With todays real estate market moving as fast as it is, working with a Seven Gablesreal estate professional, is more essential than ever. Our Advisors have the skills, experience, and expertise it takes to navigate the highly detailed and involved process of selling a home. That may be why the percentage of people who list their houses on their own, known as a FSBO or For Sale By Owner, has reached itslowest pointsince 1985 (see graph below):
Here are five reasons why selling with a real estate professional makes more sense, even in todayshot market:
1. They Know What Buyers Want To See
Before you decide which projects and repairs to take on, connect with a Seven Gables Advisor. They have first-hand experience with todays buyers, what they expect, and what you need to do to make sure your houseshows well.
If you dont lean on their expertise, you may spend your time and money on something that isnt essential. Thats because, in todays low-inventory market, buyers are willing to take on more of the renovation work themselves. AsurveyfromFreddie Macfinds that:
. . .nearlytwo-in-five potential homebuyers would consider purchasing a home requiring renovations.
A Seven Gables professional can help you decide what you need to tackle. Its not canned advice you could find online its recommendations specific to your house and your area.
2. They Help Maximize Your Buyer Pool
Today, the average home is getting 4.8 offers per sale according torecent datafrom theNational Association of Realtors(NAR), and that competition is pushing prices up. While thats promising for you as a seller, its important to understand your agents role in bringing buyers in.
Real estate professionals have an assortment of tools at their disposal, such as social media followers, agency resources, and the MLS to ensure your house is viewed by the most buyers. According torealtor.com:
Only licensed real estate agents can list homes on the MLS, which isa one-stop online shop of sorts for getting ahouseseen bythousands of agentsandhome buyers. . . .Thisis certainly one of many good reasons why the majority of home sellersdecide to employ the services of a listingagent rather than going it alone.
Without access to these tools, your buyer pool is limited. And you want more buyers to view your house since buyer competition can drive your final sales price higher.
3. They Understand the Fine Print
Today, more disclosures and regulations are mandatory when selling a house. That means the number of legal documents youll need to juggle is growing. Thats whyInvestopediasays:
One of the biggest risks of FSBO is not having the experience or expertise to navigate all of the legal and regulatory requirementsthat come with selling a home.
A real estate professional knows exactly what needs to happen, what all the paperwork means, and how to work through it efficiently. Your Seven Gables advisor will help you review the documents and avoid any costly missteps that could occur if you try to handle them on your own.
4. Theyre Trained Negotiators
If you sell without a professional, youll also be solely responsible for all the negotiations. That means youll have to coordinate with:
- Thebuyer, who wants the best deal possible
- Thebuyers agent, who will use their expertise to advocate for the buyer
- Theinspection company, which works for the buyer and will almost always find concerns with the house
- Theappraiser, who assesses the propertys value to protect the lender
Instead of going toe-to-toe with all these parties alone, lean on a Seven Gables expert. Theyll know what levers to pull, how to address everyones concerns, and when you may want to get a second opinion.
5. They Know How To Set the Right Price for Your House
If you sell your house on your own, you may over or undershoot your asking price. That could mean youll leave money on the table because you priced it too low or your house will sit on the market because you priced it too high.Pricing a houserequires expertise.Investopediaexplainsit like this:
. . .There is no easy or universal way to determine market value for real estate.
Seven Gables professionals know the ins and outs of how to price your house accurately and competitively. To do so, they compare your house to recently sold homes in your area and factor in the current condition of your house. These factors are key to making sure its priced to move quickly while still getting you the highest possible final sale price.
Bottom Line
Theres a lot that goes into seling your house. Instead of tackling it alone, connect with a Seven Gables advisor so you have an expert on your side throughout the entire process.
