In addition, your agent will work with an internal or external communications professional to put together press and marketing materials and conduct media outreach to secure coverage of the listing in well-read publications.

Negotiation

An agent can objectively evaluate prospective buyers’ proposals, negotiate prices, and help you decide whether it is in your best interest to counter, accept or wait for the next offer. Your agent will walk you through the current laws and regulations and have the expertise to avoid delays or expensive mistakes you could make on your own that could cost you. With experience in this part of the transaction, realtors have a full rolodex of trustworthy professionals they can refer you to for various needs such as a mortgage broker, real estate attorney, home inspector, painter and a list of other specialists.

Selling your house by yourself is a full-time job. Let an agent deal with marketing, negotiations, showings and open houses. Selling or buying a house should be an exciting time as you are moving on to a new chapter of your life, so hire a real estate professional to alleviate stress during what can be hectic time. We’re used to it!