Think carefully before selling without a REALTOR®

You and your family may need an additional bedroom or two, or maybe your children have gone to college and you now have too much space. This isn’t a problem if you can find the home that suits your new needs.

Could you sell your home without a REALTOR® while competing with more than 2,000 other homes on the market? Of course you could — your present home has real value. The real question is: is it beneficial to sell your home without the help of a REALTOR®? Many homeowners attempting to sell their homes without the help of a professional do so to save the real estate agent’s commission. This savings doesn’t often pay off — prospective buyers frequently make lower offers, thinking there’s no REALTOR®, so the commission should be deducted from the sale price.

Without an agent, it also may take longer to complete the sale of the home. Research shows the average buying or selling transaction takes just over two months, while those sold without the benefit of a REALTOR® take much longer.

Real estate knowledge is important. These are some of the considerations when selling your home without an agent: do you have sufficient knowledge to price your own home? Asked differently, are you aware of the ever-changing market conditions and recent sales of similar homes in your area — the real price, not what a neighbor claimed he or she got for the sale? Do you have the time, skills and resources to advertise and market your home effectively? And when potential buyers ask, are you informed about the FHA, VA, PMI, and the many newer financing options?

So, while many potential sellers are concerned about a REALTOR’S® commission, there are many additional considerations before electing to sell your home without the help of a REALTOR®.