The case for using an agent to sell your house

In my experience, many people have no idea of the intricacies and vast number of jobs a real estate agent performs before and during a home buying/selling transaction. In fact, some argue that a real estate agent is unnecessary and opt for selling sans agent. While in limited cases “for sale by owner” has worked, the vast majority end up listing with an agent after wasting valuable time and money going it alone. So why should you seek out an agent to help you buy and sell? I’ve got a few of the top reasons to share with you – they might make you extra cash in the end.

The endless paperwork

The paperwork involved in selling and buying a home has increased dramatically. Industry disclosures and regulations have become mandatory and has led to a stiff drop in for sale by owner over the last decade. The vast volume of paperwork and contracts that need to be signed for each and every real estate transaction is extensive to say the least and making sure every piece is accounted for is worth it’s weight in gold. Going to closing without all of the necessary documents can be a dealbreaker. A quality agent will enable you to rest easy, know all of the behind the scenes work is taken care of.

Viewership by a vast audience

You may have the best house on the block, in a prime neighborhood in the city with an amazing yard and unprecedented amenities, but if no one knows your home exists, what good is it? A real estate agent gets you viewership

by a vast audience, much greater than you will find any other way. By listing in the MLS and in the real estate network, you will have the best photographs and wording to entice potential buyers to come take a look. Over 80% of buyers find their home via the internet so being found well online is vital. An agent also helps you be seen by other brokers and market professionals who may be on the lookout for a home just like yours for

their client.

Double, triple, quadruple check

There are endless things that need to be verified, checked and secured for a successful purchase or sale of a home. Not only does a property need to be verified for land use, but the deed and possible tax issues, such as liens, must be checked. Potential buyers must be vetted and an agent does all of this and

so much more without you even knowing it’s happening behind the scenes.

Help me, help you

Being a real estate agent has it’s perks - commissions come in all shapes and sizes and many times the bigger the commission, the more time, effort and hard work needed. But, many people fail to understand the fact that an agent can actually make you more money than selling on your own and saving

on commission. Agents know how to price homes appropriately and can help you in negotiating and knowing when to give and when to hold tight. They can recommend professional staging techniques and help you present your home attractively to the most amount of buyers. For sale by owner homes tend to have a “less expensive” stigma and will be more prone to low ball offers and may fail to stand up to its full value.