3 Ways FSBO's are Missing Out

I was talking to someone this afternoon who is trying to sell their home by themselves without an agent. She said that her main reason for doing this was that they couldn't afford any extra fees for Realtors. They owed too much on the home and were already behind on their payments.

This is a sad story that is happening too often right now. However, I'd say that situations like this are the most important times to work with a Realtor. Especially when the market is slow and buyers are few. Let's examine why I think this seller is missing out...

1. Who knows that her home is for sale??
This is a biggie. She has a sign in her yard. Even if she's on a for-sale-by-owner website, the most qualified buyers- those using a Realtor and needing to buy quickly- are searching the MLS and missing her home. I only knew about it because my client drove by.

Contrast this to how I market homes. Not only are my listings in the MLS with professional pictures and a virtual tour, but it's broadcast to numerous other home home searching websites and promoted by me through everything I do. People searching for homes online (which is where people look nowadays) will find my listings and they will look great.

2. Agents will not show your home. This is true mainly because they don't know it's for sale! In this case, the sellers were not offering any commissions even to the buying agent. In effect, they are actually discouraging me from showing their home. We may eventually take a look, but it will be at the bottom of the stack.

3. What risk is the seller taking by being unrepresented?? As a Realtor, I believe that much of my value comes as I help negotiate the contract and then keep things from falling apart to the closing. Even so-called easy deals can have things pop up that can cost lots of money or ruin the entire agreement. My experience will help you avoid these issues and be prepared for each step of the process. Even if a FSBO doesn't hire me, I try to encourage them to hire somebody. It's just not worth the risk.

I appreciate a seller wanting to make more money on their own. It just seems that selling your home is a time when it's best to work with a professional. If you try it, please be careful and willing to be very patient. If you'd like some help, give me a call. :)

-Peter

www.NashvilleCityHomes.com