Deciding to sell your house by yourself is a big commitment. Many people think they can put a for sale by owner sign on their front lawn and their home will sell quickly. It might seem like you will save money by not using a realtor, however, you will have to give up your time to get the word out about your home and show it to people. A realtor can do all of this for you, leaving you available to focus on your new home.
VisibilityIf you live on a high-traffic street, a for sale by owner sign might get a lot of responses. However, if your neighborhood is like most neighborhoods, your home might be tucked away from view. If you live in a neighborhood that has a lot of trees, or if your street is a dead end, you're going to have to do a lot of publicity work to get the word out about your home. Using a realtor is a smart choice because the home you are selling will be listed in a database that many area realtors will be able to view. People who are actually looking to purchase a home in your area will see your home. Realtors also might show your home to their other clients who are looking to buy.
Availability
If you are selling your home by yourself, you will have to be around to show potential buyers into your home. This can be a huge inconvenience since many people house hunt during the day, and most people cannot take off work every day for weeks to stay home in case someone happens to stop by. Waiting around to show your home is a waste of your time and could end up costing you money. Instead, if you use a realtor, you can get a lock box on your door with a key in it that realtors can use to access your home. They will have access to your home's listing and have the security code to get the key from the lock box. This is a safe way to show a lot of people your home, and the best part of it is that you don't have to be there. This is the most convenient option for you because you will be able to carry on with your daily routine while you are selling your home.
Length of Process
Using a for sale by owner sign to sell your home means taking risks. You have to hope that someone who is looking for a home in your area will drive by, see your sign, and decide to follow up and make an appointment with you to see your home. Then, you will have to be there to show them around your home and you will have to negotiate the price and details without a middleman. If you use a realtor, more people will find out about your property, more people will look at it, and this greatly increases your chances of selling it. Once you have an interested buyer, a realtor will be able to handle all of the paperwork, negotiate the price between you and the buyer and finalize everything. So throw your for sale by owner sign in the trash and look into hiring a real estate agent to sell your home quickly and easily.
By Stacy Hinojosa